Healthy Foods...Price Check!

Recently, I was having a conversation with some friends and we were discussing the economy and how it has affected society today. It's a topic that's being greatly discussed these days. And there are always varying opinions when it comes to spending money. For example, I don't understand why most healthy foods cost so much more than unhealthy foods. It's ridiculous to me how manufacturers and grocery stores hike up the prices on certain items. In the last 10 years or so, I've made a lifestyle change to eat healthier, so I buy healthy [and organic] foods quite often. What is it about this country that makes companies capitalize on foods while people are trying to get [and stay] healthy? The cost for organic foods like milk and eggs for example, cost more than the price of non-organic foods because the stats are different. Most people prefer to eat foods without hormones and pesticides so a lot of people eat "only" organic foods, like free range chicken. If you're going to sell these foods to the public, there shouldn't be any pesticides or hormones in them anyway. Here is a link to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website that will educate you more on this subject, www.epa.gov/pesticides/food.

In 2007, University of Washington researchers found when they compared the prices of 370 foods sold at supermarkets in the Seattle area. Calorie for calorie, junk foods not only cost less than fruits and vegetables, but junk food prices also rose as a result of inflation. The findings, reported in the current issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, may help explain why the highest rates of obesity are seen among people in lower-income groups. The scientists took a different approach, essentially comparing the price of a calorie in a junk food to one consumed in a healthier meal. Although fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients, they also contain relatively few calories. Foods with high energy density, meaning they pack the most calories per gram, included candy, pastries, baked goods and snacks. The survey found that higher-calorie, energy-dense foods are the better bargain for cash-strapped shoppers. Energy-dense munchies cost on average $1.76 per 1,000 calories, compared with $18.16 per 1,000 calories for low-energy but nutritious foods. The survey also showed that low-calorie foods were more likely to increase in price, surging 19.5 percent over the two-year study period. High-calorie foods remained a relative bargain, dropping in price by 1.8 percent. Although people don’t knowingly shop for calories per se, the data shows that it’s easier for low-income people to sustain themselves on junk food rather than fruits and vegetables.

Speaking of calories, if you're trying to shed a few pounds, I think my daughter has the right idea. She treats her kitchen like it's a restaurant and closes it down for the night after a certain hour. I plan to personally test this out to see if I can do it. I think it would be a pretty good challenge with the holidays coming up. If we all made a point to do that, maybe it would help the obesity problem that a lot of Americans have. The obesity problem is why ALL healthy foods should be affordable to everyone. These companies should hike up the prices on junk food because it's bad for you anyway and maybe this would propel people to eat healthier. I know these are tough times, but we all have to remember to eat as healthy as possible. There is an article from Smart Money magazine with tips on how to cut costs when grocery shopping, and I think it's worth the read. Here's the link to that article, http://www.walletpop.com/top5/general/cut-grocery-bill. Perhaps we will continue to pay exorbitant prices on healthy foods or maybe the Fair Food Price Act will take action someday. Now, I'm sure you all know that there really is no Fair Food Price Act, I just made that up. But, another way to eat healthy would be to start your own vegetable garden and plant some fruit trees if you have a yard. Think about all the money you would save over the years and maybe you could even turn it into a side business. Tasty fresh fruits and vegetables can be lucrative, after all most of us do buy them. You could have your very own Farmer's Market in your own back yard! Happy eating!

Love 'N Joy!