The "eating healthy is expensive" myth

SinkTheBismarck
SinkTheBismarck Posts: 133
edited December 17 in Food and Nutrition
Well, I'm not sure if this was already posted, so I apologise in advance if it's repeated.
I've seen many people say that it's common for poorer people to eat "filling foods" such as potatoes because they're cheaper. While I do understand that point, I disagree that eating healthy necessarily will mean larger expenses.
I found this image rather interesting. I know it compares "healthy food" to "fast food" rather than just unhealthy food bought at the supermarket for the most part, but I still think it makes a point.

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I've been saving lots of money since I started dieting. Did anyone actually experience a larger expense since they started dieting? I live in Brazil, where vegetables and fruit are really really cheap compared to the US, which could be a factor. Tell me your experiences! :flowerforyou: :tongue:
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Replies

  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
    I have found my food bills have gone down since starting to really eat healthy. I have started buying some organics and better cuts of meat, so i am happy to see that cutting out all of the processed, prepackaged convenience foods is doing good things for my waist line and wallet.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Sorachi Ace, like the hop?
  • SaketoKim
    SaketoKim Posts: 254 Member
    I would say I spend more money of buying healthy food than the bad stuff. I still have to buy good and bad stuff for my home. It's a house divided. Fruits and veggies here are not cheap at all.
  • Ittybitty22
    Ittybitty22 Posts: 48 Member
    like it made me hungry
  • Zylayna
    Zylayna Posts: 728 Member
    I'm in Canada and it's mainly the cost of fresh fruits and veggies that rack up my cost. If you buy in season it's not too bad but I love berries and they aren't in season long so most of the year I'm paying 4 bucks for 1/2 cup of blueberries!!! Plus I tend to buy a lot more chicken breasts which is much more expensive than hamburger. :) Other than that, it's not too bad.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    I reject these charts because they do not accurately represent the price of groceries where I live.
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    Hmm, those prices don't mesh with what I pay.

    Hell one pound of chicken breast is like 5 bucks now.
    Loaf of bread 3 or 4...
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    For me, eating healty IS more expensive, but those images are deceptive - all the 'junk' items used to show how junk is expensive are big brand items. When I was eating unhealthy I wasn't going for regular Domino's Pizzas, takeaways, fast food and top brand snacks, I was eating the cheap, extremely processed stuff and could live on £5 a week here in the UK. Plus, I've never seen healthy food that cheap.
  • SinkTheBismarck
    SinkTheBismarck Posts: 133
    Sorachi Ace, like the hop?

    Yep! You're the first person to recognise the reference. I'm a special beers sommelier. :-)
  • SinkTheBismarck
    SinkTheBismarck Posts: 133
    I'm in Canada and it's mainly the cost of fresh fruits and veggies that rack up my cost. If you buy in season it's not too bad but I love berries and they aren't in season long so most of the year I'm paying 4 bucks for 1/2 cup of blueberries!!! Plus I tend to buy a lot more chicken breasts which is much more expensive than hamburger. :) Other than that, it's not too bad.

    Wow. I had no idea fruits could get that expensive o.O
  • lakersfan4life
    lakersfan4life Posts: 322 Member
    Its not cheaper for me but I also eat over 3000 calories a day. seems healthier foods are a lot less calorie dense. And fruits and veggies are expensive where I live
  • HarleyQuinn_12
    HarleyQuinn_12 Posts: 363 Member
    Sadly, in my area those prices are not reflective of the prices listed. For example, the Naturals PB is closer to 4 than two in my area.
  • SalishSea
    SalishSea Posts: 373 Member
    I find eating healthy is vastly more expensive than not eating healthy. I definitely go to wal mart for lots of household items. But personally (and I mean only in my opinion) I prefer to not buy my food at walmart. Especially the wal mart brand foods. I don't like the fact that many items are probably GMO. For me the overall quality of the food is not as good as I prefer.

    When I ate just whatever I wanted I could throw some high carb, high calorie meal together. But now I find myself carefully planning my meals. And I it is more costly for me.
  • LovelyLibra79
    LovelyLibra79 Posts: 569 Member
    I'm in Chicago..prices vary here...on the higher end!
    My grocery bill went UP with my dietary changes...this chart is true obviously for some areas in the world..but doesnt represent Chicago for sure. I'm willing to spend the extra for my health..but Many do not have this option.
  • SinkTheBismarck
    SinkTheBismarck Posts: 133
    Hmm, those prices don't mesh with what I pay.

    Hell one pound of chicken breast is like 5 bucks now.
    Loaf of bread 3 or 4...

    Yeah, as I said, I don't live in the US, and food is definitely cheaper for the most part where I live. I don't use dollars either, but the _intention_ of what's shown in the picture is about what I felt when I first started buying my own food. I did feel like I could buy much more for less! :love:
  • Hailei
    Hailei Posts: 86 Member
    I don't know about these products in the image, but I do think that eating healthy is actually more expensive in lots of ways.
    For people on low budget and rushing lives, grabbing some pastries or fast food at very low price, is very convenient.
    As opposed, only on fruit will not make the hunger disappear the same way.
    In my countries, both fruits and vegetables and chicken meat are reasonable as price is concerned. But if you wanna go further than the classical vegetables or meats, it can get pretty expensive...
    So, yeah, you can make it kind of cheap but in the same variety as with the bad food. :)
    But I guess it's a fair investment, after all :P
  • 2April
    2April Posts: 285 Member
    I'm in Canada and it's mainly the cost of fresh fruits and veggies that rack up my cost. If you buy in season it's not too bad but I love berries and they aren't in season long so most of the year I'm paying 4 bucks for 1/2 cup of blueberries!!! Plus I tend to buy a lot more chicken breasts which is much more expensive than hamburger. :) Other than that, it's not too bad.
    I buy frozen berries and buy extra meat when it is on sale.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    Since people are comparing prices.

    Corn on the cob? For four? Around $5.00. Sometimes more.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    I think those prices are a bit off.
  • bashiera
    bashiera Posts: 140 Member
    Yeah, I have to agree with most of the other posts. It's vastly more expensive for me to buy fresh/frozen veggies and fruit, whole grain items and things like milk and lean meats as opposed to fake fruit juice and other crap. I live in ohio where the seasons for fresh fruit and vegetables are short and limited. Even a bag of store brand frozen strawberries cost me about 4.59 at the local grocery store, cheaper if I go out of my way to Aldi's, but still expensive compared to that chart. I understand there's got to be give and take with the quality of my food and my health, but sometimes after all my other expenses (gas, bills, replacing things, emergency purchases like a new tire) I can't spend as much money on my food as I'd like.
  • SinkTheBismarck
    SinkTheBismarck Posts: 133
    Since people are comparing prices.

    Corn on the cob? For four? Around $5.00. Sometimes more.

    I don't think people in my country would even be able to afford food if it was that expensive. :indifferent: I'm starting to regret my post, it just seemed somewhat accurate to my experience, but I had no idea it could get so much more expensive than that. When I looked at the picture and the prices, I already found they were kinda overpriced :indifferent:
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Why is this chart made using the cheapest "healthy" food and the most expensive "unhealthy" food?

    For example, look at the Whopper Combo meals. If I were trying to get full on fast food, I'd either go for McDoubles or something off the cheapo menu at Taco Bell.

    Also, I sure wish I could pay those prices for fruits and vegetables.
  • dreanance
    dreanance Posts: 246
    I agree the prices are off, but I will say we spend a lot less on groceries now than we did when we are a lot of processed foods. It's also important to buy produce in season, that makes a big difference.

    For example, I don't drink soda any more, so money saved. I used to buy frozen snack things, like those hot prezels and such, now I snack on air popped popcorn. We used to eat a lot of mean, now we rely more on beans. We save even more getting dried beans instead of canned. I can my own tomatoes in the summer when I can get them dirt cheap at the farmers market. I used to buy chai tea concentrate and now I make my own. I make my own yogurt using organic milk when it's on sale.... I'm sure I could think of more.
  • BradyMommy
    BradyMommy Posts: 82 Member
    I have found that my grocery budget went up when I started eating healthier. Plus, there aren't as many coupons on fresh meats and produce as there are on the prepared/packaged foods so it's a double whammy. Even same-for-same is more expensive. I used to buy the store brand sandwich bread for 99 cents and now I buy multigrain or whole rye bread for $3.

    Having said that though, it's totally worth it and I'm not going back to the way I used to eat for any amount of money!
  • 1979rrh
    1979rrh Posts: 83 Member
    I buy only healthy foods now (veggies, fruit, lean meats and good cut meats) I have to go to the supermarket every 5 days or so and pick up enough to last for the next 5 days... I spend $120 every 5 days, everything is fresh and nothing processed. I used to spend $100 every 2 weeks... So I do now spend a lot more then I used to. I live in Manitoba Canada and I travel to the US every once in a while and am in shock as to the price of produce there. It is about 30% less then what we pay. Not sure why?? But I would rather pay more on grocerys then more in health care when I get older.
  • SinkTheBismarck
    SinkTheBismarck Posts: 133
    Why is this chart made using the cheapest "healthy" food and the most expensive "unhealthy" food?

    For example, look at the Whopper Combo meals. If I were trying to get full on fast food, I'd either go for McDoubles or something off the cheapo menu at Taco Bell.

    Also, I sure wish I could pay those prices for fruits and vegetables.

    I pay less than what's shown for fruits and vegetables, and about the same for the "fast food" options. I guess it just depends of where you live and the season. As I said, I didn't mean to state an undeniable truth when I wrote the topic, that's why I asked everyone else's experiences. (Ugh, I wish I could edit the title. :frown: )

    Also: I did not make the chart! I took it from http://crissfit.tumblr.com/ (one of my weight loss inspirations).
  • SinkTheBismarck
    SinkTheBismarck Posts: 133
    I buy only healthy foods now (veggies, fruit, lean meats and good cut meats) I have to go to the supermarket every 5 days or so and pick up enough to last for the next 5 days... I spend $120 every 5 days, everything is fresh and nothing processed. I used to spend $100 every 2 weeks... So I do now spend a lot more then I used to. I live in Manitoba Canada and I travel to the US every once in a while and am in shock as to the price of produce there. It is about 30% less then what we pay. Not sure why?? But I would rather pay more on grocerys then more in health care when I get older.

    Great way to think of it! :flowerforyou:
  • 1979rrh
    1979rrh Posts: 83 Member
    I buy only healthy foods now (veggies, fruit, lean meats and good cut meats) I have to go to the supermarket every 5 days or so and pick up enough to last for the next 5 days... I spend $120 every 5 days, everything is fresh and nothing processed. I used to spend $100 every 2 weeks... So I do now spend a lot more then I used to. I live in Manitoba Canada and I travel to the US every once in a while and am in shock as to the price of produce there. It is about 30% less then what we pay. Not sure why?? But I would rather pay more on grocerys then more in health care when I get older.

    **this is just what I eat, we do buy other foods for my husband but the $120 is my foods**
  • reneegee23
    reneegee23 Posts: 232 Member
    Those pictures made my head hurt. :)

    And yes, you can eat healthy, whole foods on the cheap, you just have to plan for it. (shopping, menu planning, cooking.) My farmer's market's produce is always cheaper than the grocery store, but I have to make time for that trip to the market.

    If you really want to improve the quality your diet, you'll make it happen.

    EDIT: eat seasonal produce and you will save even more money. Bonus!
  • livinginwoods
    livinginwoods Posts: 562 Member
    Yes my food bill has gone way up since I started this thing. I don't know where some of that was purchased but it sure wasn't where I shop or live!
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