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10 ways to save money on healthy food
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AP Photo/Michelle Obama harvesting vegetables
with local school children.
People often look for the "health food" section in the grocery store and expect to pay more for healthy food versus the rest of the store (should that be called the "disease section"?).
The truth is healthy eating is not more expensive. Fruits and vegetables sometimes cost more than Tastycakes or a bag of Soy Chips because of an outdated farm policy that subsidizes some of the unhealthiest crops (sugar, soy, wheat, etc). But it’s important to look at food in the context of one's entire life, not just in the moment. Here are 10 ways, some mind-altering, to have healthy food at just the right price:
1. When eating an apple versus a Tastycake or a bland Lean Cuisine (i.e. whole food vs. processed foods), appetite decreases since the body receives more nutrition. Eating less = saving money. Nutrients satiate the body because it has what it needs to perform. After all, the original purpose of food was (and still is) to fuel the body.
2. The body runs optimally on good food. When this happens, you save on repair costs: heartburn, digestive and allergy medications, weight-loss programs, prescription drugs, and doctor visit co-pays. Not to mention the time and hassle of dealing with insurance companies and a much improved quality of life.
3. Buy healthy food in bulk and save because there are no advertising, packaging or marketing costs. Because there is no big money in whole foods, there’s no big budget. For example, at the Senate health care reform meeting, Dr. Mark Hyman cited the food industry spends $30 billion a year to educate Americans on why to eat junk food. When buying whole grains, beans, spices, and nuts in bulk, consumers feed themselves and not hungry advertisers.
As a side note, the Wall Street Journal did an investigative piece on if Whole Foods was more expensive than Trader Joe’s and other grocery stores. They found the bill was virtually the same, but people tended to buy specialty items at Whole Foods that noticeably increased the price of their grocery bill. The lesson here: Stay away from truffles and fancy imported cheeses and you’ll come out even.
4. Eating healthy requires cooking, which is almost always healthier than eating out and it saves a bundle. Check out 100 budget and time-friendly healthy meals here for inspiration.
5. Eating healthy = chewing, not inhaling. It’s simple and just a matter of slowing down to chew 20-30 times. This healthy habit maximizes the nutrients you absorb. Much more information on how to eat here.
6. Farm fresh food is always a hit with the body. Join a Community-Supported Agriculture Share (CSA). A CSA share from one Delaware farm (who delivers to the Greys Ferry area) is about $330 for 13 weeks of fresh fruits and veggies – that’s $25.50 per week on fruits and veggies, the equivalent of one night of eating out.
7 and 8. Eat in season and being thrifty at your local farmers market does the mind, body and soul good by increasing the connection with the very people who grow one's food. Click here to find out what’s in season and how to buy frugally at the farmers market.
9. Visit the grocery store Whole Foods’ website. This site shows how to shop there aisles on a budget, monthly specials and recipes to go along with the specials.
10. Checking out organic food coupon provider Mambo Sprouts here. Remember, however, that you want to buy more real foods than products.
These ideas can help you save money and your health. But one has to ask, is there a way to put a price tag on a healthy life?
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