Comments on: Priced Out: Too Expensive to Buy Healthy?

By: Allhoney

Allhoney — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:26:13 +0000

I spend money on food. I buy fresh and local and in season. I buy eggs, turkey and salmon at the Farmer’s market, and my produce at he seasonal Farmer’s Markets. Bread I get freshly made at Whole Foods. Tofu also comes from the Farmer’s Market or from Whole Foods. Everything is organic if I can find it that way. Very little of my food comes packaged. My grocery bills average $125.00 weekly, and that is for my son and me. But… I don’t have cable, or dish or whatever. I don’t keep snacks in the house. And I don’t spend hundreds of dollars on clothes, shoes, and accessories. Healthy food has been my top priority for decades. Everything else is secondary.

By: kim

kim — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:56:05 +0000

I just wanted to share something that I am using to provide organic food for my family that is costing me zero, zilch, nada! My local CSA normally sells their weekly shares of organic veggies, free range eggs, and other goodies for about $425 per 18wk season… this year I was able to get a “work share” – I signed a contract donating 4 hours per week to tending the crops and animals in exchange for the CSA share. I’m saving money; learning about farming; and getting sunshine and exercise – feels like it’s a real win.

By: Betti

Betti — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 20:13:19 +0000

Here in Kansas City there’s a program at the Farmer’s Market that you can get $2 worth of food for $1 if you are using SNAPS (food stamps). You can get a 1 lb. bag of carrots for $1, strawberries for $2, 13 ears of fresh corn for $5, a 5 lb. bag of potatoes for $2, celery for $1, two containers of cherry tomatoes for $1, a four pack of avocados for $2.50 and the list goes on. If your heart is in it and you truly want to start making a change in your eating habits it can be done and it’s not expensive. Not everything will be this cheap but it’s a very easy and friendly place to start. Unfortunately, from the growers that I talk to at the market few people take advantage of the program.

By: Erika Nicole Kendall

Erika Nicole Kendall — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:09:39 +0000

Not quite. A hell of a lot more goes into pricing a product beyond whether or not it contains an ingredient whose farming was subsidized: http://blackgirlsguidetoweightloss.com/?p=1244

By: icwatudid

icwatudid — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:41:32 +0000

Actually, the reason certain foods are cheaper is because of gub’mint subsidies. Think: Hamburger at a fast food restaurant: $1. Salad at a fast food restaurant: $5. Ultimately, the gub’mint subsidizes the stuff that people eat. Sadly, that ain’t fresh produce.

By: milaxx

milaxx — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:41:49 +0000

I find it balances out and keeps me in check. For example, buying pure maple syrup instead of caramelized sugar and chemicals may be more pricey, but knowing that means I don’t drown my pancakes in syrup.

By: Felicia

Felicia — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:10:12 +0000

I will have to give a shout out to Aldi’s. I don’t know if they are located everywhere, but if you have one in your city, please consider shopping there..no frills, and you have to bag or box your own food, but it’s WELL worth it. It has really helped me on my quest to eat healthier. I can buy a whole big shopping bag of produce for under $20.00! They carry a brand called “Fit and Active” which sells anything from fruit snacks to lite salad dressings, so I am able to buy a lot of staples, along with their brand of ground turkey (85/15). I never spend more than 90.00 to feed my family of three for two weeks! AND I’ve never been disappointed at the taste or quality of the foods/products I’ve bought from this store!

By: Erika

Erika — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 17:34:54 +0000

There’s an entire series on this site of posts regarding different ways one can save money and eat cleanly and cheaply: http://blackgirlsguidetoweightloss.com/the-recessionista/save-money-on-groceries-buy-frozen/

By: Ashanti

Ashanti — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 17:24:24 +0000

I know that store brands are cheaper than name brands and can save money… that is why I already buy them.

What about those of us who are already frugal, making the best of a small income? I can’t switch to a street corner “brand” to save money, and I sure can’t use money that I don’t have to buy food that I can’t afford. It costs me more in the long run both in terms of health and time.

Maybe I just need to go back to filling up on fiber. If I stick fiber in everything, then maybe I will be satisfied with the little that I can afford to buy.

By: Aisha

Aisha — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 12:27:01 +0000

I get a lot of frozen vegetables for free. Green Giant has coupons in the paper almost every week. If they have a lot I will buy more than one paper. I wait until the small boxes are on sell for $1 and use the 50cent double coupons to get them free. They are frozen so you can stock up. These really come in handy when I am feeling lazy.

By: Rooo

Rooo — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:04:49 +0000

“I know, I know. It’s hard to swallow – giving up our beloved brands for… store brands.”

Hmmm. Why are people tripping?
Shop Rite raisins are just as tasty as Sunmaid or DelMonte, and, as you say, Erika, at a considerable discount.

Sometimes we folks do get a tad label-happy. Even in the face of recession, what?

I think it’s important to remember that once upon a time, even Versace was just somebody’s last name.