Myth 1 - Healthy Food Is More Expensive

It totally irks me when people complain or give the excuse that healthier foods are more epensive; that they cannot afford to buy healthy food. The reality is that buying fresh fruits, vegetables, fibers, etc is not more expensive than loading your cart full of larger packages of meat, processed foods and unhealthy snacks.

Healthy Food Is Not More Expensive Than Bad Foods

Healthy food is not more expensive in the long run. It really comes down to whether you want to spend $5 to $6 on a 1/2 gallon of ice cream and $12 on a small roast, OR spend the money on vegetables to make a few salads (lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, green pepper and so on) and boneless skinless chicken. It also comes down to whether you want to spend $4 or $6 on frozen french fries and vegetable oil, or fresh potatoes and yogurt where you can bake this combo for healthy fries, plus have potatoes and yogurt left over for other meals?Healthy foods becomes more affordable as the unhealthy foods becomes less desirable. There is a give and take.

Here is how:

• You'll start noticing the good deals and sales on the healthy foods are run just as often as with the other types of foods. They just might not be all at one store. Our family shops between different stores and CSAs to get the best deals on fruits, vegetables, spices, meats and healthy pastas (like organic and kelp noodles). Additionally, you can afford to shop at the Natural Foods stores if you learn to shop according to what they have on sale (just as you would in a regular grocery store). This simply involves buying ahead - when possible - to save on future purchase needs. In all cases, sometimes you need to blanch and freeze, jar or can, or precook and freeze when you buy in bulk.
  
  
• We started asking store managers where more natural and organic foods were available to us. This was sometimes by brand names because those companies had sent us coupons; other times we asked for the natural / organic foods because they were items we wanted to introduce to our baby's diet. Within a few months, the managers, at this particular store, began coming to us while shopping to let us know where to find what we requested, as well as what, new, healthier foods they brought in.
  
  
• Shopping within season makes eating healthy foods less expensive than eating processed foods and from sales items. 

Changing the way you eat and becoming more healthy is not more expensive in the long run. You learn where to buy which foods included in your diet, as well as which store managers are more helpful in getting in the healthy foods that you want to buy.

Additionally, I have found that healthy meals do take a little more planning in comparison to some of the unhealthy food choices that I was making, but well worth the few extra minutes it in comparison to the way one looks and feels from eating junk foods. As a mother, I have found that it is much easier to have my son eat a fruit or cut vegetables than to argue about how many Pop Tarts, Chips and Cookies her can eat. Fruits and vegetables actually fill the body longer than junk foods. These healthy foods are less expensive on our household budget, too.

As I started changing the type of foods we eat, preparing healthier meals has become less time consuming and more enjoyable. My family actually appreciates the variety and does not always know that they are eating healthy substitutes. Our major change is smaller portions of meats and pastas, larger portions of vegetables on their plates.

Healthy Food Changes & Appetite Control

Need help controlling your appetite while you are making healthy food changes?

Skinny Fiber can help you control your appetite while you are changing your ways. It has natural dietary fiber, digestive enzymes and energy containing ingredients that are good for your body, and can help with weight loss.


Here's to YOUR weight loss success!


Hugs & Blessings!
Lea