Why is eating healthy so expensive?

[springfieldxd]

get some oatmeal, that's a healthy breakfast food...

 

[rsdplaya]

Originally Posted by SoleWoman

i dont usually eat junk food...but ive been craving white chocolate chips a hoy...too bad its snowing in va. i wish there was a drive by grocery store.

you can't go in the snow or somethin?

 

[mrscampbellakasarahlee]

Its funny tho, because I was reading somewhere that even though they say its "organic" as long as its lets say 10% organic, that's what they willlabel the fruits and veggies, and that's not even by much (IMO) to be calling organic….

Right now, all I pretty much buy is chicken breast (2) 10lb bags ($40)…last 2 weeks, and some brown basmati rice last a month ($5)…a bag of potatoes (2-4weeks…$5)…and some frozen veggies, and maybe frozen fruits….and other essentials, and my bill is around 100-150 every two weeks, and that's for me to cookalmost every other day. But then again I shop at BJ's to get a better bulk price.

If I want salad, or more elaborate veggies/fruit I will go to the grocery/fruit market and spend the most 20 bucks for me and my son…and that'll last a fewdays.

Yes…..location plays a role in the availability of healthy foods….for instance, mid-town to lower Manhattan, you will find all these gourmet hi-end healthyfood shops, but go to Harlem/Washington hgts/inwood, Micky D's on dam near every other corner.

 

[lurkin2long]

those frozen chicken breast are def have a lot of crap added.

you save money but i def go fresh with the meats.............i hit the store EVERY week.

 

[elpablo21]

^ So the frozen Chicken breast arent that healthy?

 

[mrscampbellakasarahlee]

Originally Posted by lurkin2long

those frozen chicken breast are def have a lot of crap added.

you save money but i def go fresh with the meats.............i hit the store EVERY week.

everything has a lot of crap in it, if you are not actually raising the chicken by your dam self on a farm, its going to have all sorts of steriods andhormones pumped into the chicken/cow/fish water ever...i mean seriously...look at a chicken that you cook raised on a farm, fresh feed...and compare to achicken you buy in the grocery store...so far so good for me, i'll stick with my frozen chicken breast...i don't really have the time and luxury to bestopping in at the grocery store every other day.

 

[lurkin2long]

Originally Posted by mrscampbellakasarahlee

Originally Posted by lurkin2long

those frozen chicken breast are def have a lot of crap added.

you save money but i def go fresh with the meats.............i hit the store EVERY week.

everything has a lot of crap in it, if you are not actually raising the chicken by your dam self on a farm, its going to have all sorts of steriods and hormones pumped into the chicken/cow/fish water ever...i mean seriously...look at a chicken that you cook raised on a farm, fresh feed...and compare to a chicken you buy in the grocery store...so far so good for me, i'll stick with my frozen chicken breast...i don't really have the time and luxury to be stopping in at the grocery store every other day.

b ez

alright thas cool, do you.

i was just saying....................but there is DEF a difference. you didnt really say anything. but since you dont have the luxury and time will just leaveit at that.

 

[Los Angeles]

at my local cardenas, produce is cheap

 

[ravagebx]

You ain't never lied man

A 3 piece from popeyes is like $4 and a small salad is $5 and change or more...without chicken.

 

[barack 0drama]

Yep.

I've thought about this so many times.

It's so easy to eat garbage, Yet it's a chore to eat right.

If somethings organic and natural, Why should it cost more if it's not going through all the chemical processes that the crap we eat goes through?

It would seem like it's more expensive to put preservatives, chemicals etc into the food than it is not to.

But that's how they control society I guess.

 

[nothingbefore]

ITS ONLY SOO MUCH WE CAN TAKE

TILL THE MONEY SYSTEM IS NO MORE GOOD
& CAUSING MORE HARM


THE GAME WE PLAY HAS TO BE PUT AWAY UNDER THE BED

 

[Methodical Management]

Originally Posted by ashleythetall

i feel your pain. i think its so expensive because it is more expensive to grow these foods naturally as opposed to genetically altered foods that are cheaper and easier to grow.
as in, its easier and cheaper to grow enhanced foods, so theyre cheaper.
i'd rather go for quality vs. quantity.

Actually, a number of studies have found that it's no more profitable for growers to produce genetically modified crops. Yields are around10% higher, but those gains are offset by the increased cost of pesticides.

Organic foods command a premium precisely because the general public is wary of purchasing genetically modified foods and some European nations won't evenaccept them. The real danger in all of this is that, because consumers DON'T, by and large, want to eat GMOs, the reduced prices forces livestockproducers utilize genetically modified crops as feed. So, even if you go out of your way to buy organic, if you eat meat odds are you're still beingexposed to GMOs, albeit indirectly.

Shoppers who are selective about which items to splurge on for the organic label might choose those with the highest residual pesticide levels: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, strawberries, according to February's issue of Consumer Reports.
We've seen this sort of thing before with John Stossel's fraudulent hatchet job on organic food in 2000: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9407E5DC163FF933A2575BC0A9669C8B63http://query.nytimes.com/...63FF933A2575BC0A9669C8B63

The problems with a lot of genetically modified food products go far beyond residual pesticide levels, though. They're simply endangering the food supply,for starters. Monsanto developed a "terminator" technology that prevents seeds from germinating - which prevents farmers from saving seeds andessentially indentures them to Monsanto. Worse, "terminator" crops cross-breed and contaminate crops in surrounding areas. It's prettyfrightening.

Rather than simply applying pesticides to crops, a number of genetically modified strains are designed to produce bt, an otherwise naturally occurringpesticide that renders crops poisonous to certain insects. The problem is, widespread use of these varieties ensure the propagation of bt resistant insects,which could have absolutely disastrous effects on crops in the same way that the pervasiveness of antibiotic use among livestock has aided in the developmentof antibiotic resistant viruses.

What's more, without long term testing we still don't know the effects of many genetically modified organisms and the FDA does NOT currently requirecompanies to list the genetic "ingredients" of their foods. Let's say a product contains chrysanthemum genes, for example. Companies aren'trequired to list this, since it's assumed that no one will be allergic to it. How do we know, however, that people aren't allergic to something thathas not, to this point, been part of our diet? Certainly, some people are uncomfortable with the prospect of ingesting food that contains human genes as well. So, there are actually a LOT of reasons to avoid GMOs at this point.

To suggest that a GMO is just as safe as its organic equivalent is, frankly, irresponsible. We're better off promoting crop rotation and other sustainablefarming techniques and developing better labeling standards than adopting the self-defeating tack of suggesting that, because organic foods aren't perfect,we should therefore be just as willing to accept an alternative that could cause irreparable damage to our food supply.


Dirty, read The FoodRevolution. I just picked it up and finished it last week. It's essential reading for a gourmet like yourself.

 

[eight2one]

eating healthy to me is not eating fast food.

 

[dirtylicious]

MM,
Thanks for the info and the book reco.

I'll check it out for sure

 

[deezxnutz]

you can look at it like this.. you can eat cheap and unhealthy but in the end it'll catch up to you once you hit up the hospital and see that bill afterheart surgery

 

[ridikuloz]

because eating healthy is hype.

 

[wallyhopp]

Originally Posted by Dirtylicious

^I bash organic-maniacs a bit...but there really IS a difference in the food...especially fruits and veggies...it's not just labelling

no joke. give a bad eater an organic apple and some other stuff, and hours later, they are in the bathroom cleansed and refreshed. its like your body istelling you something yet many do not listen.

to me its about supply and demand. if organic produce truly became "the thing to eat" more farms would be doing that sort of practice to capture thatdemand and prices would lower eventually. but we demand the cheap crap right now and thats whats taking precedence over everything else. its WE who choose whatshould be made, harvested, and eatten.

then again the labeling of "usda organic" and the procedure to be considered organic to many farmers is such a hassle. government is not making itvery easy to having it thrive like it should be. lots of regulations and hoops to jump through. so that could be another reason why prices remain high.

 

[agthekid]

A lot of people all of a sudden want to loose weight so they are trying to cash in.

 

[zerogravity23]

eating healthy on a budget requires a lot of work and research. For example i started eating a lot of lentils and rice, a pound of it is no more then $1 and ican make a weeks worth of meals at best.

Here and check this out.

Here's the DivineCaroline list of 20 healthy foods for under $1:

1. Oats: High in fiber and good for cholesterol. A dollar buys you a week's worth of breakfast or keeps you well-supplied in oatmeal cookies.

2. Eggs: Costing about a dollar for a half-dozen, these are one of the cheapest sources of protein, says DivineCaroline. The site suggests huevos rancheros, egg salad sandwiches and frittatas.

3. Kale: At about a dollar a bunch, this is one of the cheapest greens you'll find in the supermarket. Toss into a stir-fry or check out recipes for German-style kale or traditional Irish colcannon.

4. Potatoes: Stay away from fries and chips, and eat them skin and all as a good source of vitamin C and potassium. Choose sweet potatoes or yams for an added serving of beta carotene. Here's a recipe for easy breakfast potatoes that uses just 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

5. Apples: Tasty, cheap and filling, apples are a fun way to dress up a meal, either cooked or turned into applesauce.

6. Nuts: Some nuts like pecans and macadamias cost more, but peanuts, walnuts and almonds, particularly when bought in the shell, won't break your budget. Eat them plain or sprinkle in salads. Nuts aren't as fattening as you might think. Read more in Going Nuts for the Holidays.

7. Bananas: Shop around for deals; DivineCaroline found them for 19 cents apiece at Trader Joe's. A dollar gets you a banana a day for the workweek, and they are great in smoothies, cereal and with yogurt.

8. Garbanzo Beans: Also known as chickpeas, garbanzos are cheapeast in dry form, but even precooked beans will still only cost about a dollar. If you don't like garbanzos, any bean will do. Check out DivineCaroline's recipe for orange hummus.

9. Broccoli: Easy to make and cheap, broccoli is a no-brainer for any budget meal.

10. Watermelon: The whole melon costs more than a dollar, but the per-serving cost is only about 20 cents, the site says.

11. Wild Rice: About the same as white rice, but better for you with a nutty flavor.

12. Beets: Roasted in the oven or shred into salads, beets are packed with nutrients. For extra value, buy them with greens on for stir fry or to toss in a salad. Beets have been a popular topic on Well. Check out Pass the Beets, Again for several recipes that take beets beyond the can.

13. Butternut Squash: In season, the butternut squash costs less than a dollar a pound. It can be tough to cut up, but it's hearty and easy to bake or prepare as a soup. Check out DivineCaroline's pear and squash bruschetta.

14. Whole Grain Pasta: A cheap staple, but pick the whole grain variety for added nutritional punch.

15. Sardines: A little fish so low on the food chain it doesn't accumulate mercury and packs tons of nutrition. Mash them with parsley, lemon juice and olive oil for a spread or toss into salads or on pizza.

16. Spinach: Cheap year-round, packed with nutrition and great in salads or a spinach frittata.

17. Tofu: An inexpensive protein source. Add to smoothies for a protein boost, suggests DivineCaroline.

18. Milk: Per serving, milk and many milk products like yogurt are still under a dollar.

19. Pumpkin Seeds: Not the most practical item on the list because most of us aren't carving pumpkins every day and they are expensive to buy on their own. Still, they are great on salads and as a snack, so it's always worth saving pumpkin seeds when you have a pumpkin.

20. Coffee: Skip the Starbucks and make it at home, where it's just 50 cents a cup. Plus, there's plenty of evidence that it's good for you.

 

[boilermaker x]

It's always appreciated when people bring real information (What up, Meth?).

You're a produce distributor and you buy fruit and vegetables from lots of farms. You can:
A) Ship your fresh produce across the continent. A large percentage will be damaged during shipping. More will spoil before it is sold. Because of this, youhave to increase the price per pound.
B) Sell it to a cannery/processing plant. You now have fewer destinations to ship your produce to. A much larger percentage of it is accepted (because youdon't have the excess handling and transit time that you have in Scenario A) so you can charge less for the same product. Moreover, the end product willcome out with a virtually infinite shelf life, making it much more attractive to many people than fresh produce that will spoil within a week of purchase.

It's not a conspiracy. It's economics.

 

[nostrandave68]

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

Yep.

I've thought about this so many times.

It's so easy to eat garbage, Yet it's a chore to eat right.

If somethings organic and natural, Why should it cost more if it's not going through all the chemical processes that the crap we eat goes through?

It would seem like it's more expensive to put preservatives, chemicals etc into the food than it is not to.

But that's how they control society I guess.

And its a cycle that the government doesnt even have to control, look at the most common forms of death in america, heart disease, diabetes andetc they are hereditary diseases so it can be passed on from generation to generation

 

[wallyhopp]

the label "organic" also goes well beyond just the food themselves, but in the health of the soil. Maintaining that balance of good microrganisms isideal. Those are essentially destroyed with general farming practices ie pesticides.. I could talk for days on this but I won't. We always hear aboutprotecting this or that for future generations.. it couldn't be more true here. Basically, the foods may be minimally more healthy for you from a vitaminstandpoint so you wonder why you're spending twice as much? Soil health and farming practices that the organic farms PREACH to themselves is where yourmoney is essentially going. imo

 

[lurkin2long]

Originally Posted by NostrandAve68

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

Yep.

I've thought about this so many times.

It's so easy to eat garbage, Yet it's a chore to eat right.

If somethings organic and natural, Why should it cost more if it's not going through all the chemical processes that the crap we eat goes through?

It would seem like it's more expensive to put preservatives, chemicals etc into the food than it is not to.

But that's how they control society I guess.

And its a cycle that the government doesnt even have to control, look at the most common forms of death in america, heart disease, diabetes and etc they are hereditary diseases so it can be passed on from generation to generation

so are you against eating healthy?

if feel what yall sayin but what are ya gonna do........?

 

[djprestige21]

It's really not.

Water - Free
Bag of 10 Chicken Breasts - $9.50
Loaf of Whole Grain Bread - $3.50
Eggs - Around $2-3
Ground Turkey - $5
Lettuce - Around $3
Olive oil & Spices to make food taste decent - $10

Now for example, if you are eating 4 meals a day this is plenty for 4 days of food for a grand total of $32. Then again the average person has no grasp whateating healthy actually is.

 

[mangudai954]

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

You can eat healthy if you're a smart shopper and keep it simple

Yep. We aint the richest and we generally get organic for whatever we can. Its interesting to note that the organic version of some products actually tastedifferent too.