Healthy foods ARE more expensive.

124

Replies

  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    Look into a co-op such as Bountiful Baskets, they try and get healthy food at a fraction of cost. It has helped me tremendously! good luck, and remember what you spend in food you save in medical later on!!
    What is that?
  • JustANumber85
    JustANumber85 Posts: 644 Member
    Look into a co-op such as Bountiful Baskets, they try and get healthy food at a fraction of cost. It has helped me tremendously! good luck, and remember what you spend in food you save in medical later on!!

    OHHH is that like Greenbean Delivery where they deliver fruits/veggies to your house every week or every other week? I tried it and i really liked it but we werent saving much money compared to at the store. I DID like how you could pick how much and what you got.
  • OMG_Twinkies
    OMG_Twinkies Posts: 215 Member
    It can be more expensive to eat the healthier foods…but for me, I'm not eating at restaurants and fast food places NEARLY as often, so I actually end up saving money. And stay in the seasonal produce section; produce tends to be a lot cheaper if you stay in season.
  • Yolanda4160
    Yolanda4160 Posts: 170 Member
    :smile: I agree with those that said hit up your local farmers market or produce stand. Better prices, usually local, and/or organic! I can stop at my local market and walk out with 4 bags of produce for only $10 or $15! And then your money stays local as well
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    Look into a co-op such as Bountiful Baskets, they try and get healthy food at a fraction of cost. It has helped me tremendously! good luck, and remember what you spend in food you save in medical later on!!
    What is that?

    Ummmm... See my post at the top of the page?
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
    http://www.poorgirleatswell.com/
  • Jesstruhan
    Jesstruhan Posts: 331 Member
    WINCO. I never shop Walmart EVER. (Yes, admitted Wal-Mart hater, here).
    Winco, Fred Meyer (if you have them), Trader Joe's, any local Farm-stand or farmer's market, Whole Foods (we call it whole paycheck, but the prices are getting better). Whole Foods is a staple for me.

    Buy bulk, but you don't need much. Only buy what you realistically will eat in a week. 1 apple, 1 orange, 1 banana (or small bunch), etc. Each item is .80, .50, $1.59, etc so when you are done shopping it's not bad.

    Only buy avocado if you'll really eat it. I often let them go bad if I don't.

    Plan a menu and use epicurious or an app to help determine how much to buy based on what you want to make. it really helps cut down on the excess. My roommate makes the mistake of buying for a family of 4 when she's only buying for herself. Half of her food gets old and goes bad before she even THINKS about having it. DON"T DO THAT. Spoiling food drives me nuts.
    Good luck on your journey.
  • firstnamekaren
    firstnamekaren Posts: 274 Member
    I don't know if this has been posted yet but you don't have to buy EVERYTHING organic.

    http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-to-buy-or-not-to-buy-organic
  • kmoore02
    kmoore02 Posts: 167 Member
    I don't think eating healthy is expensive. What you spend on the front end, you save on the back end with better health and fewer doctors visits. I also think that eating healthy means eating less. I don't consume as much food as I didn't eating healthy. I'm not hungry all the time either. I get a lot of my health conscious foods at Costco, but I'm a pretty generic eater too.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Fruit is expensive in the winter. I generally stick to apples, oranges and bananas. Rice, potatoes, heads of lettuce, carrots, canned beans, are all affordable.
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
    I would try farmers markets. All organic and locally grown, usually fairly priced. I live in Washington BTW

    I'm in Oregon and farmers markets are closed until Spring here. Check local adds. Right now oranges are in season from South America. I shop at a discount food chains Grocery Outlet and Winco which are cheaper for food than Walmart.
  • Pnknlvr96
    Pnknlvr96 Posts: 104 Member
    I'm in Denver and I've noticed that produce at Walmart and Target is not only way more expensive, but it goes bad really quickly. I buy all my produce at Sprouts. They have great sales, like apples for 99 cents a lb., and avocados were 77 cents each last weekend, and I don't usually buy organic. I try to eat clean most of the time and I spend less than $50 per week (it's just for myself though). So I don't think it's that expensive, you just have to know where to shop.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I get a lot of my produce at Costco...of course, I have a family of four...well, really three right now as my youngest is still breast feeding... so it's easier to buy in bulk. I also try to buy in season fruits and vegetables at the store when I'm not buying in bulk as it is much cheaper that way.

    Also, you can't just look at the bottom line...you get more bang for your buck with healthy foods. I've ultimately found that it comes out pretty even in the end as healthier, nutrient dense foods keep me feeling full longer while I simply feel the need to eat more of the other stuff to be satiated.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    This same debate comes up every month or so. Is it more expensive to eat healthy? I am one who says yes, it is more expensive no matter what anybody says. I know how to shop smart, use coupons, sales, bulk, etc, etc etc.. I could go on forever. But I have the checking account to show me that we are spending MUCH more money now that I'm eating and cooking healthy. Period.
    I'm so sick of hearing "it is cheaper in the long run due the medical bills", that I may throw up.

    It's probably just your definition of "healthy foods" then. We have saved almost $200 a month.
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
    Usually it seems cheaper to eat frozen/prepared meals because you aren't having to buy each ingredient.

    What others have said is good advice, fruits and veggies depend on the season and if you can find a farmers market its usually cheaper (and fresher) than buying from the supermarket.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    This same debate comes up every month or so. Is it more expensive to eat healthy? I am one who says yes, it is more expensive no matter what anybody says. I know how to shop smart, use coupons, sales, bulk, etc, etc etc.. I could go on forever. But I have the checking account to show me that we are spending MUCH more money now that I'm eating and cooking healthy. Period.
    I'm so sick of hearing "it is cheaper in the long run due the medical bills", that I may throw up.

    It's probably just your definition of "healthy foods" then. We have saved almost $200 a month.
    No that has nothing to do with this. Pre-packaged/processed foods/tv dinners, frozen meals, etc are cheaper than buying fresh meats and produce. Period.
    Also, it isn't about my definition - because prior to cooking and eating healthy, we were only spend about $60 a week on groceries. that has now doubled.
  • sophasaurusxx
    sophasaurusxx Posts: 126
    Healthy foods are ridicuously expensive around here where i live, its unreal! You walk into supermarkets, and alls you see on special offer is chocolate, crisps, biscuits, chocolate and more chocolate! Really cheap prices, yet you go over to the fruit and veg and there all expensive and no offers at all! Its mad! Yet the government and stuff are quick enough to say that UK are becoming the highest obesitiy population, hmm well i wonder why!!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    This same debate comes up every month or so. Is it more expensive to eat healthy? I am one who says yes, it is more expensive no matter what anybody says. I know how to shop smart, use coupons, sales, bulk, etc, etc etc.. I could go on forever. But I have the checking account to show me that we are spending MUCH more money now that I'm eating and cooking healthy. Period.
    I'm so sick of hearing "it is cheaper in the long run due the medical bills", that I may throw up.

    It's probably just your definition of "healthy foods" then. We have saved almost $200 a month.
    No that has nothing to do with this. Pre-packaged/processed foods/tv dinners, frozen meals, etc are cheaper than buying fresh meats and produce. Period.
    Also, it isn't about my definition - because prior to cooking and eating healthy, we were only spend about $60 a week on groceries. that has now doubled.

    That's ridiculous. Frozen dinners run $4-6 per serving, and sometimes that's actually only a half a serving because for most brands, you need two of them to fill you up. A pound of meat typically runs $3-4 and will feed four people. Four potatoes will be less than fifty cents when you buy the big bags of them. A can of green beans is about fifty cents. So four frozen dinners for a *minimum* of $8, or as much as $15-20 is more expensive than a pound of beef or chicken, a potato and a green veggie at $5 for the whole dinner.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Healthy foods are ridicuously expensive around here where i live, its unreal! You walk into supermarkets, and alls you see on special offer is chocolate, crisps, biscuits, chocolate and more chocolate! Really cheap prices, yet you go over to the fruit and veg and there all expensive and no offers at all! Its mad! Yet the government and stuff are quick enough to say that UK are becoming the highest obesitiy population, hmm well i wonder why!!

    Which supermarkets arr you using? There are offers on produce in every supermarket I every go into here - Tesco, Asda, Morrisons. Check out their websites, the offers are usually have their own section for example
    http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/browse/default.aspx?N=4294793612+4294963376&Ne=4294793660&lvl=3
  • Stdavis53
    Stdavis53 Posts: 233 Member
    Its true, in MOST cases, eating healthier foods is a little bit more expensive. Think of it this way though, Cost of buying healthier foods vs medical bills down the road for being unhealthy and overweight. You truly can't put a price on your health.
  • Stdavis53
    Stdavis53 Posts: 233 Member
    Healthy foods are ridicuously expensive around here where i live, its unreal! You walk into supermarkets, and alls you see on special offer is chocolate, crisps, biscuits, chocolate and more chocolate! Really cheap prices, yet you go over to the fruit and veg and there all expensive and no offers at all! Its mad! Yet the government and stuff are quick enough to say that UK are becoming the highest obesitiy population, hmm well i wonder why!!

    Trust me, the UK will NEVER pass up "Merica as the fattest population hah.
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    Re-purchase value. People forget that.

    Tv dinners can last for weeks - therefore, that 10 dollars spent on tv dinners goes much further. 10 dollars spent on fruits and fresh foods have to be eaten sooner and thus repurchased sooner. I can buy 10 dollars worth of fruit, eat it all in a week, and then be screwed for the next week because I don't have anything else to eat nor do I have money to buy more.

    That **** don't stretch on a paycheck. My boyfriend and I have to feed ourselves on roughly 40 dollars a week. And he is the world's pickiest eater, so I don't choose the foods. I can't afford to buy my own foods, so a good deal of my eating habits have been changed through portion control.

    People who say it saves on health care? Ha. I haven't been to a doctor in years. Not because I'm healthy, but because I don't have health insurance.

    Can't save on what you don't have.
  • DivaJadelyn
    DivaJadelyn Posts: 280 Member
    Buying fresh and healthy ingredients aren't more expensive in *MY* area when you shop smart. Buy meat (and freeze) when it's on sale, buy in season vegetables, plan your meals days/weeks in advance, bake your own bread if you can, roll your own pasta noodles. You're cutting out chemicals and preservatives and getting a higher quality product. Other ways I've found to save money.. don't buy prebagged produce.. it's more expensive for no reason. Go to the bulk bins and weigh exactly how many apples you want. You'll waste less which saves money as well as the fact the unit price tends to be cheaper.
  • jonesin_am
    jonesin_am Posts: 404 Member
    Frozen bagged veggies aren't a bad alternative. I have three kids and can't afford the fresh stuff all the time. And I live in Vermont so any produce this time of year isn't fresh. During the winter months we eat a lot of frozen veggies. In the summer we grow our own garden and are a member of a local CSA.
  • amandabrady
    amandabrady Posts: 203 Member
    What does everyone suggest if you live out in the middle of nowhere? Most of you sound like you live in cities with access to lots of options. I live in Michigan, and although we have a farmer's market that starts late spring in my town, it's winter. That's not even an option. I'm looking at Walmart or an insanely overpriced local grocery store. That's it. The next closest town with something else is 20 miles away and has Walmart, Sam's Club, or a Meijer, which some of you also from Michigan/Ohio/Indiana area may be familiar with. Meijer is a step up and slightly more expensive in comparison to Walmart but it is by no means comparable to somewhere like a Whole Foods (which is also crazy out of my budget). What do you do? Has anyone who is living a lifestyle similar to this situation found some type of routine or menu options or plan to follow?
  • missmegan831
    missmegan831 Posts: 824 Member
    I have to agree with everyone.. Farmers Markets...local farm stands..and of course....have your own garden..if you live in an area where you can have one, even a small one its well worth the extra time to save money and grown your own veggies
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    There's absolutely nothing wrong with eating frozen veggies. They actually have more nutrition than fresh unless you picked it out of the garden yourself because they're flash frozen, usually within 6 hrs of picking, rather than bouncing around on a truck for days. It's probably the cheapest veggie option you can get.

    Seems everyone has been brainwashed to think eating better means only organically grown fresh food harvested by elves on a moonlit night. You can easily buy "real" food on a budget if you make good choices. Buying ingredients and preparing the same quantity of food that you get in one of those boxed meals would be cents worth of real food.
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,296 Member
    As far as I know where I live, the farmers market is only open during the summer. So, I have to shop at Wal-Mart also. We also have Kroger, but I think they are overpriced on everything they sell except some some deals that I can use my Kroger Plus card. Definately google foods and veggies that are currently in season. Find out when your favorites are in season. Even if you don't know, you can kinda tell when you see an abundance of a certain item in the store. If your favorites aren't in season or not the best quality, buy frozen.

    Also, meat, look for sales. Pork is almost always on sale where I live. Chicken on the other hand, I just shake my head at the price of it.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    $2.98 for a pound of apples! What!?! I guess I'm just spoiled living in California, but I just bought apples for 79 cents a pound last night. I also got an avocado for 50 cents. Healthy eating is not more expensive for me, but that could just be a regional thing as well. I only buy fresh fruit and vegetables when they are in season (and cheaper) and there's always something in season around here. Anything else I wait for sales or buy frozen.
  • stephross88
    stephross88 Posts: 846 Member
    First of all, WalMart price matches. This means if you bring in a competitors ad and there is a lower advertised price on any same item, they will match it. Eating healthy CAN be more expensive, but it doesn't have to be.

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