Why is Healthy Eating So Expensive?

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ehte_h
ehte_h Posts: 279 Member
in Food and Nutrition
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  • lottycat
    lottycat Posts: 333 Member
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    It really shouldn't be. Buy fruits and veggies that are in season, shop around, you'll find you can actually eat healthily for a lot less. good luck x
  • meouch
    meouch Posts: 18
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    The bulk foods section also from whole foods/central market....it saves too! Also, try farmer's markets.
  • laitae
    laitae Posts: 50
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    It depends where you live. I find it quite expensive as there are no street markets where I live now, but when I was buying fruit and veg there, they were much cheaper than supermarkets. Also products that are in season are usually slightly cheaper and on offers.
  • claire_xox
    claire_xox Posts: 282 Member
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    I actually find it's cheaper! Sorry can't help :(
    Buy in bulk and buy seasonal!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    If you cook your own meals it shouldn't be more expensive.

    It does take more work and more time though, and you need to educate yourself about the cheapest places to shop in your area and good recipes that use cheaper ingredients.

    Use the Seach function to look for "budget recipes" and you will find heaps of great ideas :)
  • kanonxbou47
    kanonxbou47 Posts: 265 Member
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    Because it's a conspiracy.
    Well, not exactly...I just view it that way. it really worries me.
    You'll find that if you get coupons, and try to buy things on sale, it'll all be okay.
  • gemmie_c
    gemmie_c Posts: 129 Member
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    I actually find it costs me less-I am limiting myself to what I eat now-which means I eat less....a box of cereal lasts me weeks because I am only having 30g portion.
    I also buy veggie meat replacement (because its lower in calories) and its significantly cheaper than meat.
    Salad, fruit and veggies make up the rest and I find its all pretty reasonable. It seems to be weekends I spend more-but thats usually because I am entertaining so make more of an effort.
  • dancingj2
    dancingj2 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I do not uderstand those reports.

    I find if I stay away from prepared, processed, frozen and canned foods my food bills are lower. Stay around the perimater of your supermarket - dairy, meat, fish and produce - and I would expect it to cost less.
  • runlaugheatpie
    runlaugheatpie Posts: 376 Member
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    I'm also in the "it doesn't have to be" camp. If you eat less processed and don't eat out as much it actually costs less in total.

    what I find expensive about being healthy and fit are the gym memberships, new workout gear, subscriptions to healthy lifestyle magazines, race entry fees... but those are all things I don't mind paying for :)
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I do not uderstand those reports.

    I find if I stay away from prepared, processed, frozen and canned foods my food bills are lower. Stay around the perimater of your supermarket - dairy, meat, fish and produce - and I would expect it to cost less.

    I agree, I cook most of my own meals, rarely eat out, and my grocery bill is pretty low. If you are stocking up on Lean Cuisines, Skinny Cow ice creams, and other boxed foods, and buying fresh produce in the middle of winter when it isn't in season, then yeah, you are paying more.

    Stock up on fresh meats you like when on sale and freeze them.
    Buy frozen vegetables- frozen at the peak of freshness and usually much, much cheaper than fresh.
    Starches- whole grains, like brown rice, bulgar, etc. are pretty cheap if you aren't buying flavored boxed rice.
  • jeff261159
    jeff261159 Posts: 385
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    It certainly doesn't have to be. I am a truck driver. I use a slow cooker in my truck and eat casseroles and stews, all made with fresh ingredients. Chicken, beef, sausages etc etc. You don't need expensive meat as cooking it slowly makes it lovely, tender and tasty. I buy casserole vegetables, throw it all in a bag and it all goes in the slow cooker for 4/5 hours. No more ready meals or processed food for me!! Each of my meals probably costs £2!!!
  • colorfulcupcakes
    colorfulcupcakes Posts: 122 Member
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    I'm on my local grocery stores' email lists so that their flyers/coupons get emailed to me every week, this helps.
  • glambeauty
    glambeauty Posts: 5 Member
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    I don't think it is ...... basics like rice , pasta , lentils are so cheap . Add, in season vegetables or frozen veges. Even eating meat like tuna or beef & chicken in healthy portion sizes is so reasonable compared to buying processed foods like frozen meals and take away. Ceral is so cheap for breaky and healthy. Multigrain bread does cost an 0.50 but I can cope with that.


    Sorry but i think eating healthy home prepared meals saves an absolute bundle My shopping bill is $30- $60 a week for just me and that includes "luxury" food like salmon and smoked salmon , good meats and lots of veg & fruit . Look for specials and remember portion size.
  • complejo
    complejo Posts: 36
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    There are three grocery stores within walking distance of me. Every Wednesday I look through their adds and only buy whats on sale. I think I've been spending 30-50 a week to feed two people.

    Today I prepared a giant tray of balsamic roasted veggies and total it cost me about 6-7 bucks for probably a good 10 large servings of veggies. Frozen salmon baked with some spices, and 4 bucks worth of kale for sesame kale. So I made enough food for 2 people that'll last 2-3 meals and it was probably 15 bucks total. And that's with the "pricier" salmon. Substituting chicken breast (that I got at .99 cents a pound) and you'd have a ton a food for closer to 10 bucks.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    Its not..

    its just an excuse for people who dont want to eat healthy
  • blueliss26
    blueliss26 Posts: 79 Member
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    I think it can be more expensive... when you are trying to fill up your plate with fresh veggies, and less calorie intense pasta and rice, it is more expensive. Granted, the prepacked frozen meals and boxes and boxes of snacks are expensive, so if thats how you were eating before than healthy eating isn't more expensive. But veggie burgers cost more than ground beef (and look at the cost difference between 80% lean and 95% lean! You pay at least twice as much!), tofu costs more than a chicken leg, and how about greek yogurt vs. regular? So unless the unhealthy eating you were doing before was severely unhealthy (take out chinese every night with icecream cake for dessert) i feel that the way we eat when we are trying to lose weight is more expensive than when we don't care.
  • Mmmary212
    Mmmary212 Posts: 410 Member
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    It's cheaper to me. I figured out my typical day and I spend about $3 per day.
  • sazroy
    sazroy Posts: 262 Member
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    It all depends on what everyone considers healthy/unhealthy.

    Buying your own food and cooking for yourself is certainly cheaper than takeaway..
    But buying a 99c bag of pasta and a $2 tin of Pasta sauce (with beef in it) is a whole lot cheaper than buying chicken and vegetables.

    Now having my $2.99 pasta every day is not going to help me lose weight.
    Now lets buy some chicken, it's about $5 for 1-2 chicken breasts (guessing roughly) then veggies, I could save money by going frozen but most people say to buy fresh.. that's now cost me another $5 ish.. so my Healthy meal is now around the $10 mark.. my Happy Meal from McDonalds would have cost me $4.95. But hey I still have my $2.99 pasta option which I find more filling and satisfying than McDonalds (I rarely it takeaway by the way, it makes me sick) but my pasta is not a healthy option when placed next to the chicken and veg.

    So there is cheap eating - which is cheaper than takeaway but may not be any healthier
    Than there is healthy eating which unless you have millions of different herbs and spices in your cupboards already you will probably find the food a bit bland without any seasoning, or you go buy seasoning and bam about $1-$2 has just been added.

    I say Healthy Eating is cheaper and better than Takeaway.
    But Healthy Eating is not cheaper than semi-healthy eating and unfortunately that Semi-healthy eating wont really help in the weightloss side of things (depending on how your body works).
  • jacquelyn_erika
    jacquelyn_erika Posts: 524 Member
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    I think it's way more affordable, actually. Before I ate healthy, I would go up and down every aisle and find multiple things to put in the cart. Now I mainly shop the perimeter of the store and I have staple items. I eat oatmeal for breakfast every single day. A tub of oatmeal costs around $2. It contains 30 servings... so, I am eating breakfast for next to nothing. I do agree that some things cost a little more, but you can definitely find ways to eat healthy on a budget.
  • endlesoul
    endlesoul Posts: 98 Member
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    It all depends on what everyone considers healthy/unhealthy.

    Buying your own food and cooking for yourself is certainly cheaper than takeaway..
    But buying a 99c bag of pasta and a $2 tin of Pasta sauce (with beef in it) is a whole lot cheaper than buying chicken and vegetables.

    Now having my $2.99 pasta every day is not going to help me lose weight.
    Now lets buy some chicken, it's about $5 for 1-2 chicken breasts (guessing roughly) then veggies, I could save money by going frozen but most people say to buy fresh.. that's now cost me another $5 ish.. so my Healthy meal is now around the $10 mark.. my Happy Meal from McDonalds would have cost me $4.95. But hey I still have my $2.99 pasta option which I find more filling and satisfying than McDonalds (I rarely it takeaway by the way, it makes me sick) but my pasta is not a healthy option when placed next to the chicken and veg.

    So there is cheap eating - which is cheaper than takeaway but may not be any healthier
    Than there is healthy eating which unless you have millions of different herbs and spices in your cupboards already you will probably find the food a bit bland without any seasoning, or you go buy seasoning and bam about $1-$2 has just been added.

    I say Healthy Eating is cheaper and better than Takeaway.
    But Healthy Eating is not cheaper than semi-healthy eating and unfortunately that Semi-healthy eating wont really help in the weightloss side of things (depending on how your body works).

    Well said, and how I see it also.

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