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Apr 2, 2008
High Price of Eating Healthy
I've always been a pretty savvy bargain shopper when it comes to food. I check the sale papers, cross shop at various grocery stores and use a few coupons (but only if they're for foods we'll actually eat).
I thought the same strategy would work with healthy foods, but it certainly wasn't as simple. The fruits and vegetables were sky high. A little pack of blueberries ran $3.99. I could literally hold them all in my hand. I'd say I had between 1/2 and 3/4 cup of blueberries. Salad fixings were likewise running high. Lettuce was over $1.00. The only salad vegetable on sale was broccolil. Fortunately I do like broccoli.
Milk was over $4.00. The 2% milk wasn't any higher than the regular, so I guess that was break even. The heart healthy butter substitute was higher than the margarine. The price for egg substitues was really high when looking at serving sizes per container, but real eggs have skyrocketed too.
Even in the convenience foods section and the junk food isle, the healthy (or healthier) options cost more. My little diet pizza cost more than the big cheesy pizza I got for the boys. Regular chips were on sale up and down the isle - not so for any of the low fat or baked chips.
I hear people say, "Oh it doesn't cost more to eat right." But that's not true. I know. I shop, and I did the research. Eating healthy does put a big dent in the wallet.
Comments
Apr 24, 2009 7:42 PM
Guest :
Compared to the medical bills you'll face from eating fast, processed,
bleach, moderated foods, you actually save money by eating healthy. While
some geographical areas are healthy challenged (places where the only
nearby food store is a Food Lion or Walmart), it really still can be done.
It is all about portion size and getting the most nutrients out of the most
frugal produce. Broccoli is an EXCELLENT choice for good nutrients. And be
smart, don't throw out the stems! Shred them up for broccoli slaw! Take
advantage of sales on store brand frozen fruits and veggies. They are not
as healthy as fresh but they are definitely better than canned. You can get
a lb of frozen blueberries for the same price as a fresh pint! You don't
have to substitute eggs... You shouldn't really, unless you are allergic.
If you are that worried about the yoke, use half at a time or set it aside
for baking or other recipes. I'm not sure where you get your milk, but more
than $4 on a gallon is insane, unless it's lactose free. Try and see if you
have a market like Trader Joe's, where fresh, organic, and healthy is so
affordable, you'd be crazy not to shop there. You can google it to see if
there's a location near you. Stores like Trader Joe's have their own line
of products which they produce at their own facilities, which cuts costs
drastically. Everything there is pretty much Trader Joe's brand (excepts
meats which come from good farms). I get already prepared meals for $3.
That's a bargain if you want to spend under $10 a day per person in your
family. Most everything is really delicious too. It doesn't taste too
healthy where you want 2nd and 3rd breakfast. They have an amazing array of
Indian cuisine, which is one of my faves and ridiculously healthy for you
as well. I don't work for TJs but it's a good example of what our grocery
stores should be. Good Luck!
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