Paying for healthy food

Hello fellow readers,

My name is Anne and I'm thrilled to be a guest poster here at Healthy Eats.

I started consciously changing the way I eat about 2 1/2 years ago and it's been a really rewarding process. I can honestly say my husband and I feel better, sleep better, and hey... we even look better. ;)

We enjoy food more than ever, and hope more people jump on the healthy eating wagon so I thought I'd discuss one of the potential "drawbacks" of healthy eating that tends to be a roadblock for people:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Yup, I'm using my inaugural post to explain my change of heart about the relationship between money and food.

My next post will talk about the other biggie: Time.

(Other concerns like "I have picky eaters in my family" "I don't know how to cook healthy foods" and "Isn't healthy food limiting?" I may address in future posts along with anything I see in the comments.)


Before I took the plunge, I thought healthy food would cost more. Let's assume for the purposes of discussion that it does cost more. Certainly, we all know of "healthy" grocery stores that charge an arm and a leg, so having healthy food break your budget is within the realm of believability.

So what if it costs more?

Americans spend a lower percentage of their disposable (after taxes) income on food than nearly every country in the world. Right now, it's hovering around 10% but it's dropped a lot even since the time when my parents were raising kids:



As a culture, we often believe things should be free or close to it. I understand this mentality, because in college I felt the same way. I lived on free calories. If someone was handing out free donuts, I'd be first in line and I'd ask someone if it was cool to come back for seconds.

I've moved on. I am still careful with money, but I'm willing to pay for quality. Food, unlike almost anything else I spend money on, is GOING INTO MY BODY! That's a big deal. And, the way my body looks and the way it feels reflect what I've eaten. My body can't work like a finely tuned machine if I give it white flour and sugar to run on. I thought mine was doing fine until I changed the way I eat. Now I really see how good I can feel and how much energy and vitality I have.

So even if high-quality, nutritious food does cost more... knowing what I know now? I am willing to pay more, if that's what it takes.

Does it have to cost more?

It depends on where you're starting from, but here are some things to consider...

• Gradually, as I've become a healthier eater, I've begun to make more things myself. I went from Taco Bell, to refried beans from a can, to cooking black beans from scratch. If you've ever looked at the cost difference between canned beans and dried beans... you know it's a huge difference. Depending on your source for beans, it can cost easily 4 times as much to buy a can. (And, if you're trying to be "green", dried is the way to go.)


• On a similar note, I make my own bread. From wheat I grind myself. It costs me ~$.50 a loaf and is healthier and tastes better than the stuff from the store. Plus, I can vary the grains and flavors to suit the meal we're eating and to add variety.


• Lentils and split peas are dirt cheap.


• Learning to eat veggies and fruit in season saves a lot of money, and everything will taste better and last longer after you buy it.


• I spend a lot less on clothes. Ok, so fashion is never really a priority for me anyway, but my weight doesn't fluctuate or creep up on me and force me into buying new clothes that fit. (Think long term, here, and how much weight the average American puts on by the time they're fifty. By establishing healthy habits and finding a healthy weight early, you won't go through a zillion dress sizes.)


• I don't get sick as often. Less doctor's visits. Mackenzie has never had an ear infection (we don't think). Scott's cholesterol is fantastic and low enough the chance of having plaque build up is near zero. You want to talk about expensive? Try heart disease and Type II diabetes. Both conditions are completely preventable through diet and both are incredibly expensive to live with. Monthly medications alone can be a huge financial burden.


• Eating out is more rare. There just aren't that many places that cook really fantastic healthy food. We still go to those places, and thoroughly enjoy them, but often we'd rather eat at home because we do cook really fantastic healthy food.


• No boxed cereal is as good as homemade muesli or steel cut oatmeal in our house. So, we spend a lot less money on breakfast and get a lot more variety and loads more nutrition.


• We spend 0 (zero) (zilch) (nada) on lots of stuff we used to buy. Pretty much all pre-made food has gone out the window and with it a lot of costs we accepted as normal. We made our own baby food. Our 1 year old, Mackenzie, has never had baby crackers, fruit snacks, granola bars, soda, candy, ice cream (maybe once?), cake mix cake, boxed brownies, frosting, pasta from a box, canned soup, etc. Those things just aren't on our shopping list. That leaves a lot of room for the produce section!


• The healthier I eat, the more I realize that a lot of the foods marketed as "healthy" aren't actually the best for you. And, they tend to be more expensive. As a general rule, if a food even HAS a marketing budget... it's probably over-priced. Nobody is tooting the lowly sweet potato's horn, for instance. It just sits there quietly in the produce section waiting for you to buy and enjoy. Whereas low-calorie frozen dinners? Reduced-fat salad dressings? "Now with whole grain" crackers? Skip 'em and save your money.

Not convinced yet? For our family of three, our grocery bill has gone up about $2 a day since we made the switch. And keep in mind... we often splurge on exotic ingredients (like buckwheat flour, quinoa, edamame, and fresh herbs) and we positively love fresh fruit. We find the best place to buy various items, and watch for sales, but then we dive in and buy yummy, healthy-but-pricey treats like nuts, berries, mangoes, and avocados. No guilt because our bodies are worth it.

Here's the real surprise (at least to me):

I actually enjoy spending money on good food. I feel like it's my way of "putting my money where my mouth is" (ha! Literally, I guess...). In a small way, I'm telling grocery stores and food producers that I want to see more healthy things on store shelves. Do NOT stop carrying kale, Meijer, because I, Anne Bean buy it. And my daughter will grow up eating it. She needs to have a big produce section when she grows up and starts her own family. Lose the soda aisle, I never give it a dime. But the frozen broccoli? That's great for stirfry. I will buy 5 bags when it goes on sale.

Full Disclaimer: We can afford the extra $2 a day. But if it came down to it, and I had to make room in our budget for healthier food... I would rather put on sweater and turn the thermostat down a notch in the winter. I would rather run outside or do a workout video so I could skip the gym membership fee. I'd rather carpool and save on gas money. But take away my free pass to the produce aisle? Please, no. I need to fill up my cart with lovely, colorful, fresh stuff to feed my family and fuel my body.

-Anne Bean
beanland.wordpress.com