The Price of Eating Healthy Food

Why are Americans overweight? Why are American children suffering from behavioral disorders like ADHD? Why is infertility such an issue with American women? Maybe the answers are in what is in our food. 

I think about when I was growing up. It was normal for girls to have their first menstrual cycle between 13 and 16 years old. Today the new normal is closer to 7 to 8 years old. What is up with that?

The answer could very well be our diets. Growth hormones in our foods, artificial colors and flavorings are not natural. All these chemicals are messing up our bodies but we fail to recognize it. 

My family is on a mission to try and eat healthier. We never relied heavily on processed foods but now the push is on to really be focused on healthy eating. The problem is costs. Although we do shop often at a local farmers market, in order to ensure that our food is pure, we are going to be spending more money. Below is a comparison using my local supermarket’s weekly flyer. There are only a few items listed but it shows how eating healthier can cost twice as much. 

1 lb container strawberries  $1.49

Vs.

1 lb container organic strawberries  $2.49

Same size – organic costs $1 more

Stoneyfield Farm Organic Milk   64 oz.  $3.89

Vs.

Store brand 2% milk gallon $3.19

Twice as much milk if you don’t buy organic for 70 cents less

Organic Anjou pears   $1.79 lb.

Vs.

Packham pears   $1.49 lb.

A 30 cents a lb. difference (different kind of pears)

Organic mangoes  2 for $4

Vs.

Mangoes  99 cents each

Double the price for organic

Organic cherry tomatoes  $3.99 lb.

Vs.

1 pint grape tomatoes  3 for $5

Similar kind of tomatoes

So you can see just from these few items it can cost almost double to buy organic. In my mind, I am still figuring out this new way of feeding my family. I believe that shopping smart like buying locally grown produce, baking my own bread, and using other sources of protein such as beans (to cut back on the cost of organic beef or chicken) can help me to feed my family without it totally blowing my food budget.

What are your tips for keeping the costs of eating healthy affordable?