I was talking with a friend yesterday and said that it seems many in this world are over weight to some point. *5lbs or 50lbs* but anyways. They say eat healthy. lots of fresh veggies and fruits. now let me ask you how are we suppose to do that when it cost so dang much. It is cheaper to buy a big box of cookies then to buy fruit. I love fruit and would eat it all day long if i could but the cost is ... ouch. It just cracks me up *not really* that if it was cheaper for us to buy the healthy stuff then we would. heck they put chips on sale *buy 1 get one free* but do you see them doing that with healthy foods *okay sometimes but not really that often* ice cream is on sale all the time but not fruit. that is a once in a blue mood deal. okay sorry to grip just frustrated today.
*im haveing a fat girl day. sigh. hope everyone else is doing good.*
*also any tips to help me stay on track and eat better. *
Fruit and Veggies I don't think are that badly priced (they are when you start compaing them to cookies and what not) but I agree. I find I spent WAY more money on food now then I was before. 2$ for my bag of apples, but you only get 3 or 4 or whatever where as my 2$ bag of cookies would be like 10 or more snacks. It just doesn't work out the same, haha.
I look at it like this - the cost for caring for an obesity-related disease would be much higher over time. My grandmother died very young of complications of diabetes (she went blind, had to have a foot amputated, all kinds of terrible things). If a 2.00 bag of apples can save me having to buy all the items related to diabetic care, it is a sound investment.
My health is worth it. I just save money in other areas (I use the library almost exclusively now instead of buying books like I used to).
Plus, a big head of Romaine lettuce, that costs about $2 bucks,when chopped up into regular bite sized pieces can be stretched for three meals! I'm a heavy eater and I make salad wraps using one medium sized Romaine. I add a sprinkling of cheese and a couple of sliced olives to the wrap and a tsp + some of salad dressing and it's SO yummy that I um...have like 6. Anyway, I've had 6 over two days for dinner and I can tell you, I'm FULL after those wraps.
Plus, 3 -4 apples = 3-4 days of breffix supplements so to me it doesn't really seem all that expensive. Not knocking you guys down or anything - it's just an opinion. I know that if I bought those oreos, they'd be gone in an evening but my salad keeps me going for 2 -3 days. Also guys, invest in canned veggies if you don't already. I make my chana masala from a can of chick peas and it costs me 0.99. Not a bad deal for a big dinner for one - reasonable meal for two. There are plenty of sale coupons in those grocery store flyers that come in the mail on Sunday. There's sales on salad dressing, seasonal fruits and veggies and other stuff... However, I do agree that it's ridiculous how super UNhealthy foods are lower in price than good for you grub.
And don't get me started on the freakin' fabulous Chick'n Patties by Boca.
Last edited by Sunnigummi; 06-22-2006 at 11:06 AM.
I think about food the way I think about everything else I spend money on-- what will give me the most bang for the buck? You get what you pay for... and so I try to buy the best quality I can afford--the product that will give me the best return, last the longest and wear well (and lord knows I wear apples a lot better than I wear cake and cookies! ). So I know that fresh produce will fill me up longer, give me nutrients that box of cookies won't, and just plain last me longer.
I totally understand what your saying and I've said it myself many times, especially when my grocery bill is on the high end!! It's totally true!! Prepackaged junk food is so cheap. They're always having sales on it. If I filled my grocery cart with crap, my grocery bill would be half of what it is now. Produce is majorly expensive, especially with the better stuff.
I was grocery shopping last weekend and noticed that one of my favorite fruits are in stock now...black cherries. They're $5.99 per pound!! Same thing with grapes! It's insane. I buy A LOT of produce. I love munching on fruit and I'm always steaming fresh veggies and making HUGE salads.
Maybe everyone in this world wouldn't be so overweight if it were the other way around.
I buy lots of fresh fruits and veggies each week and it is definitely more expensive than when I bought junk. However, my clothes are now cheaper buying things on sale and in smaller sizes, not using the plus size stores. The whole family is eating healthier and that's very important. Plus, I'm taking fewer meds for blood pressure and diabetes and that helps the budget too.
My new mantra every time I go grocery shopping... "I am worth it." I am the biggest penny pincher ever and I've had to adjust my way of thinking. I can go to Aldi and fill up my cart with junk food (aisle #1, lol) but "I'm just not that person anymore" (another one of my new mantras). I want to live to annoy my kids and future grandkids so paying high prices for produce is just a small investment toward that goal.
I agree, that in theory it's cheaper per calorie to purchase processed trans-fat junk foods, but the addictive nature of sugar makes it so I eat an entire bag of Oreos in one sitting instead of 1 normal serving of real food with nutrients. That's why I'm here, the fact that I DON'T eat just one serving of Oreos. If I could manage that, I wouldn't be overweight.
Sure, it's cheaper. And that's why lower-middle class and poverty-level people are more overweight than those of higher socio-economic status. It's wrong and disgusting, but that's how it is right now. I suppose one way around the expense is to grow a garden, if that's feasible.
I agree that it *can* be more expensive comparing grocery bills to grocery bills, but over time I think it tends to even out. As someone mentioned, plus size clothes cost a lot more than "regular" sizes......medications for obesity-related health problems can cost a small fortune.....having to buy a second seat on an airplane is certainly no bargain!
You just can't put a price on your health. It took me a long time to learn that one - I'm just in the beginning stages, but I now know that I'm beginning for the last time. My son has some health issues, and buying the best quality food we can is really important - the side benefit is that the whole family has noticed changes in how we feel, we're less prone to headaches, stomach cramps, and are all sleeping better.
It can help to purchase produce in season - stock up when it's cheap and freeze what you can. Strawberries are now in season here, and you can get an entire flat for just a few dollars. I slice them up, package them in freezer bags, and then have frozen berries to add to smoothies, stir into yogurt, or whatever - for just pennies per serving. If you have a Costco membership, you can sometimes get great deals on produce there - you do purchase a lot at once, but if it's something you enjoy it's worth it....I purchase organic salad greens from my Costco, either spinach or spring mix. The tub is twice the size of what the supermarket stocks, and is half the price!! Costco also carries good whole-grain breads - you can freeze the extra loaves to take advantage of the bulk savings.
It's a little more work in the beginning....but there are ways to keep costs down and eat healthfully. The other thing that works for my family is meal-planning - we only spend about $80 per week for our family of 3, and it's largely due to planning.
Specials from my local Safeway this week:
1 bag of celery- $1.27
1 bag of carrots- .50
Large Haas avocados- $1 (10 for $10)
Blueberries and strawberries- buy 1 get one free at $2.50
Roma tomatoes- $1 per pound
Navel oranges- .79/lb, 2.99 for a big bag (upwards of 10)
Bagged salad- on sale this week at $1.98 a bag (woo hoo!)
Estimated Adult Obesity-Attributable Percentages and Expenditures in the U.S. from 1998-2000- 75 Billion dollars
(according to the CDC)
EDIT: I realize this doesn't affect your grocery bill, but you are doing yourself a much better service by putting your healthy habits ahead of your pocket book- you are a worthy cause! For what it's worth...
Also, I think this trend of high prices for produce vs. low for crappy processed foods is due to two things: A) The high flow of people from rural to urban developments over time decreasing the agricultural output of the country (I'm talking U.S.) leading to an increase in price for the product due to labor shortage. B) A simple case of supply vs. demand. This ties into my first point in that as the prices of fresh produce rose, technology know- how increased and we got faster production of processed foods that in turn lowered their cost - less labor involved. So now, processed foods that are hurting us appearance and most importantly, health wise appeal due to their price tag. Also, aren't we in some kind of recession now or a bad economic situation? That can also provoke people to buy processed when at one point they bought healthy if there's a job cut in the family and budget's tight. Also, because of this whole processed - everything in a pretty little can that just needs to be reheated mentality that has taken over our society has created inept cooks in the kitchen who are incapable of dicing a veggie because it takes too much time and effort. Whereas before, teens were forced to help out in the kitchen and learned to cook by default, now are forced to prepare their own meals because their parents work 20 hr days. Well, ok my two points ballooned into 10, but you get the idea. There's more at play here.
Last edited by Sunnigummi; 06-22-2006 at 03:27 PM.
Also, I think this trend of high prices for produce vs. low for crappy processed foods is due to two things: A) The high flow of people from rural to urban developments over time decreasing the agricultural output of the country (I'm talking U.S.) leading to an increase in price for the product due to labor shortage. B) A simple case of supply vs. demand. This ties into my first point in that as the prices of fresh produce rose, technology know- how increased and we got faster production of processed foods that in turn lowered their cost - less labor involved. So now, processed foods that are hurting us appearance and most importantly, health wise appeal due to their price tag. Also, aren't we in some kind of recession now or a bad economic situation? That can also provoke peope to buy processed when at one point they bought healthy if there's a job cut in the family and budget's tight. Also, because of this whole processed - everything in a pretty little can that just needs to be reheated mentality that has taken over our society has created inept cooks in the kitchen who are incapable of dicing a veggie because it takes too much time and effort. Whereas before, teens were forced to help out in the kitchen and learned to cook by default, now are forced to prepare their own meals because their parents work 20 hr days. Well, ok my two points ballooned into 10, but you get the idea. There's more at play here.
I totally agree it is worthing, just slighty depressing. But you guys are right that you save money in the long run, with being able to buy stuff like smaller cloths.
Also an apple will keep you full longer then a cookie or two (for the most part). I just agree that I spent FAR more on food then I used too. But it tastes better! haha
thinking out loud.......
However, I do agree that it's ridiculous how super UNhealthy foods are lower in price than good for you grub.
Costco also carries good whole-grain breads - you can freeze the extra loaves to take advantage of the bulk savings.
