Healthy Foods Cost More
I would love it to be different. But in reality, healthy foods do cost more. The sad fact is – cheap farming practices give us cheap food.
- Confining chickens in a space the size of a sheet of paper
- Factory farms creating massive manure lagoons that pollute our water supply
- Giving feedlot beefs 15 million pounds of antibiotics every year just to prevent them from getting sick
- Exposing Americans to more than 4.5 billion pounds of pesticides every year to grow produce faster
- The Government giving 20X more subsidizes to sugary and processed foods than to fruits and veggies
Raising a chicken or beef the way it’s supposed to costs more. So in the end, consumers have to pay more. So if you want to lose more fat, build more lean muscle and transform your health, expect your grocery bill to increase. But if you care about any of the above, food quality should be on your list of priorities, right next to the other essential needs like having a place to live in and appropriate clothing. That being said, I know some people are on really tight budgets and may struggle to even feed their families. If that’s your case, not all hope is lost. There’s a way to make the best choices possible, even if you’re on a very limited “food stamp diet”.
The “Cheap & healthy” Food List
Being on a budget shouldn’t be a reason to grab a $1 burger at your local fast food joint – 365 days a year. If you buy the following cheap yet healthy ingredients, you can pull off miracles at the grocery store:
Fruits
- Apricot
- Banana
- Cantaloupe
- Grapefruit
- Honeydew
- Kiwi
- Nectarines
- Papaya
- Pear
- Starfruit
- Tangerine
- Watermelon
Veggies
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Collards
- Lettuce
- Mustard greens
- Parsley
- Peas
- Onions
Protein
- Tuna (limit to once a week though)
- Eggs
- Beans
- Lentils
- Raw nuts
- Raw seeds
- Non-fat plain yogurt
- Low-fat milk (if you can tolerate it)
Carbs
- Barley
- Brown rice
- Millet
- Oats (groats or steel cut, if possible)
- Organic corn
- Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Most grains bought in bulk
Fats
- Avocado
- Coconut oil
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Ghee
Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half
Each one of the following strategies will help you reduce your grocery bill by a fraction. The good news is – after they stack up, they will make a HUGE difference on your budget.
1. Avoid wasting food.
The average American wastes about 1,400 calories per day worth of food – which means they waste half of their money. Plan smarter, and pay less.
2. Use fresh vegetables and fruits that are in season.
They are easy to get, have more flavor, and are usually less expensive.
3. Plan out your meals ahead of time and make a grocery list. You will save money by buying only what you need.
4. Compare the price and the number of servings from fresh, canned, and frozen forms of the same veggie
or fruit. Canned and frozen items may be less expensive than fresh.
or fruit. Canned and frozen items may be less expensive than fresh.
5. Buy legumes in bulk, not in cans.
You may not realize this, but canned beans cost around 45X more than beans in bulk like THIS package.
6. Don’t shop when you’re hungry.
Shopping after eating will make it easier to pass on the tempting snack foods. You’ll have more of your food budget for vegetables and fruits.
7. Buy vegetables and fruits in their simplest form.
Pre-cut, pre-washed, ready-to-eat, and processed foods are convenient, but often cost much more than when purchased in their basic forms.
8. Ditch processed foods.
Granola bars, microwavable meals and other food products
may be handy, but they have no place on a tight budget. Stick with whole foods and simple recipes.
may be handy, but they have no place on a tight budget. Stick with whole foods and simple recipes.