Saturday, November 24, 2007

Healthy Eating - Too Expensive?

Okay, I am curious about an article I recently read. While I forgot to bookmark the article, so you just going to have to take my word for it (sorry) or find me a link to it, I will not forget it's basic statement.

Eating healthy is too expensive for lower-income citicens.

My first reaction was disbelieve, but now I am motivated to find out if that is true.
So, I will challenge myself and my readers to come up with prove or disprove of this theory.

For now, as I am scanning through my own kitchen, and recall my shopping habbits, I have compiled a list of observations, in the price versus health department:

1. Apples and bananas are a staple in my household, and they are cheap

2. Oatmeal is another staple, again cheap and healthy.

3. There is no price difference between whole milk and lower fat or non-fat milk, so buy the lesser fat one.

4. There is always some kind of Cheerios or Total on sale, often cheaper then the other cereals with questionable ingriedients (aren't they for free on WIC?)

5. Dried beans, lentils are always in my house, are very cheap, very nutritious, and are easy to prepare (use the crockpot, or ask me for some recipes)

6. Carrots, cabbage, zuchini, onion, potatoes, I can think of many ways to make some kind of healthy meal out of those ingredients, again cheap.

Conclusion for today:
A bag of chips doesn't me fill up, a baked potato does. The baked potato is cheaper.
In my opinion, the misconception of healthy food being expensive, comes from the misconception that organic food is expensive.
Again wrong. I find that at times organic foods are cheaper, or at least the same price then the regular counterparts.

Second Conclusion:
May it be that some people might not know how to prepare a meal properly, so it is healthy? Then this is something that can be fixed. Education is also cheap, I will give tips away for free, if it helps you live longer, healthier and happier. (I feel an e-book coming my way).

What is your conclusion, or opinion on that subject?
Love to hear from you!

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