Is eating healthy really more expensive? I am sure you have heard it or even thought it. However, literature is conflicting. One study found that when evaluating food cost per calorie, unhealthy food is less expensive. Conversely, when evaluating food cost per portion size, healthy food is less expensive.1 The bottom line: most of us are not meeting nutritional requirements. This results in obesity and increased risk of many disease states. Ultimately, leading to high morbidity/mortality and an overall unhealthy population.
Below I discuss ways to make healthy eating more achievable and affordable.
How to Achieve
- Knowledge
- This is key. First be aware of what the nutritional requirements are. I provide great info on this in my post https://lrxwellness.com/macro-and-micro-nutrients/
- Avoid highly processed foods
- Read labels!!!
- Set Goals/Expectations
- Realistic goals here. Start small and grow. Maybe you swap one highly processed snack for a minimally processed snack. Or swap an added sugar dessert for a fruit.
- Meal Prep
- Not everyone has the time (or desire) to make a home cooked meal every day. But most of us have refrigerators + freezers.
- Be Consistent
- Stay consistent with a change. You will soon start to notice your body feeling better and decreased cravings.
- Take sugar, for example. You gradually reduce/eliminate added sugar intake. Over time your body begins to heal and no longer crave it! In fact, you may start to feel worse if you eat sugar after elimination.
- For more info on sugar and sweeteners check out this post https://lrxwellness.com/the-sweet-truth-sugar-and-sugar-substitutes/
- Change it Up
- Okay, it sounds contradictory to the above but hear me out. Change is good! Don’t be afraid to add more color. Our bodies need a variety of nutrient dense foods.
- I would never suggest chicken, rice, and broccoli every day. Such an extreme, bland diet is not sustainable and is lacking essential nutrients needed for the body to function at maximum capacity.
How to Afford
- Shop at Multiple Stores
- Check out your local grocer, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, whatever it may be. Each store has it’s niche and may have different deals of the week.
- Look at online stores such as Vitacost (does not require membership) which may have sales or specialty items. This leads me to…
- Consider a Membership/Subscription
- Services like Thrive, Butcher Box, etc have affordable and nutritious foods. You don’t even have to leave your house!
- Amazon subscribers also get special discounts at places like Whole Foods.
- Shop at a Local Farmer’s Market
- What’s better than fresh, local produce!? and often times less expensive. Win, Win!
- Grow your Own
- If you have the space and weather permits, go for it!
- The least expensive option and you know exactly what you are getting.
- Freeze
- Buy fresh and freeze extra! You may be surprised at what stays fresh and tasty. (like watermelon!)
- Please don’t cancel me for saying this BUT frozen fruits/veggies can be ok and may be more affordable (and look, it’s better than no fruits/veggies at all!). Opt for those without preservatives, no added sodium, and organic.
- Cook more, Eat Out Less
- Eating out is really expensive these days, even fast food!
- Cooking at home will save you money and make it easier to incorporate nutritious foods.
In Conclusion
Most of us are not meeting nutritional requirements, resulting in high morbidity and mortality and an overall unhealthy population. Why is there such a nutritional deficit in current society? The answer is multifactorial; a combination of: 1. Lack of knowledge 2. Access to food and 3. A misconception that eating healthy is more expensive. Expanding knowledge, increasing access to healthy foods, and incorporating the above tips/tricks to make healthy eating more affordable will start to close this nutritional gap. Let’s work together to do better!
As always, please reach out with questions, comments, or for further discussion.
Lindsey, PharmD, BCPS
References
1Carlson, Andrea, and Elizabeth Frazão. Are Healthy Foods Really More
Expensive? It depends on How You Measure the Price, EIB-96, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, May 2012.