Health and Fitness on a Budget!?
kenniedk
Posts: 6 Member
Does anyone have any tips or advice on dieting and staying fit when on a tight budget?
0
Replies
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Walk, run, calisthenics, bodyweight exercises are all free.
Frozen veggies and fruit are often cheaper than fresh, with the same nutritional profile.
Beans and grains are cheap forms of both fiber and protein.18 -
1. Plan ahead - look for sales and shop around
2. Buy things like rice and beans in bulk
3. Farm stands and farmer's markets can be good sources of low cost produce (IME, farmer's markets that specialize in organic are overpriced)
4. Off season, frozen fruit is very economical
5. Cook from scratch - the price of "convenience" foods is greatly inflated
6. Don't worry about "superfoods" - you don't need quinoa to lose weight/be healthy - rice is perfectly acceptable and way cheaper. See also https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/superfoods/9 -
I appreciate that I’m not in the US but I’m not sure I ever understand this perception that people have that some ways of eating are prohibitively expensive. If you’re eating food (which everybody is) you’re buying food. (Unless you’re farming all your food and are able to be 100% self sufficient, but can we leave those few out for the sake of understanding the point!)
In fact, moving from a eat what you like food intake to a restricted calorie intake for the purposes of losing weight should, theoretically, be cheaper since you’re likely to end up consuming less actual food?
There is no requirement to eat all organically grown food, or anything unusual, it’s about choosing foods based on your taste preferences and making sure that what you do choose to eat fits within your calorie goal which you’ve set according to your current statistics and goals.
Again, I know things can be a bit different in the US than where I am (UK) but I’m genuinely curious whether cost is actually a barrier to eating something other than a diet full of budget fast food? Although, as long as fast food fits in your goals and it’s not ALL you ever eat ( thinking health rather than ‘weight loss diet’ here) there’s nothing intrinsically wrong, as long as it fills you up enough to stay in a calorie deficit.
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BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »I appreciate that I’m not in the US but I’m not sure I ever understand this perception that people have that some ways of eating are prohibitively expensive. If you’re eating food (which everybody is) you’re buying food. (Unless you’re farming all your food and are able to be 100% self sufficient, but can we leave those few out for the sake of understanding the point!)
In fact, moving from a eat what you like food intake to a restricted calorie intake for the purposes of losing weight should, theoretically, be cheaper since you’re likely to end up consuming less actual food?
There is no requirement to eat all organically grown food, or anything unusual, it’s about choosing foods based on your taste preferences and making sure that what you do choose to eat fits within your calorie goal which you’ve set according to your current statistics and goals.
Again, I know things can be a bit different in the US than where I am (UK) but I’m genuinely curious whether cost is actually a barrier to eating something other than a diet full of budget fast food? Although, as long as fast food fits in your goals and it’s not ALL you ever eat ( thinking health rather than ‘weight loss diet’ here) there’s nothing intrinsically wrong, as long as it fills you up enough to stay in a calorie deficit.
I can't speak for the OP, but I see at least two things going on:
1. The myth that one should eat "superfoods" in order to lose weight, which is dispelled here: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/superfoods/
2. Here in the US, corn is heavily subsidized, so you get foods like soda, which is sweetened with corn syrup, being cheap.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diet-farm-subsidies/foods-from-subsidized-commodities-tied-to-obesity-idUSKCN0ZL2ER
...It’s easy to tell people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead of subsidized commodities in processed foods, “but affording healthy food is a challenge for millions of Americans – around 50 million Americans are food insecure – and it makes little sense to blame the working poor for their inability to afford to eat fewer subsidized foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables, when our modern food system is geared toward encouraging everyone to eating these commodity crops,” Patel said.
**************
Here's a different point of view that says it's just more expensive to grow produce than grains:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/im-a-fan-of-michael-pollan-but-on-one-food-policy-argument-hes-wrong/2017/12/04/c71881ca-d6cd-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html8 -
BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »I appreciate that I’m not in the US but I’m not sure I ever understand this perception that people have that some ways of eating are prohibitively expensive. If you’re eating food (which everybody is) you’re buying food. (Unless you’re farming all your food and are able to be 100% self sufficient, but can we leave those few out for the sake of understanding the point!)
In fact, moving from a eat what you like food intake to a restricted calorie intake for the purposes of losing weight should, theoretically, be cheaper since you’re likely to end up consuming less actual food?
There is no requirement to eat all organically grown food, or anything unusual, it’s about choosing foods based on your taste preferences and making sure that what you do choose to eat fits within your calorie goal which you’ve set according to your current statistics and goals.
Again, I know things can be a bit different in the US than where I am (UK) but I’m genuinely curious whether cost is actually a barrier to eating something other than a diet full of budget fast food? Although, as long as fast food fits in your goals and it’s not ALL you ever eat ( thinking health rather than ‘weight loss diet’ here) there’s nothing intrinsically wrong, as long as it fills you up enough to stay in a calorie deficit.
Yeah I'm in Australia and I can easily buy proper food for the same price as "fast food" if I actually go to the supermarket and choose the correct things.
If i'm eating out then yeah, perhaps it's more expensive to get an overpriced salad than a Big Mac meal, but still... choices.
It's quite simple. Buy stuff on special. We have fruit/veg that are "imperfect" at some shops, and they are heaps cheaper than normal ones.
Oats, rice, beans, potatoes, carrots... all cheap.
Meat - get the ones on special/in bulk.
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kshama2001 wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »I appreciate that I’m not in the US but I’m not sure I ever understand this perception that people have that some ways of eating are prohibitively expensive. If you’re eating food (which everybody is) you’re buying food. (Unless you’re farming all your food and are able to be 100% self sufficient, but can we leave those few out for the sake of understanding the point!)
In fact, moving from a eat what you like food intake to a restricted calorie intake for the purposes of losing weight should, theoretically, be cheaper since you’re likely to end up consuming less actual food?
There is no requirement to eat all organically grown food, or anything unusual, it’s about choosing foods based on your taste preferences and making sure that what you do choose to eat fits within your calorie goal which you’ve set according to your current statistics and goals.
Again, I know things can be a bit different in the US than where I am (UK) but I’m genuinely curious whether cost is actually a barrier to eating something other than a diet full of budget fast food? Although, as long as fast food fits in your goals and it’s not ALL you ever eat ( thinking health rather than ‘weight loss diet’ here) there’s nothing intrinsically wrong, as long as it fills you up enough to stay in a calorie deficit.
I can't speak for the OP, but I see at least two things going on:
1. The myth that one should eat "superfoods" in order to lose weight, which is dispelled here: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/superfoods/
2. Here in the US, corn is heavily subsidized, so you get foods like soda, which is sweetened with corn syrup, being cheap.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diet-farm-subsidies/foods-from-subsidized-commodities-tied-to-obesity-idUSKCN0ZL2ER
...It’s easy to tell people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead of subsidized commodities in processed foods, “but affording healthy food is a challenge for millions of Americans – around 50 million Americans are food insecure – and it makes little sense to blame the working poor for their inability to afford to eat fewer subsidized foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables, when our modern food system is geared toward encouraging everyone to eating these commodity crops,” Patel said.
**************
Here's a different point of view that says it's just more expensive to grow produce than grains:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/im-a-fan-of-michael-pollan-but-on-one-food-policy-argument-hes-wrong/2017/12/04/c71881ca-d6cd-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html
Thank you for this, those links are indeed enlightening reads! I may continue to struggle with the concept when I see it, but I now have more of an understanding of why it might be more difficult in the US for people to adjust their food choice and mindset. I’m sure there are questions that could be asked of the government as to why this is allowed to be the case but I’m equally sure this is not the platform to do that!1 -
Sport is free as others have mentioned.
What food is cheap depends a lot on where you live. I could give advice on how to get varied, mostly healthy food that also cooks quick and wastes little energy in the UK and the Netherlands. My groceries bills are/were usually around £100 or 110 Euro per month, including a decent amount of snacks.0 -
Eggs. Cheap and so versatile.
Eat foods that are in season and buy fruit and vegetables frozen when they are not.
Buy non-perishables in bulk when they are on special.
Plan your meals ahead while looking at catalogues, so that you can incorporate the specials.
Cook a few meals worth at once as it is often cheaper per pound to buy larger quantities.
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I tend to find that the thing that makes eating "healthy" more expensive than eating other ways is not cost, but time. The advantage of processed things is not that they are cheap. Cooking from scratch is often cheapest, especially if you take advantage of in season produce and sales (there is always a lot of good buy one get one free sales I feel like). Don't get caught up in things like "organic" that add costs to the items. Season with spices as opposed to pre-made sauces, which can both be costly and more caloric.
The issue can be the time it takes to cook from scratch. That is what makes prepacked food easier. So focus on leaving yourself enough time to prepare your food and you should be able to do so even while watching your budget.5 -
I always look for what's in season and on sale. Buy in bulk(dry goods or meats) portion and freeze. I don't pay for gym membership. There is a weight room at work I can use for free. I have collected some exercise DVDs over the years, but I also borrow from the library a lot and there is so much for free online. Running shoes can be expensive, but I feel like that is one thing I do spend $$ on. Look for sales/clearance on last year's model. Running outside is free.4
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DancingMoosie wrote: »I always look for what's in season and on sale. Buy in bulk(dry goods or meats) portion and freeze. I don't pay for gym membership. There is a weight room at work I can use for free. I have collected some exercise DVDs over the years, but I also borrow from the library a lot and there is so much for free online. Running shoes can be expensive, but I feel like that is one thing I do spend $$ on. Look for sales/clearance on last year's model. Running outside is free.
Yes, the library is a great resource for books, cookbooks, and DVDs. I especially like it for cookbooks so I can try before I buy and not end up with a shelf-full of cookbooks I don't use.
Also, where I live now and the last few places I've lived the libraries all have inter-library loans, so any resource in the library system is available.
I'm a voracious reader but hardly have to buy books, as I belong to three library systems and can get most books in digital format for my kindle.0 -
concordancia wrote: »Walk, run, calisthenics, bodyweight exercises are all free.
Frozen veggies and fruit are often cheaper than fresh, with the same nutritional profile.
Beans and grains are cheap forms of both fiber and protein.
I have almost 2 freezers full of frozen fruit, veg, meat and fish. It has saved me wasting food and money from buying fresh.0 -
Does anyone have any tips or advice on dieting and staying fit when on a tight budget?
I've found that the simple act of faithfully managing a budget keeps you away from many bad food decisions too. Primarily because eating out is unhealthy and costs money, and eating at home is the reason you buy groceries.
Speaking of groceries, buy as much of your groceries from Aldi and other discount grocery stores as you can.
At major grocery stores, buy store brand. They're not as flashy but they generally taste the same.
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BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »I appreciate that I’m not in the US but I’m not sure I ever understand this perception that people have that some ways of eating are prohibitively expensive. If you’re eating food (which everybody is) you’re buying food. (Unless you’re farming all your food and are able to be 100% self sufficient, but can we leave those few out for the sake of understanding the point!)
In fact, moving from a eat what you like food intake to a restricted calorie intake for the purposes of losing weight should, theoretically, be cheaper since you’re likely to end up consuming less actual food?
There is no requirement to eat all organically grown food, or anything unusual, it’s about choosing foods based on your taste preferences and making sure that what you do choose to eat fits within your calorie goal which you’ve set according to your current statistics and goals.
Again, I know things can be a bit different in the US than where I am (UK) but I’m genuinely curious whether cost is actually a barrier to eating something other than a diet full of budget fast food? Although, as long as fast food fits in your goals and it’s not ALL you ever eat ( thinking health rather than ‘weight loss diet’ here) there’s nothing intrinsically wrong, as long as it fills you up enough to stay in a calorie deficit.
I can't speak for the OP, but I see at least two things going on:
1. The myth that one should eat "superfoods" in order to lose weight, which is dispelled here: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/superfoods/
2. Here in the US, corn is heavily subsidized, so you get foods like soda, which is sweetened with corn syrup, being cheap.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diet-farm-subsidies/foods-from-subsidized-commodities-tied-to-obesity-idUSKCN0ZL2ER
...It’s easy to tell people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead of subsidized commodities in processed foods, “but affording healthy food is a challenge for millions of Americans – around 50 million Americans are food insecure – and it makes little sense to blame the working poor for their inability to afford to eat fewer subsidized foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables, when our modern food system is geared toward encouraging everyone to eating these commodity crops,” Patel said.
**************
Here's a different point of view that says it's just more expensive to grow produce than grains:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/im-a-fan-of-michael-pollan-but-on-one-food-policy-argument-hes-wrong/2017/12/04/c71881ca-d6cd-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html
Thank you for this, those links are indeed enlightening reads! I may continue to struggle with the concept when I see it, but I now have more of an understanding of why it might be more difficult in the US for people to adjust their food choice and mindset. I’m sure there are questions that could be asked of the government as to why this is allowed to be the case but I’m equally sure this is not the platform to .do that!
Y'know, speaking as someone in the US, I'm not really buying the idea that it's uniquely more expensive to eat healthfully here.
For example, the linked article about farm subsidies says:Current federal agricultural subsidies help finance the production of corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, sorghum, dairy and livestock, which are often converted into refined grains, high-fat and high-sodium processed foods, and high-calorie juices and soft drinks (sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup), the authors write.
So, corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, dairy and meat are subsidized and therefore (in theory) unnaturally cheap. Why not eat the corn, soybeans, wheat, dairy and meat? It's available, and things like corn meal, wheat berries/flour, rice, some dairy foods, and some cuts of meat are pretty affordable. No one is forcing us to eat the calorie-dense and non-nutrient-dense foods that these basic foods are "often converted into".
Beans and rice are cheap. So are eggs, relatively. Many veggies are pretty affordable, especially in season (onions, squash, potatoes, cabbage come to mind immediately; many others are pretty affordable frozen and on sale. These things are good for a body - probably equally good - even if non-organic.
Basic cooking is easy, and need not be time-consuming (it may take a bit more planning/prep, but not more wall clock time). And I agree with the person who said that reduced calories means eating less, which - if one eats the same foods - should be cheaper. If those foods aren't filling, or aren't nutrient-dense enough, there are alternatives that are not more expensive.
Oh, and: I just looked at OP's profile. If it's accurate, we literally live in the same metropolitan area.4 -
BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »I appreciate that I’m not in the US but I’m not sure I ever understand this perception that people have that some ways of eating are prohibitively expensive. If you’re eating food (which everybody is) you’re buying food. (Unless you’re farming all your food and are able to be 100% self sufficient, but can we leave those few out for the sake of understanding the point!)
In fact, moving from a eat what you like food intake to a restricted calorie intake for the purposes of losing weight should, theoretically, be cheaper since you’re likely to end up consuming less actual food?
There is no requirement to eat all organically grown food, or anything unusual, it’s about choosing foods based on your taste preferences and making sure that what you do choose to eat fits within your calorie goal which you’ve set according to your current statistics and goals.
Again, I know things can be a bit different in the US than where I am (UK) but I’m genuinely curious whether cost is actually a barrier to eating something other than a diet full of budget fast food? Although, as long as fast food fits in your goals and it’s not ALL you ever eat ( thinking health rather than ‘weight loss diet’ here) there’s nothing intrinsically wrong, as long as it fills you up enough to stay in a calorie deficit.
I can't speak for the OP, but I see at least two things going on:
1. The myth that one should eat "superfoods" in order to lose weight, which is dispelled here: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/superfoods/
2. Here in the US, corn is heavily subsidized, so you get foods like soda, which is sweetened with corn syrup, being cheap.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diet-farm-subsidies/foods-from-subsidized-commodities-tied-to-obesity-idUSKCN0ZL2ER
...It’s easy to tell people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead of subsidized commodities in processed foods, “but affording healthy food is a challenge for millions of Americans – around 50 million Americans are food insecure – and it makes little sense to blame the working poor for their inability to afford to eat fewer subsidized foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables, when our modern food system is geared toward encouraging everyone to eating these commodity crops,” Patel said.
**************
Here's a different point of view that says it's just more expensive to grow produce than grains:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/im-a-fan-of-michael-pollan-but-on-one-food-policy-argument-hes-wrong/2017/12/04/c71881ca-d6cd-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html
Thank you for this, those links are indeed enlightening reads! I may continue to struggle with the concept when I see it, but I now have more of an understanding of why it might be more difficult in the US for people to adjust their food choice and mindset. I’m sure there are questions that could be asked of the government as to why this is allowed to be the case but I’m equally sure this is not the platform to .do that!
Y'know, speaking as someone in the US, I'm not really buying the idea that it's uniquely more expensive to eat healthfully here.
I don't believe it's more expensive at all. My error early on was believing that buying fresh was justified because fresh is "healthier". Not only is fresh vs frozen debatable, but my wallet is certainly healthier. Various markets around here sell all kinds of veggies for $1.50 for 1-2lb bags with $1 sales being common, and somewhat less "choice" cuts of meat for upwards of 80% less (Thank you Market Basket). There's a nice variety of markets within an easy 5 mile drive in any direction as well, always very competitive with each other, and all bets are off if visiting one of the privately owned ethnic markets.
And if it's something a person is interested in, a small (very small, ours is 2'x~8') garden can yield a bunch of fresh veggies if tended properly. And then there's fishing....:)
~$150 lasts my wife and I almost two weeks, with larger bulk items only being purchased once per month or so...2 -
BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »I appreciate that I’m not in the US but I’m not sure I ever understand this perception that people have that some ways of eating are prohibitively expensive. If you’re eating food (which everybody is) you’re buying food. (Unless you’re farming all your food and are able to be 100% self sufficient, but can we leave those few out for the sake of understanding the point!)
In fact, moving from a eat what you like food intake to a restricted calorie intake for the purposes of losing weight should, theoretically, be cheaper since you’re likely to end up consuming less actual food?
There is no requirement to eat all organically grown food, or anything unusual, it’s about choosing foods based on your taste preferences and making sure that what you do choose to eat fits within your calorie goal which you’ve set according to your current statistics and goals.
Again, I know things can be a bit different in the US than where I am (UK) but I’m genuinely curious whether cost is actually a barrier to eating something other than a diet full of budget fast food? Although, as long as fast food fits in your goals and it’s not ALL you ever eat ( thinking health rather than ‘weight loss diet’ here) there’s nothing intrinsically wrong, as long as it fills you up enough to stay in a calorie deficit.
I can't speak for the OP, but I see at least two things going on:
1. The myth that one should eat "superfoods" in order to lose weight, which is dispelled here: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/superfoods/
2. Here in the US, corn is heavily subsidized, so you get foods like soda, which is sweetened with corn syrup, being cheap.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diet-farm-subsidies/foods-from-subsidized-commodities-tied-to-obesity-idUSKCN0ZL2ER
...It’s easy to tell people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead of subsidized commodities in processed foods, “but affording healthy food is a challenge for millions of Americans – around 50 million Americans are food insecure – and it makes little sense to blame the working poor for their inability to afford to eat fewer subsidized foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables, when our modern food system is geared toward encouraging everyone to eating these commodity crops,” Patel said.
**************
Here's a different point of view that says it's just more expensive to grow produce than grains:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/im-a-fan-of-michael-pollan-but-on-one-food-policy-argument-hes-wrong/2017/12/04/c71881ca-d6cd-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html
Thank you for this, those links are indeed enlightening reads! I may continue to struggle with the concept when I see it, but I now have more of an understanding of why it might be more difficult in the US for people to adjust their food choice and mindset. I’m sure there are questions that could be asked of the government as to why this is allowed to be the case but I’m equally sure this is not the platform to .do that!
Y'know, speaking as someone in the US, I'm not really buying the idea that it's uniquely more expensive to eat healthfully here.
I don't believe it's more expensive at all. My error early on was believing that buying fresh was justified because fresh is "healthier". Not only is fresh vs frozen debatable, but my wallet is certainly healthier. Various markets around here sell all kinds of veggies for $1.50 for 1-2lb bags with $1 sales being common, and somewhat less "choice" cuts of meat for upwards of 80% less (Thank you Market Basket). There's a nice variety of markets within an easy 5 mile drive in any direction as well, always very competitive with each other, and all bets are off if visiting one of the privately owned ethnic markets.
And if it's something a person is interested in, a small (very small, ours is 2'x~8') garden can yield a bunch of fresh veggies if tended properly. And then there's fishing....:)
~$150 lasts my wife and I almost two weeks, with larger bulk items only being purchased once per month or so...
I do all this too - shop around, garden, shop at ethnic stores. But this requires a certain level of means.
Can you imagine not having the time to do this because you need to work several jobs to make ends meet, living in a "food desert", and not having a car? Suddenly, your choices are vastly limited.3 -
kshama2001 wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »I appreciate that I’m not in the US but I’m not sure I ever understand this perception that people have that some ways of eating are prohibitively expensive. If you’re eating food (which everybody is) you’re buying food. (Unless you’re farming all your food and are able to be 100% self sufficient, but can we leave those few out for the sake of understanding the point!)
In fact, moving from a eat what you like food intake to a restricted calorie intake for the purposes of losing weight should, theoretically, be cheaper since you’re likely to end up consuming less actual food?
There is no requirement to eat all organically grown food, or anything unusual, it’s about choosing foods based on your taste preferences and making sure that what you do choose to eat fits within your calorie goal which you’ve set according to your current statistics and goals.
Again, I know things can be a bit different in the US than where I am (UK) but I’m genuinely curious whether cost is actually a barrier to eating something other than a diet full of budget fast food? Although, as long as fast food fits in your goals and it’s not ALL you ever eat ( thinking health rather than ‘weight loss diet’ here) there’s nothing intrinsically wrong, as long as it fills you up enough to stay in a calorie deficit.
I can't speak for the OP, but I see at least two things going on:
1. The myth that one should eat "superfoods" in order to lose weight, which is dispelled here: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/superfoods/
2. Here in the US, corn is heavily subsidized, so you get foods like soda, which is sweetened with corn syrup, being cheap.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diet-farm-subsidies/foods-from-subsidized-commodities-tied-to-obesity-idUSKCN0ZL2ER
...It’s easy to tell people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead of subsidized commodities in processed foods, “but affording healthy food is a challenge for millions of Americans – around 50 million Americans are food insecure – and it makes little sense to blame the working poor for their inability to afford to eat fewer subsidized foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables, when our modern food system is geared toward encouraging everyone to eating these commodity crops,” Patel said.
**************
Here's a different point of view that says it's just more expensive to grow produce than grains:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/im-a-fan-of-michael-pollan-but-on-one-food-policy-argument-hes-wrong/2017/12/04/c71881ca-d6cd-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html
Thank you for this, those links are indeed enlightening reads! I may continue to struggle with the concept when I see it, but I now have more of an understanding of why it might be more difficult in the US for people to adjust their food choice and mindset. I’m sure there are questions that could be asked of the government as to why this is allowed to be the case but I’m equally sure this is not the platform to .do that!
Y'know, speaking as someone in the US, I'm not really buying the idea that it's uniquely more expensive to eat healthfully here.
I don't believe it's more expensive at all. My error early on was believing that buying fresh was justified because fresh is "healthier". Not only is fresh vs frozen debatable, but my wallet is certainly healthier. Various markets around here sell all kinds of veggies for $1.50 for 1-2lb bags with $1 sales being common, and somewhat less "choice" cuts of meat for upwards of 80% less (Thank you Market Basket). There's a nice variety of markets within an easy 5 mile drive in any direction as well, always very competitive with each other, and all bets are off if visiting one of the privately owned ethnic markets.
And if it's something a person is interested in, a small (very small, ours is 2'x~8') garden can yield a bunch of fresh veggies if tended properly. And then there's fishing....:)
~$150 lasts my wife and I almost two weeks, with larger bulk items only being purchased once per month or so...
I do all this too - shop around, garden, shop at ethnic stores.
But can you imagine not having the time to do this because you need to work several jobs to make ends meet, living in a "food desert", and not having a car? Suddenly, your choices are vastly limited.
Maybe I'm being obtuse lol, but AnnPT77 said her profile shows them in the same metro area (not a food desert) and OP didn't mention no car or working several jobs...
In the overall context of differing demographics sure - I used to be one of the peeps with no car, multiple jobs and I literally lived on the edge of a desert lol...but as far as this thread goes?2 -
Eating healthy is actually more "expensive."
Quotation marks because expense is measured in more than just money.
Cooking "costs" time: I was/am often exhausted and depressed, and fast food takes no effort and less time. Doing dishes also costs time and effort, and must happen if you don't want bugs and mold. The dishes/utensils themselves cost money if you don't have them or if they break or if you don't have the right ones.
Frozen veggies are indescribably vile tasting to me, so I could never choke them down. Fresh is fine cost wise, but goes bad within a week, which necessitates more trips to get groceries. Even with a car, this takes time and effort (and spoons for you fellow spoonies) that I often don't have.
Frozen fruit costs a fortune in dollars. I don't know why it's so expensive but actually holy crap it's a LOT. Fresh is fine, but then I have to buy freezer bags if I want to freeze them, or buy more often (see previous.) Plus frozen fruits have limited uses comparatively. I can't just eat a frozen apple.
And of course all these grocery store trips are burning $2/liter gas.
All that said, the word healthy also deserves quotation marks. Its different for everyone. Fruits and veg aren't required for weight loss either.6 -
kshama2001 wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »I appreciate that I’m not in the US but I’m not sure I ever understand this perception that people have that some ways of eating are prohibitively expensive. If you’re eating food (which everybody is) you’re buying food. (Unless you’re farming all your food and are able to be 100% self sufficient, but can we leave those few out for the sake of understanding the point!)
In fact, moving from a eat what you like food intake to a restricted calorie intake for the purposes of losing weight should, theoretically, be cheaper since you’re likely to end up consuming less actual food?
There is no requirement to eat all organically grown food, or anything unusual, it’s about choosing foods based on your taste preferences and making sure that what you do choose to eat fits within your calorie goal which you’ve set according to your current statistics and goals.
Again, I know things can be a bit different in the US than where I am (UK) but I’m genuinely curious whether cost is actually a barrier to eating something other than a diet full of budget fast food? Although, as long as fast food fits in your goals and it’s not ALL you ever eat ( thinking health rather than ‘weight loss diet’ here) there’s nothing intrinsically wrong, as long as it fills you up enough to stay in a calorie deficit.
I can't speak for the OP, but I see at least two things going on:
1. The myth that one should eat "superfoods" in order to lose weight, which is dispelled here: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/superfoods/
2. Here in the US, corn is heavily subsidized, so you get foods like soda, which is sweetened with corn syrup, being cheap.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diet-farm-subsidies/foods-from-subsidized-commodities-tied-to-obesity-idUSKCN0ZL2ER
...It’s easy to tell people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead of subsidized commodities in processed foods, “but affording healthy food is a challenge for millions of Americans – around 50 million Americans are food insecure – and it makes little sense to blame the working poor for their inability to afford to eat fewer subsidized foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables, when our modern food system is geared toward encouraging everyone to eating these commodity crops,” Patel said.
**************
Here's a different point of view that says it's just more expensive to grow produce than grains:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/im-a-fan-of-michael-pollan-but-on-one-food-policy-argument-hes-wrong/2017/12/04/c71881ca-d6cd-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html
Thank you for this, those links are indeed enlightening reads! I may continue to struggle with the concept when I see it, but I now have more of an understanding of why it might be more difficult in the US for people to adjust their food choice and mindset. I’m sure there are questions that could be asked of the government as to why this is allowed to be the case but I’m equally sure this is not the platform to .do that!
Y'know, speaking as someone in the US, I'm not really buying the idea that it's uniquely more expensive to eat healthfully here.
I don't believe it's more expensive at all. My error early on was believing that buying fresh was justified because fresh is "healthier". Not only is fresh vs frozen debatable, but my wallet is certainly healthier. Various markets around here sell all kinds of veggies for $1.50 for 1-2lb bags with $1 sales being common, and somewhat less "choice" cuts of meat for upwards of 80% less (Thank you Market Basket). There's a nice variety of markets within an easy 5 mile drive in any direction as well, always very competitive with each other, and all bets are off if visiting one of the privately owned ethnic markets.
And if it's something a person is interested in, a small (very small, ours is 2'x~8') garden can yield a bunch of fresh veggies if tended properly. And then there's fishing....:)
~$150 lasts my wife and I almost two weeks, with larger bulk items only being purchased once per month or so...
I do all this too - shop around, garden, shop at ethnic stores.
But can you imagine not having the time to do this because you need to work several jobs to make ends meet, living in a "food desert", and not having a car? Suddenly, your choices are vastly limited.
Maybe I'm being obtuse lol, but AnnPT77 said her profile shows them in the same metro area (not a food desert) and OP didn't mention no car or working several jobs...
In the overall context of differing demographics sure - I used to be one of the peeps with no car, multiple jobs and I literally lived on the edge of a desert lol...but as far as this thread goes?
I'd moved on from the OP and was responding to @BarbaraHelen2013's question
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