How much does good food cost?
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I'd say its about choices - but also efficiency. I personally don't buy organic. Those who do, pay a little more for it.
My biggest problem area when it comes to food and expenses is avoiding waste. All too often I end up throwing out things that go bad. Fresh fruits, veggies have a limited shelf life and I have to get better at shopping in appropriate quantities.0 -
It depends...0
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We are rural part of Canada, food is extremely expensive here due to the cost of transport I would image. it is almost cheaper to eat takeout everyday. It's not uncommon for my husband and I to spend $1200-$1300/mo for the two of us. :grumble:
That being said I could drive 2 hours into town (one way) and do my shopping there, but it's not much cheaper. The gas I would spend would out weight the saving in food.
Yah I don't think most people in the US can get what our food costs here...maybe the woman in Hawaii...
I too could drive 2hours to get to a costco...but how is that saving money? We have a loblaws and a sobeys here that's it...and I don't buy organic...
It is cheaper for me to go to a drive thru and get 3 items off the dollar menu (chicken wrap, ff and soda) than it is to eat my lunch from home...
In the summer I expect our bill to go to about 250$ a week due to BBQ season...and yes I plant a garden for the fresh veggies...but depending on where you live will define if it's expensive or not...
I could spend 50$ a week on KD, FF, and mr noodle...wouldn't be healthy but it would be cheap and yes I could lose weigh (not a fan of noodles)
and btw you get a nice big crisp Honeycrisp apple here in NB and it will cost you 3$0 -
This reminds me of an interaction with my EX-fiance.
In Norman, there's a Natural Grocers with a Wendy's next to it.
We went in the store and he held up some organic bacon and said "$7 for a pound of bacon?! Look at all this delicious food, laughing at me because I can't afford it!"
He was mad. It was actually kind of embarrassing.
He left the health food store and went straight to the Wendy's drive-thru and bought a Biggie combo, the total was almost $7.
I pointed out to him the irony of the situation.0 -
We spend about $700 a month to feed a family of 5 in Colorado.0
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For me, it depends on what store I go to, what items I need and what's on sale. Some weeks, I can get away with spending $50 to $75. Others, it will cost me $150. I also don't buy organic foods either or I'd be spending even more. I usually opt for frozen fruit and veg; lately nothing has been in season and the fresh stuff goes bad quickly and isn't very flavorful.0
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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!)
That's the point though. In some places it's cheaper to eat a certain way and somewhere else it's not. Making a blanket statement one way or the other is ignorant and ignores that what is true for you isn't true for every.
I spend a crap ton on food. I spend it without complaint, because I'm lucky enough to have that money, but not everyone is.0 -
for me & the BF we spend about $150 a week ,we eat mostly whole foods, meats, veggies and eggs primarily...no breads, no grains, and no diary for me, he eats very little of that, we never eat out. East coast canada , food is expensive, especialy organic...we could eat for $75 a week no problem, but choose not to, rather spend more on healthy foods.0
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In my opinion, it doesn't cost any more to eat healthy. Eating clean can be expensive, organic food does cost more. But eating healthy can be cost effective, eat foods that are in season, look for sales, use a crock pot for less expensive cuts of meat. I am eating far healthier than I used to, and my grocery bill has barely changed at all.0
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We spend about $700 a month to feed a family of 5 in Colorado.
If we got to McDonalds, all get extra-value-meals, and happy meals it's about $30. I can buy a package of nice steak for that. Mash potatoes and salad for $2 more.0 -
Buy the fruits and veggies that are on sale. Giant just had 5lb bags of apples for 3.99 last week. I stocked up and keep them in the fridge. Buy the large bags of red and green peppers instead of individual ones. You just have to look for deals.0
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Well guys, this discussion is very interesting, thanks for answering... by the way, do you know a way to go directly to the first comment you didn't read yet?
Every time I go out and come back I have to go through all pages to find the right spot.0 -
Hi-de-ho there neighbors! I think I may just be the friend in question that Isabella is referring to. My comment was originally around why I usually buy canned fruits rather than their unprocessed counterparts. An example would be unsweetened applesauce vs. a whole apple. I can buy six servings of the applesauce for less than the price of one apple.
More to the subject of the thread... I was watching a documentary (I know you can't always trust them because most of them do have an agenda) but they did an experiment where they gave a family a set amount of money to go shop at a grocery store's produce department and then again to shop at a fast food restaurant. The results were pretty mind blowing if you are judging by quantity (what will keep a family full) versus quality (what is best for them.)
Apples at my local grocery store are $3 and up a pound depending on if you go generic or one of the specialty variants. The main issue is how big they are. They are huge. If I buy one for each weekday it ends up being close to 10 dollars... for one snack.0 -
Anyway, I imagine that it also depend on how much fast foods cost where you live... in italy is not as cheap as in US, I know, so switching from fast food to healthy food is not expensive at all (and anyway very few people are fast food addicted as in the USA, usually in Italy people get fat because of eating just too much, to much pasta, too much fat, too much sweets, but overall the diet would be "healthy" as of type of food)0
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In my opinion, it doesn't cost any more to eat healthy. Eating clean can be expensive, organic food does cost more. But eating healthy can be cost effective, eat foods that are in season, look for sales, use a crock pot for less expensive cuts of meat. I am eating far healthier than I used to, and my grocery bill has barely changed at all.
That's because of where you live...0 -
Buy the fruits and veggies that are on sale. Giant just had 5lb bags of apples for 3.99 last week. I stocked up and keep them in the fridge. Buy the large bags of red and green peppers instead of individual ones. You just have to look for deals.
A 5lb bag of apples where I live is about 7 dollars, on sale. There are no large bags of peppers (there are small bags of the small sweet ones though.).
But I suppose I'm just not looking hard enough for the deals. It's totally not a matter of location or anything!0 -
I live in Baltimore (City), Maryland. Here's the average cost of food at my local supermarket:
Avocado : $1.00 each
Bananas: $0.50 a pound
Tomatoes: $3.29 a pound (expensive, here)
Apples: $1.49-$1.99 a pound depending on variety
Strawberries: $2.50 a pound on sale, $3.50 a pound otherwise
Lettuce (head): $2.50 each
Carrots: $0.99 a bunch (about a pound's worth)
Pineapple (fresh): $2.50 each on sale, $3.99 each otherwise
Potatoes (russet): $4.50 for 5 lb. bag
Chicken breasts: $1.29 a pound on sale, $2.49 a pound otherwise
Ground beef: $3.99 a pound (80/20 only - 85/15 or 93/7 is MUCH more expensive)
Ground turkey: $3.50 for 3 pounds on sale - $7.99 for 3 pounds otherwise
Eggs (large size): $2.29 for an 18-pack
Cottage Cheese: $2.50 for a quart package
Greek yogurt: $1.00 per cup (5.3 ounce)
Almond Milk: $3.00 on sale, $4.50 otherwise
It's a bit expensive here but then I live in the Northeast, 50 miles from DC, which has a very high cost of living to start with. However, my market does have weeks where a lot of these items are on sale a good deal of the time - those weeks we make out like a bandit.
I would estimate that we spend approximately 200 dollars a month for my husband and myself.0 -
In my opinion, it doesn't cost any more to eat healthy. Eating clean can be expensive, organic food does cost more. But eating healthy can be cost effective, eat foods that are in season, look for sales, use a crock pot for less expensive cuts of meat. I am eating far healthier than I used to, and my grocery bill has barely changed at all.
That's because of where you live...
I feel like we're the only ones reading our comments, and everyone else is too busy feeling good about not spending crap tons of money.
I'd like to not spend crap tons of money. Do you know how many cute dresses I could have bought instead of spending money on fruit?!0 -
An example is a Fuji apple at the grocery store is anywhere from 1.50-1.99 a pound. The local fruit and veggie stand you can get much bigger and better apples for no more than 0.79 a pound. I love going to the local fruit and veggie stand. It's cheaper and the produce in my opinion is way better. Product tends to last longer at the local stand then buying these items at the local safeway, Albertsons or fred meyer.0
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I feel like we're the only ones reading our comments, and everyone else is too busy feeling good about not spending crap tons of money.
I'd like to not spend crap tons of money. Do you know how many cute dresses I could have bought instead of spending money on fruit?!
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I believe you, why not?
May I ask why, in your opinion, food is so expensive at your place?
Some Canadian said that there the food is expensive for long winter, or for the transportation costs, what about Hawaii?
Really just asking out of curiosity!
For example, what about fish? Sorry for my ignorance...0 -
In my opinion, it doesn't cost any more to eat healthy. Eating clean can be expensive, organic food does cost more. But eating healthy can be cost effective, eat foods that are in season, look for sales, use a crock pot for less expensive cuts of meat. I am eating far healthier than I used to, and my grocery bill has barely changed at all.
That's because of where you live...
I feel like we're the only ones reading our comments, and everyone else is too busy feeling good about not spending crap tons of money.
Not really. I recall chiming in about this discussion on another thread where I pointed out that many urban areas suffer the problem of "food deserts". It's really easy not to spend craptons of money on food - if you can get to the places that have good prices. Otherwise, you're stuck paying 3 dollars for an apple, or 3 dollars on that kid's meal from Mickey D's. People who don't have access to decent supermarkets don't have a lot of choices to make, I'm thinking.
I'm lucky I have a car or I'd have the same dilemma.0 -
if you have a little dirt and a green thumb, it can be pretty cheap.
A couple tomato plants, some pepper plants, some onions, cucumbers, beans, and greens of some type. All pretty easy to grow. Just need the space for them.0 -
I hear you on those honey crisp apples. They are as big as a cat's head, well almost. I just cut up 60 grams of one and there is still about 3/4 of it left. I'm lucky in that my kids will come home and gobble the rest up and I will not have to eat 300 calories in apple to not feel guilty about the cost and kids in china starving.....Hi-de-ho there neighbors! I think I may just be the friend in question that Isabella is referring to. My comment was originally around why I usually buy canned fruits rather than their unprocessed counterparts. An example would be unsweetened applesauce vs. a whole apple. I can buy six servings of the applesauce for less than the price of one apple.
More to the subject of the thread... I was watching a documentary (I know you can't always trust them because most of them do have an agenda) but they did an experiment where they gave a family a set amount of money to go shop at a grocery store's produce department and then again to shop at a fast food restaurant. The results were pretty mind blowing if you are judging by quantity (what will keep a family full) versus quality (what is best for them.)
Apples at my local grocery store are $3 and up a pound depending on if you go generic or one of the specialty variants. The main issue is how big they are. They are huge. If I buy one for each weekday it ends up being close to 10 dollars... for one snack.0 -
I feel like we're the only ones reading our comments, and everyone else is too busy feeling good about not spending crap tons of money.
I'd like to not spend crap tons of money. Do you know how many cute dresses I could have bought instead of spending money on fruit?!
I believe you, why not?
May I ask why, in your opinion, food is so expensive at your place?
Some Canadian said that there the food is expensive for long winter, or for the transportation costs, what about Hawaii?
Really just asking out of curiosity!
For example, what about fish? Sorry for my ignorance...
Because it's an island. Land is limited, so local things are limited and very expensive. Things that are shipped in have transport costs attached to them.
Fish is about the same here as it is anywhere else, assuming it's locally caught. No more expensive than other places, but certainly no cheaper.0 -
I feel like we're the only ones reading our comments, and everyone else is too busy feeling good about not spending crap tons of money.
I'd like to not spend crap tons of money. Do you know how many cute dresses I could have bought instead of spending money on fruit?!
I believe you, why not?
May I ask why, in your opinion, food is so expensive at your place?
Some Canadian said that there the food is expensive for long winter, or for the transportation costs, what about Hawaii?
Really just asking out of curiosity!
For example, what about fish? Sorry for my ignorance...
I live in NB Canada where the fish is plentiful too...
if I buy fresh fish (salmon) 2 small steaks are probably 15$....a bag of shrimp (frozen) that will last me a week is almost 20$ if it's not on sale...
I can't go to a farmers market and get fresh fruit here from November till June (late june NB strawberries come out)
I am at the mercy of 2 grocery stores...or I can drive 2hours to costco and that quality is well...sketchy...our walmart has a grocery shelf so we can't buy fresh produce there etc...
I suspect Hawaii has the same issues with the transportation...as much as eastern Canada has...what isn't native there has to be shipped in...
And in Canada we have a milk board that keeps our Milk prices high, along with the poultry I suspect. I refuse to buy that chicken that is bulk frozen and full of water unless it's going in a salad or on the BBq...it's just gross.0 -
When i was eating crap, i wasn't getting the chips and noodle dishes. I ate a lot of meat, which is expensive.
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 was reading an article about the culinary scene and the farm to table movement hitting Hawaiian restaurants now. The author asked the chef why Hawaii is so late to the game and he pointed out that while Hawaii has amazing weather for growing things, the land is so expensive that farmers can not afford to farm it. I imagine that fish there might be quite expensive as the general cost of living is and that drives up the price of locally harvested food as well.0
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if you have a little dirt and a green thumb, it can be pretty cheap.
A couple tomato plants, some pepper plants, some onions, cucumbers, beans, and greens of some type. All pretty easy to grow. Just need the space for them.
haha yup that does me from August to sept and I do pickle/can what I can...
There is still 6 feet of snow on the ground on my garden....winter here is long and hard...the 2months July and August we get for a "good" growing season does help but veggies are the least of my worries, I buy frozen...which is cheaper and better nutrition than the "fresh" at the store...0 -
I feel like we're the only ones reading our comments, and everyone else is too busy feeling good about not spending crap tons of money.
I'd like to not spend crap tons of money. Do you know how many cute dresses I could have bought instead of spending money on fruit?!
I believe you, why not?
May I ask why, in your opinion, food is so expensive at your place?
Some Canadian said that there the food is expensive for long winter, or for the transportation costs, what about Hawaii?
Really just asking out of curiosity!
For example, what about fish? Sorry for my ignorance...
Because it's an island. Land is limited, so local things are limited and very expensive. Things that are shipped in have transport costs attached to them.
Fish is about the same here as it is anywhere else, assuming it's locally caught. No more expensive than other places, but certainly no cheaper.
In Italy sellers have to specify the origin of products, and yes, usually our so called "zero chilometers" products are cheaper... anyway, we still see a lot of stuff from -more or less- every place in the world.
From Europe most of the stuff travels by tir, from Africa or south America through ship -I think-
Travel costs and intermediate costs (from the producer to the mediator to the small grocery sellers to the buyer ) are reeeeeally the greater part of the final costs.
Anyway, the food is still affordable0
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