Why do people say that healthy eating is expensive?

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  1. Caitlin Pyle profile image69
    Caitlin Pyleposted 12 years ago

    Why do people say that healthy eating is expensive?

  2. AliceFSpencer profile image61
    AliceFSpencerposted 12 years ago

    I say it all the time smile When I go and buy lots of fruits and veggies it does make my bill higher. I have some family quick meals I cook during the month and I can get out the store on a budget. If I add fish and other yummy healthy food it goes up an up. It is really worth it but in order to get the best price on fruits and veggies I have to use coupons and take my sales papers to ask for the lowest price but sometime I'm too lazy for that ....

  3. peeples profile image94
    peeplesposted 12 years ago

    I've always wondered the same thing. We feed a family of 4 plus a baby well for $50 a week.  We eat mostly organic foods and grow a large amount of our own veggies. I think some don't want to have to bargin shop, others are not informed, and many are use to eating processed foods so much they can't find healthy versions of what they are use to. Our low amount we spend on food does not happen easily. Eating healthy on a budget can take some work.

  4. lovetrees profile image60
    lovetreesposted 12 years ago

    Fruit, veg and organic wholesome foods are extortionate at supermarkets. People often don't think about markets which sell healthy foods for less money or else they are far away and have no way of getting there other than paying lots of money on things like a taxi to get there. This used to be my problem.

  5. grinnin1 profile image69
    grinnin1posted 12 years ago

    Well, I think it's actually more that unhealthy eating is inexpensive, accessible and tempting. Chips, crackers, white bread, stuff that is full of preservatives,  high fructose corn syrup, saturated fats and white flour can be made inexpensively, and sold inexpensively.
    But in reality, canned beans, fruit, vegetables; there are a lot of healthy items that are cheap, you just have to be more creative and put more time into cooking them.
    In my experience, it is way more expensive to try to eat healthy as in organic produce, grain-fed meats and eggs, and antibiotic-free milk. I try to alternate what organic items I buy each month, I figure at least I'm giving everyone a little break from pesticides that way.

  6. blessedp profile image77
    blessedpposted 12 years ago

    Yes it is.  When I try to eat healthy it costs me more.  Unhealthy food is cheaper but truly being healthy is expensive.

  7. arksys profile image77
    arksysposted 12 years ago

    with unhealthy food you get quantity and not quality. organic foods are more expensive than the ones normally found on the shelf ... that's probably the main reason people say eating healthy is expensive.

  8. profile image0
    fit2dayposted 12 years ago

    I think one thing is people are used to eating cheap food, but in reality eating healthy may be the least expensive way to eat. I will admit that it costs more to eat organic and buying meat from the local butcher isn't cheap, but I feel that my body's worth more than the chemical laced, processed junk on the grocery store shelves.

    One way for people to cut back as far as eating is by not eating out. It's hard to complain about paying $4 for a dozen of free range eggs when you're spending triple that to sit down and eat a couple of caged chicken eggs with a piece of margarine slathered toast.

  9. cat on a soapbox profile image96
    cat on a soapboxposted 12 years ago

    This is a great question. One doesn't need to eat organic food for it to be healthy. Whole foods, those that have little or no processing, are often less expensive.  Basic staple items can be fixed at home for wholesome eating on a low budget. Grow your own fruit and veggies or trade with those who do. Bake your own breads and cookies, make your own soups and broths, and prep your own salad dressings. Freeze soft, over-ripe fruits like bananas to add to smoothies. Bake ripe apples for applesauce, and combine this and that in a juicer for a blast of vitamins. Bread crusts and stale bread are great for breadcrumbs and croutons. We all waste money when buying and throw out too much that is still useable.

  10. albatros333 profile image64
    albatros333posted 12 years ago

    cuz they can't cook? if you cook your own meals, then eating healthy isn't as expensive as eating unhealthy fast food. But if you're trying to eat out AND eat healthy then it's a totally different ball game. Do you agree? .....OHH yeah, you may want to factor in the time it takes to prepare and cook your meals, in that case, cooking healthy is probably more expensive than grabbing that burger + fries+soda.  Do you agree?

  11. BlissfulWriter profile image82
    BlissfulWriterposted 12 years ago

    It is true that healthy food is generally more expensive.  I can get an unhealthy hamburger for $0.99.  Or I can get a healthy avocado for $1.50.   One hamburger will fill you up with unhealthy calories.  But healthy food are typically high in nutrients and at the same time low in calories.  Therefore you need to eat lots of lots of healthy foods in order to get all the need calories.  Who is going to get full with one avocado?  So now I have to buy kale, bell peppers, olives, to put my avocado into a salad.  Now it is costing much more. 

    Healthy omega-3 organic free-range chicken eggs are the most expensive one on the market.  I can buy healthy salmon or have unhealthy ground beef -- the former being many times more expensive per pound -- especially if it is wild salmon which is healthier as I had written about here...
    http://blissfulwriter.hubpages.com/hub/ … ild-Salmon

  12. BlissfulWriter profile image82
    BlissfulWriterposted 12 years ago

    The premise of this article is that buying healthy food is more expensive than buying less healthy food. It is also the position of this article that the extra cost of healthy food is well worth it. If you look at it from a long-term perspective,... read more

  13. darrensurrey profile image60
    darrensurreyposted 12 years ago

    Personally, I save a fortune by preparing meals and cooking from scratch. I suppose one needs to consider what healthy food is. If you mean top quality organic meat and chia seeds then you'd better get a bank loan. But you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the local supermarket for a lot less than junk food you might buy in popular fast food eateries. It's about investigating and experimenting - I rarely bother looking at recipes. I just see what happens; if it's awful, I won't buy it/cook it again.

  14. Caitlin Pyle profile image69
    Caitlin Pyleposted 12 years ago

    Wonderful responses, everyone smile There are indeed lots of healthy items out there that cost very little money: dry beans, brown rice, frozen veggies... where and when you buy things factors in as well. I shop at Aldi for frozen veggies, rolled oats, produce, dry beans and canned goods. I only shop at places like Publix when I have coupons to pair with a sale. Even at Wholefoods I've managed to get tofu for 50 cents a package! I also DIY a lot of things-- I make my own mayo, veggie broth, spice mixes, seitan, and I never buy processed food like granola bars--it is cheaper to make your own!
    Indeed, a 99 cent hamburger will fill your stomach, but there are virtually no nutrients so you'll be hungry again in an hour, end up overeating and in the long run, put on weight, doing damage to your body that will cost you more dollars than a can of beans and some frozen veggies would've cost. And it kind of depends on how bad you want to save money. I really, really want to so I am very careful with coupons, sales, and shopping at several different stores to get the best price. Why spend 69 cents a pound on bananas at Publix when they are 39 cents a pound at the local farm market?

  15. jaswinder64 profile image60
    jaswinder64posted 12 years ago

    Yes, people say that healthy eating is expensive. They are right, but its not necessary to eat organic food, because everyone can not afford organic food. Instead of buying fast food, which is unhealthy and expensive too, buy fresh fruits and vegetable from the market and cook your own food. This way you live healthy and save some money too. Now you can't say that healthy eating  is expensive.

    I nevery eat fast food, cook it at home. It is not expensive, because you are buying and cooking yourself.

 
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