How much does good food cost?
Replies
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I dont know about Hawaii, never been.Hi,
I was wondering now and then why people complained about the costs of dieting..
Now a new fried wrote that he has to pay 3 dollars for an apple?!?!?
Well, I really hope it is not like this everywhere...
I live in Italy, and I lived in the UK, and the food is by no means as expensive as that...
So, my questions, out of curiosity... how much does "good" food cost where you live?
Fresh fruit and vegs, chicken and pork meat, legumes, potatoes, rice...
Do you really find that eating healthy is more expensive than not?
This is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to people who want to lose weight, go on a diet, etc when they wonder about the high price of 'healthy food.
I have yo yo'd over the years. I am not proud of it, but it has happened. I master losing weight buy eating better, eating less and exercising. It is just maintaining that has killed me. I am giving it one more go around.
When people complain and say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive...that is complete BS.
YOu can easily lose weight, and gain more $$ in your bank account. It really goes hand in hand. People dont need to go out and buy fancy "healty" food to lose weight.
When I lose weight I make $$$$$.
I spend sooo much less on food. How? Because you eat less. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less fast food, much less drinks. much less eating out, much, much less $$ spend when you eat less/healthier
I don't know about where you live but in Hawaii, where I live, I without a doubt spend less when I grab fast food. Food is expensive, far more expensive than on the mainland, but fast food prices remain fairly consistent with what they are on the mainland.
That aside, not everyone who gains weight eats fast food so for some what you experience just isn't the case.
My general point in this though when people complain that eating healthy and losing weight is just too expensive.
Most people can go to the grocery and get a week's worth of food, even healthier food, and spend much less on food than those people who eat out often. The obesity epedemic for some many people also drains their pocket books with the high prices of eating out/ordering in.
Case in point this past weekend. My wife just wanted to get breakfast for all of us at McDonalds or BK. $3-$4 a person it would cost. Instead I made some good breakfast, for a fraction of the cost, for the whole family.
Same thing for dinner. Chicket breasts on the grill, vegetables and a side salad...bought it all at the local market and it came to much less than what you could really get at even a fast food restaurant.
My main point is this.....people who say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive to buy healthy food are just full of it.0 -
I added up what I ate in a week when I was fat...eating out at fast food places (even off the dollar menu usually but not always) compared to what I pay out now for good food.
Junk food costs more, sorry but it did for me! My food bills are definitely lower now.0 -
I dont know about Hawaii, never been.Hi,
I was wondering now and then why people complained about the costs of dieting..
Now a new fried wrote that he has to pay 3 dollars for an apple?!?!?
Well, I really hope it is not like this everywhere...
I live in Italy, and I lived in the UK, and the food is by no means as expensive as that...
So, my questions, out of curiosity... how much does "good" food cost where you live?
Fresh fruit and vegs, chicken and pork meat, legumes, potatoes, rice...
Do you really find that eating healthy is more expensive than not?
This is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to people who want to lose weight, go on a diet, etc when they wonder about the high price of 'healthy food.
I have yo yo'd over the years. I am not proud of it, but it has happened. I master losing weight buy eating better, eating less and exercising. It is just maintaining that has killed me. I am giving it one more go around.
When people complain and say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive...that is complete BS.
YOu can easily lose weight, and gain more $$ in your bank account. It really goes hand in hand. People dont need to go out and buy fancy "healty" food to lose weight.
When I lose weight I make $$$$$.
I spend sooo much less on food. How? Because you eat less. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less fast food, much less drinks. much less eating out, much, much less $$ spend when you eat less/healthier
I don't know about where you live but in Hawaii, where I live, I without a doubt spend less when I grab fast food. Food is expensive, far more expensive than on the mainland, but fast food prices remain fairly consistent with what they are on the mainland.
That aside, not everyone who gains weight eats fast food so for some what you experience just isn't the case.
My general point in this though when people complain that eating healthy and losing weight is just too expensive.
Most people can go to the grocery and get a week's worth of food, even healthier food, and spend much less on food than those people who eat out often. The obesity epedemic for some many people also drains their pocket books with the high prices of eating out/ordering in.
Case in point this past weekend. My wife just wanted to get breakfast for all of us at McDonalds or BK. $3-$4 a person it would cost. Instead I made some good breakfast, for a fraction of the cost, for the whole family.
Same thing for dinner. Chicket breasts on the grill, vegetables and a side salad...bought it all at the local market and it came to much less than what you could really get at even a fast food restaurant.
My main point is this.....people who say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive to buy healthy food are just full of it.
Well yeah, since you can eat any sort of food and lose weight.0 -
I live next door to an Aldi supermarket so I shop daily. An average shop costs less than a £10 ($17) and I buy mainly veg, fruit, salmon, chicken, soup, household stuff, things for the boy (juice, kellogs winders, fromage frais, macaroni cheese packets, frozen pizza, pickle, cheese, bread), tea, sugar, spread, passatta, pasta, rice, chorizo and some jars of sauce and condiments.
I have a what I consider to me a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruit and veg so I don't think there is a high cost associated with eating a healthy diet. All of the things I buy are far more expensive in other UK supermarkets though, so it's really beneficial to use the low cost ones like Aldi and Lidl.0 -
How is this even possible? I have a family of four and we spend 1,000 to 1200 a month on food. I buy all our milk, butter and yogurt organic. Our eggs are cage free. Our chicken is organic. Fish is wild caught only. Beef and lamb, usually grass fed. Fruits and veggies not organic (aside from bell peppers and berries).I spend about $350/ mo on Paleo for myself, my daughter and my boyfriend.
Dang, how much is ya'll monthly expense?
What do you eat for only 350 a month? can't be grains and beans as it is paleo.0 -
I find Walmart to be very expensive. I like grocery stores and Sam's for food, then Walmart for household goods.0
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Eating healthy is CHEAPER than eating poorly. Rice and beans are incredibly cheap. Vegetables are free for half of the year, due to gardening. Fruit can be pricey off season, but it's cheap in the summer. In America, we are spoiled. We have such great distribution networks bringing produce from South and Central America. Our produce is some of the least expensive in the world.
Around here, a fruit tree costs about $25US. It's the gift that keeps on giving.0 -
I live in the Bay Area and do most of my shopping at a grocery store and farmers markets. I do not find eating healthy to be expensive. I always buy what is on sale and in season.
The meat (beef, chicken, lamb) at the farmers markets is SUPER awesome but expensive, so I buy most of my meat at the grocery store. I buy most produce at the farmers market and most of it is organic. I roughly spend $300/month for my partner and I on meat, produce and other staples such as yogurt, bread, milk, cheese, etc.0 -
Just to ask...when you eat unhealthy......do you also eat out more often or delivery?I grocery shop for 2 people.. When we were eating unhealthy (processed junk, etc) a trip to the grocery store would cost us around $70-$80 per week. Now that we eat healthy (fruits, veggies, etc) a trip to the grocery store costs us $90-$100 per week. So not much of a difference to us, but to someone with a very limited budget I could see how that could make a huge difference.
ETA: We live in the US. Michigan, to be specific.
I have found that maybe getting groceries may be a little bit more when you are buying "healty" food, but when you are on a health kick you also dont seem to stop and eat junk at fast food places, gas stations, going through a carryout and buying a pop, etc.
Just one thing to also think about.
That's true. I didn't factor that into the cost. Generally, we were eating food from the grocery store during the week, and eating out on the weekends. We still eat out on Saturdays now that we eat better, but mostly it's food from the grocery store.
And that is one thing people dont think about often. They see their grocery bill go up and complain and think it is too expensive to eat healthy, but wont bat an eye to grab food out routinely and I am not just talking about dinner. Lunch is a huge issue as well. Most spend way too much $$$ eating out, and to "get the best value" many places offer way more food/calories than what we need in a day.0 -
I think people say that it is expensive cause they actually start going out and buying their own food, where for the most part they are accustom to having their parents pay for it. When you go from spending $0.00 a week to over $100 well it feels expensive… but anyways here are my thoughts
Where in the world: Canada, Ontario, Toronto
This is really dependent on where you shop and if you are a smart shopper.
I can go to No Frills and get asparagus for $1.99lb or
I can go to Loblaw’s and get it for $5.99lb (not kidding)
if I go to Whole Foods it’s probably $6.99lb and then $8.99 for Organic. (not 100% on the Whole foods prices haven’t been for a long time)
Meat
Chicken at No Frills is around $13-$18 at times outside of sales, this averages about 5 pieces or so not sure about weight.
Wal-Mart $9… all the time … 5 pieces but weight changes per pack (I check the weight since it’s a streamlined price)
Loblaw’s / Sobeys $20 +
Whole Foods (organic) it’s almost double what you’d pay at Sobeys or Loblaw’s, I looked at the prices once and laughed.
Costco is always good too
I’ve seen in the US huge club packs of chicken for like $8…. I wish we had those prices and size here!
Not sure what else to say, I get most of my chicken from Wal-Mart or Costco … Personally I rather have the steroid injected chicken … hoping to get some gains from it0 -
I spend about $75 dollars a week on grocerys for two people.
This includes Fruit and veggies some staples are
avocado $.60 ea
bananas $.50 ea
tomatoes $.80 lb
Apples $1.29lb
Strawberries (on sale right now) $1.74lb
Salad kits $2.00 ea
carrots 2lb bag $.99ea
Broccoli $.99lb
sweet potatoes/yams $1.50-$.99lb
Chicken (I buy from a bulk company at $1.89lb
Ground beef $4.00lb (I buy 97/3)
Sausage/chorizo $2-$4lb
Eggs $1.79doz
cottage cheese $1.80 per 4 servings
Yogurt (individual size) $.89-$1.00 ea
butter $2.00lb
Almond milk $2.50 on sale $3.00 regular
Canned beans -$.50 can
Rice $2.00 bag
Pretty cheap where I live.0 -
I dont know about Hawaii, never been.Hi,
I was wondering now and then why people complained about the costs of dieting..
Now a new fried wrote that he has to pay 3 dollars for an apple?!?!?
Well, I really hope it is not like this everywhere...
I live in Italy, and I lived in the UK, and the food is by no means as expensive as that...
So, my questions, out of curiosity... how much does "good" food cost where you live?
Fresh fruit and vegs, chicken and pork meat, legumes, potatoes, rice...
Do you really find that eating healthy is more expensive than not?
This is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to people who want to lose weight, go on a diet, etc when they wonder about the high price of 'healthy food.
I have yo yo'd over the years. I am not proud of it, but it has happened. I master losing weight buy eating better, eating less and exercising. It is just maintaining that has killed me. I am giving it one more go around.
When people complain and say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive...that is complete BS.
YOu can easily lose weight, and gain more $$ in your bank account. It really goes hand in hand. People dont need to go out and buy fancy "healty" food to lose weight.
When I lose weight I make $$$$$.
I spend sooo much less on food. How? Because you eat less. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less fast food, much less drinks. much less eating out, much, much less $$ spend when you eat less/healthier
I don't know about where you live but in Hawaii, where I live, I without a doubt spend less when I grab fast food. Food is expensive, far more expensive than on the mainland, but fast food prices remain fairly consistent with what they are on the mainland.
That aside, not everyone who gains weight eats fast food so for some what you experience just isn't the case.
My general point in this though when people complain that eating healthy and losing weight is just too expensive.
Most people can go to the grocery and get a week's worth of food, even healthier food, and spend much less on food than those people who eat out often. The obesity epedemic for some many people also drains their pocket books with the high prices of eating out/ordering in.
Case in point this past weekend. My wife just wanted to get breakfast for all of us at McDonalds or BK. $3-$4 a person it would cost. Instead I made some good breakfast, for a fraction of the cost, for the whole family.
Same thing for dinner. Chicket breasts on the grill, vegetables and a side salad...bought it all at the local market and it came to much less than what you could really get at even a fast food restaurant.
My main point is this.....people who say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive to buy healthy food are just full of it.
And again, that's not true everywhere. Hawaii is one of the poorest states in the union, people are often cramming 4 generations of a family into a 3 bedroom house and just barely getting by. In that situation spending a few bucks a person at BK is going to be cheaper than anything else.
That said, you can lose weight eating BK or McDonalds, so if the point to fast food as the reason they can't lose weight that's nonsense. They could certainly lose weight eating solely fast food if they were so inclined (And depending on location is may be cheaper than going to the grocery store.)
Just saying. I can get a burger and fries for 2 bucks. I can't buy anything in the grocery store for 2 bucks.
...well, a 20oz soda is about 1.50. I guess I could buy that.0 -
I dont know about Hawaii, never been.Hi,
I was wondering now and then why people complained about the costs of dieting..
Now a new fried wrote that he has to pay 3 dollars for an apple?!?!?
Well, I really hope it is not like this everywhere...
I live in Italy, and I lived in the UK, and the food is by no means as expensive as that...
So, my questions, out of curiosity... how much does "good" food cost where you live?
Fresh fruit and vegs, chicken and pork meat, legumes, potatoes, rice...
Do you really find that eating healthy is more expensive than not?
This is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to people who want to lose weight, go on a diet, etc when they wonder about the high price of 'healthy food.
I have yo yo'd over the years. I am not proud of it, but it has happened. I master losing weight buy eating better, eating less and exercising. It is just maintaining that has killed me. I am giving it one more go around.
When people complain and say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive...that is complete BS.
YOu can easily lose weight, and gain more $$ in your bank account. It really goes hand in hand. People dont need to go out and buy fancy "healty" food to lose weight.
When I lose weight I make $$$$$.
I spend sooo much less on food. How? Because you eat less. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less fast food, much less drinks. much less eating out, much, much less $$ spend when you eat less/healthier
I don't know about where you live but in Hawaii, where I live, I without a doubt spend less when I grab fast food. Food is expensive, far more expensive than on the mainland, but fast food prices remain fairly consistent with what they are on the mainland.
That aside, not everyone who gains weight eats fast food so for some what you experience just isn't the case.
My general point in this though when people complain that eating healthy and losing weight is just too expensive.
Most people can go to the grocery and get a week's worth of food, even healthier food, and spend much less on food than those people who eat out often. The obesity epedemic for some many people also drains their pocket books with the high prices of eating out/ordering in.
Case in point this past weekend. My wife just wanted to get breakfast for all of us at McDonalds or BK. $3-$4 a person it would cost. Instead I made some good breakfast, for a fraction of the cost, for the whole family.
Same thing for dinner. Chicket breasts on the grill, vegetables and a side salad...bought it all at the local market and it came to much less than what you could really get at even a fast food restaurant.
My main point is this.....people who say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive to buy healthy food are just full of it.
Well yeah, since you can eat any sort of food and lose weight.
Exactly. People think to lose weight they need to buy all this organic stuff, gluten free, etc etc etc. The main point is eating less calories then you need. Basic principle. By the simple fact of eating less calories you are going to eat less food and in turn you will fin dmore $$ in your pockets...even if you are eating non 'diet' food.0 -
We are a family of four, two adults, and 2 young children. We eat as cheap and as healthy as possible, with treats and salty snacks mixed in. We dont make much money, so costs do matter to us.
I shop my store's sale flyer, and I live very rurally, with one grocery store, and one dollar store as our food options in town.
I spend 70ish dollars a week, on a regular basis. I do buy meat from a hunter once a year, and I also go to costco once a month to buy specialty items. That is about a 70 dollar trip.
I dont spend as little as some, but I think I get good quality/health value for my dollar.0 -
I dont know about Hawaii, never been.Hi,
I was wondering now and then why people complained about the costs of dieting..
Now a new fried wrote that he has to pay 3 dollars for an apple?!?!?
Well, I really hope it is not like this everywhere...
I live in Italy, and I lived in the UK, and the food is by no means as expensive as that...
So, my questions, out of curiosity... how much does "good" food cost where you live?
Fresh fruit and vegs, chicken and pork meat, legumes, potatoes, rice...
Do you really find that eating healthy is more expensive than not?
This is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to people who want to lose weight, go on a diet, etc when they wonder about the high price of 'healthy food.
I have yo yo'd over the years. I am not proud of it, but it has happened. I master losing weight buy eating better, eating less and exercising. It is just maintaining that has killed me. I am giving it one more go around.
When people complain and say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive...that is complete BS.
YOu can easily lose weight, and gain more $$ in your bank account. It really goes hand in hand. People dont need to go out and buy fancy "healty" food to lose weight.
When I lose weight I make $$$$$.
I spend sooo much less on food. How? Because you eat less. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less fast food, much less drinks. much less eating out, much, much less $$ spend when you eat less/healthier
I don't know about where you live but in Hawaii, where I live, I without a doubt spend less when I grab fast food. Food is expensive, far more expensive than on the mainland, but fast food prices remain fairly consistent with what they are on the mainland.
That aside, not everyone who gains weight eats fast food so for some what you experience just isn't the case.
My general point in this though when people complain that eating healthy and losing weight is just too expensive.
Most people can go to the grocery and get a week's worth of food, even healthier food, and spend much less on food than those people who eat out often. The obesity epedemic for some many people also drains their pocket books with the high prices of eating out/ordering in.
Case in point this past weekend. My wife just wanted to get breakfast for all of us at McDonalds or BK. $3-$4 a person it would cost. Instead I made some good breakfast, for a fraction of the cost, for the whole family.
Same thing for dinner. Chicket breasts on the grill, vegetables and a side salad...bought it all at the local market and it came to much less than what you could really get at even a fast food restaurant.
My main point is this.....people who say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive to buy healthy food are just full of it.
And again, that's not true everywhere. Hawaii is one of the poorest states in the union, people are often cramming 4 generations of a family into a 3 bedroom house and just barely getting by. In that situation spending a few bucks a person at BK is going to be cheaper than anything else.
That said, you can lose weight eating BK or McDonalds, so if the point to fast food as the reason they can't lose weight that's nonsense. They could certainly lose weight eating solely fast food if they were so inclined (And depending on location is may be cheaper than going to the grocery store.)
Sure, you can lose weight by eating at Bk or McDonalds. That is 100% true.
But you know how you do it?
Eat less.
Eat less = spending less = losing weight isnt too expensive.0 -
I am in Central Canada (Saskatchewan -- say it three times fast) and healthy or unhealthy it is expensive. Because of how long and harsh our winters are the summer growing season is quite short. So about 90% of food is imported here both junk and non-junk. I do tend to buy product in bulk at Costco and package at home for cost savings. I know someone suggested Wal-Mart, but I will barely purchase meat at Safeway because of quality much less a discount chain. In the city I live in it is well no that the best meats are found at Costco and a local chain Co-op Marketplace. The best fresh produce is at Safeway and Sobeys (another Canadian chain). For all canned and dry goods most people go to a Loblaws location since it is cheap.
The exact cost of what I spend per week is unknown since I go to certain places for certain things over a few months (meat and frozen/dry goods) or weekly for fresh produce. But I would average it out to be $100 - $150 for three adults per week. But I have never truly done the math.
I should mention that costs here are going up dramatically as Saskatchewan was the only province or state in North America that no recession whatsoever and our economy is booming.0 -
If I'm not buying organic I can do groceries for a family of 4 (including a bottomless 10 year old boy) on about $130-150/week. If I buy organic meat/ fruits/veggies it is closer to $200/week. I'm in the NE US0
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I dont know about Hawaii, never been.Hi,
I was wondering now and then why people complained about the costs of dieting..
Now a new fried wrote that he has to pay 3 dollars for an apple?!?!?
Well, I really hope it is not like this everywhere...
I live in Italy, and I lived in the UK, and the food is by no means as expensive as that...
So, my questions, out of curiosity... how much does "good" food cost where you live?
Fresh fruit and vegs, chicken and pork meat, legumes, potatoes, rice...
Do you really find that eating healthy is more expensive than not?
This is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to people who want to lose weight, go on a diet, etc when they wonder about the high price of 'healthy food.
I have yo yo'd over the years. I am not proud of it, but it has happened. I master losing weight buy eating better, eating less and exercising. It is just maintaining that has killed me. I am giving it one more go around.
When people complain and say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive...that is complete BS.
YOu can easily lose weight, and gain more $$ in your bank account. It really goes hand in hand. People dont need to go out and buy fancy "healty" food to lose weight.
When I lose weight I make $$$$$.
I spend sooo much less on food. How? Because you eat less. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less fast food, much less drinks. much less eating out, much, much less $$ spend when you eat less/healthier
I don't know about where you live but in Hawaii, where I live, I without a doubt spend less when I grab fast food. Food is expensive, far more expensive than on the mainland, but fast food prices remain fairly consistent with what they are on the mainland.
That aside, not everyone who gains weight eats fast food so for some what you experience just isn't the case.
My general point in this though when people complain that eating healthy and losing weight is just too expensive.
Most people can go to the grocery and get a week's worth of food, even healthier food, and spend much less on food than those people who eat out often. The obesity epedemic for some many people also drains their pocket books with the high prices of eating out/ordering in.
Case in point this past weekend. My wife just wanted to get breakfast for all of us at McDonalds or BK. $3-$4 a person it would cost. Instead I made some good breakfast, for a fraction of the cost, for the whole family.
Same thing for dinner. Chicket breasts on the grill, vegetables and a side salad...bought it all at the local market and it came to much less than what you could really get at even a fast food restaurant.
My main point is this.....people who say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive to buy healthy food are just full of it.
Well yeah, since you can eat any sort of food and lose weight.
Exactly. People think to lose weight they need to buy all this organic stuff, gluten free, etc etc etc. The main point is eating less calories then you need. Basic principle. By the simple fact of eating less calories you are going to eat less food and in turn you will fin dmore $$ in your pockets...even if you are eating non 'diet' food.
Not really, all depends on what you're buying. If i decide to start buying dry aged ribeyes, caviar etc while dieting, my food costs will be higher than when I'm not.
and for me personally I spend $200+ easily on groceries for myself a week0 -
Eating healthy is not cheaper than eating crap. Fresh fruit and vegetables, when not from your garden, cost a lot more than cheetos and mac and cheese. I just bought 3 large Mt. Rainier something something crisp apples and they were over 8 dollars. They are not organic but they are still firm and juicy. We live in Northern Virginia and I must say that food prices here are higher than I have seen in other parts of the country.Eating healthy is CHEAPER than eating poorly. Rice and beans are incredibly cheap. Vegetables are free for half of the year, due to gardening. Fruit can be pricey off season, but it's cheap in the summer. In America, we are spoiled. We have such great distribution networks bringing produce from South and Central America. Our produce is some of the least expensive in the world.
Around here, a fruit tree costs about $25US. It's the gift that keeps on giving.0 -
I dont know about Hawaii, never been.Hi,
I was wondering now and then why people complained about the costs of dieting..
Now a new fried wrote that he has to pay 3 dollars for an apple?!?!?
Well, I really hope it is not like this everywhere...
I live in Italy, and I lived in the UK, and the food is by no means as expensive as that...
So, my questions, out of curiosity... how much does "good" food cost where you live?
Fresh fruit and vegs, chicken and pork meat, legumes, potatoes, rice...
Do you really find that eating healthy is more expensive than not?
This is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to people who want to lose weight, go on a diet, etc when they wonder about the high price of 'healthy food.
I have yo yo'd over the years. I am not proud of it, but it has happened. I master losing weight buy eating better, eating less and exercising. It is just maintaining that has killed me. I am giving it one more go around.
When people complain and say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive...that is complete BS.
YOu can easily lose weight, and gain more $$ in your bank account. It really goes hand in hand. People dont need to go out and buy fancy "healty" food to lose weight.
When I lose weight I make $$$$$.
I spend sooo much less on food. How? Because you eat less. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less fast food, much less drinks. much less eating out, much, much less $$ spend when you eat less/healthier
I don't know about where you live but in Hawaii, where I live, I without a doubt spend less when I grab fast food. Food is expensive, far more expensive than on the mainland, but fast food prices remain fairly consistent with what they are on the mainland.
That aside, not everyone who gains weight eats fast food so for some what you experience just isn't the case.
My general point in this though when people complain that eating healthy and losing weight is just too expensive.
Most people can go to the grocery and get a week's worth of food, even healthier food, and spend much less on food than those people who eat out often. The obesity epedemic for some many people also drains their pocket books with the high prices of eating out/ordering in.
Case in point this past weekend. My wife just wanted to get breakfast for all of us at McDonalds or BK. $3-$4 a person it would cost. Instead I made some good breakfast, for a fraction of the cost, for the whole family.
Same thing for dinner. Chicket breasts on the grill, vegetables and a side salad...bought it all at the local market and it came to much less than what you could really get at even a fast food restaurant.
My main point is this.....people who say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive to buy healthy food are just full of it.
And again, that's not true everywhere. Hawaii is one of the poorest states in the union, people are often cramming 4 generations of a family into a 3 bedroom house and just barely getting by. In that situation spending a few bucks a person at BK is going to be cheaper than anything else.
That said, you can lose weight eating BK or McDonalds, so if the point to fast food as the reason they can't lose weight that's nonsense. They could certainly lose weight eating solely fast food if they were so inclined (And depending on location is may be cheaper than going to the grocery store.)
Sure, you can lose weight by eating at Bk or McDonalds. That is 100% true.
But you know how you do it?
Eat less.
Eat less = spending less = losing weight isnt too expensive.
Losing weight isn't expensive, no. I believe I actually said as much. Changing ones food habits to so called 'healthy food' can certainly be expensive. Which is the argument being posed in this thread, is it not? Was that not while you told me that you could have chicken, veg, and a salad for less than you'd pay for fast food, because you're saying it's cheaper to eat healthy at home than to eat out?
Or was that just a fun anecdote for the sake of things?0 -
I cook a lot of whole chickens, we can cook that with a bag of organic carrots, an onion, for about $7 with tax.
I make a lot of pork and chicken carnitas, with lettuce wraps. I make 5-6 lb in bulk and we can eat it all week.
I gotta watch out for my boyfriend though, I've seen him put away pounds of meat in one setting!
Drink a lot of tea.
I do buy the grass fed organic beef at $3.99/lb as a treat sometimes, but I normally aim for meats with no chemicals added, not processed, whole cuts.
I mix organic and non-organic veggies, simply as a matter of budget.
My daughter gets free school lunches, and I eat almost exclusively leftovers, so the only real cost I incur is the cost of dinners and the little snacks I get her for after school.
I'm the queen of saving money on food. No coupons, just buying in bulk when stuff is on sale.
I only make $11.50/hr, no assistance (actually make to much to qualify) so I consider wasting money on food kind of "pooping it away" (gross, I know, sorry!) but it's important to me follow my particular diet, so I literally make sport of reducing those food bills, shopping for sales as stress relief, scanning the food ads, developing affordable recipes the family loves, etc...0 -
I dont know about Hawaii, never been.Hi,
I was wondering now and then why people complained about the costs of dieting..
Now a new fried wrote that he has to pay 3 dollars for an apple?!?!?
Well, I really hope it is not like this everywhere...
I live in Italy, and I lived in the UK, and the food is by no means as expensive as that...
So, my questions, out of curiosity... how much does "good" food cost where you live?
Fresh fruit and vegs, chicken and pork meat, legumes, potatoes, rice...
Do you really find that eating healthy is more expensive than not?
This is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to people who want to lose weight, go on a diet, etc when they wonder about the high price of 'healthy food.
I have yo yo'd over the years. I am not proud of it, but it has happened. I master losing weight buy eating better, eating less and exercising. It is just maintaining that has killed me. I am giving it one more go around.
When people complain and say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive...that is complete BS.
YOu can easily lose weight, and gain more $$ in your bank account. It really goes hand in hand. People dont need to go out and buy fancy "healty" food to lose weight.
When I lose weight I make $$$$$.
I spend sooo much less on food. How? Because you eat less. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less fast food, much less drinks. much less eating out, much, much less $$ spend when you eat less/healthier
I don't know about where you live but in Hawaii, where I live, I without a doubt spend less when I grab fast food. Food is expensive, far more expensive than on the mainland, but fast food prices remain fairly consistent with what they are on the mainland.
That aside, not everyone who gains weight eats fast food so for some what you experience just isn't the case.
My general point in this though when people complain that eating healthy and losing weight is just too expensive.
Most people can go to the grocery and get a week's worth of food, even healthier food, and spend much less on food than those people who eat out often. The obesity epedemic for some many people also drains their pocket books with the high prices of eating out/ordering in.
Case in point this past weekend. My wife just wanted to get breakfast for all of us at McDonalds or BK. $3-$4 a person it would cost. Instead I made some good breakfast, for a fraction of the cost, for the whole family.
Same thing for dinner. Chicket breasts on the grill, vegetables and a side salad...bought it all at the local market and it came to much less than what you could really get at even a fast food restaurant.
My main point is this.....people who say they cannot lose weight because it is too expensive to buy healthy food are just full of it.
Well yeah, since you can eat any sort of food and lose weight.
Exactly. People think to lose weight they need to buy all this organic stuff, gluten free, etc etc etc. The main point is eating less calories then you need. Basic principle. By the simple fact of eating less calories you are going to eat less food and in turn you will fin dmore $$ in your pockets...even if you are eating non 'diet' food.
And yet my food bill doubled. I don't eat organic, gluten free, and I rarely even buy fresh fruit and veg (I opt for frozen) and yet my bill went up (and that's factoring in trips out to eat.)0 -
I hear this comment often of "Oh I can't eat that way, it's too expensive..." all while they're ordering a large pizza and a double order of wings at a cost of $30 plus delivery!! Imagine doing that once a week, the drive thru once a week, dining out at a restaurant once a week with co-workers, or hitting up a coffee shop twice a week...yeah those things equally add up BUT you don't see it come out of your account at one time, it's spread throughout the week's expense.
I did this whole analysis of my own eating, dining, and spending habits and found that I spend LESS, eating healthier, buying fresh produce, eating organic foods than I did when I was living the drive-thru dream and indulging on the foods I thought were cheaper! With my changed eating habits, I found myself packing for my meals, buying (the initial cost can get you if you buy them all at once) BPA free storage containers for my lunches, carrying a BPA free water bottle instead of BUYING bottled water (which is a whole different story), and making all my meals at home. I also have more control over my portions and my calorie counts. Yes, we do occasionally go out to eat for those days we don't want to cook dinner or need that time away from home but for the most part we eat at home now.
So to say that the good stuff costs more, is really just an excuse, that's what I say...0 -
I am really impressed by your frugality. No joke, you should write a book. I need to find some ways to cut down our bill. When I first drew up a budget I had no idea how much food in the US would cost, after living overseas for 10 years, so I budgeted 800 dollars a month.I cook a lot of whole chickens, we can cook that with a bag of organic carrots, an onion, for about $7 with tax.
I make a lot of pork and chicken carnitas, with lettuce wraps. I make 5-6 lb in bulk and we can eat it all week.
I gotta watch out for my boyfriend though, I've seen him put away pounds of meat in one setting!
Drink a lot of tea.
I do buy the grass fed organic beef at $3.99/lb as a treat sometimes, but I normally aim for meats with no chemicals added, not processed, whole cuts.
I mix organic and non-organic veggies, simply as a matter of budget.
My daughter gets free school lunches, and I eat almost exclusively leftovers, so the only real cost I incur is the cost of dinners and the little snacks I get her for after school.
I'm the queen of saving money on food. No coupons, just buying in bulk when stuff is on sale.
I only make $11.50/hr, no assistance (actually make to much to qualify) so I consider wasting money on food kind of "pooping it away" (gross, I know, sorry!) but it's important to me follow my particular diet, so I literally make sport of reducing those food bills, shopping for sales as stress relief, scanning the food ads, developing affordable recipes the family loves, etc...0 -
We are in a rural part of Canada, food is extremely expensive here due to the cost of transport I would imagine. it is almost cheaper to eat takeout everyday. It's not uncommon for my husband and I to spend $1200-$1300/mo for the two of us. :grumble:
That being said I could drive 2 hours into town (one way) and do my shopping there, but it's not much cheaper. The gas I would spend would out weight the saving in food.
Edit for Spelling0 -
$3 an apple? Maybe from a coffee shop that offers it. I get a bushel of apples for $3 here.
I get any and all fresh produce from local markets, so I never spend more than $10-15 for produce that would last 1-2 weeks for two people. Otherwise, frozen veggies are cheap. I just stocked up yesterday with some for $1 a bag.
Meat, I subsist almost always on "Manager's Specials" and go weekly for meat. A whole chicken costs ~$5. Fish can be cheap if you go for sales, and I'll buy smelt from a fish monger maybe once a month for $5-6 for more than a pound.
However, prices are super subjective to where you live, particularly within the huge expanse of the US. Avocadoes in California don't cost as much as they do here in Michigan, but I don't know if California gets as good of prices on apples or beets.0 -
I'm sure Hawaii and the coasts are different, I'm located in Norman, OK, in the middle of the heartland, notorious for it's extremely low cost of living. (Ironically, also low wages to accompany it!)0
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Eating healthy is not cheaper than eating crap. Fresh fruit and vegetables, when not from your garden, cost a lot more than cheetos and mac and cheese. I just bought 3 large Mt. Rainier something something crisp apples and they were over 8 dollars. They are not organic but they are still firm and juicy. We live in Northern Virginia and I must say that food prices here are higher than I have seen in other parts of the country.Eating healthy is CHEAPER than eating poorly. Rice and beans are incredibly cheap. Vegetables are free for half of the year, due to gardening. Fruit can be pricey off season, but it's cheap in the summer. In America, we are spoiled. We have such great distribution networks bringing produce from South and Central America. Our produce is some of the least expensive in the world.
Around here, a fruit tree costs about $25US. It's the gift that keeps on giving.
Ya'll need to shop at Trader Joe's or something, where you buying groceries Byerly's?0 -
It is CHEAPER to buy fresh vegetables and cook them yourself than to buy packaged and processed stuff; besides, canned vegetables are uniformly horrid and frozen better, but nowhere near as good as fresh. As for meat, same deal, it's far healthier to cook from scratch than buy processed or prepared food and costs less.0
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It's variable.:bigsmile:0
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