Monday, August 7, 2017

Healthy Real Food Is Not Expensive

Photo: 9 News and Wikipendia
Today I will dispute a common fallacy about the cost of food. It is thought that real food is more expensive than processed food, a/k/a "food like substances." Often this is untrue, which is a very good thing. Sustenance (or food and drink), the source of strength, health and fueling life, itself, takes a big bite out of our budgets. 

A quick way of eating healthy and saving money is to shop along the outer aisles of a supermarket, where real food like milk, eggs, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables are stocked and away from the middle aisles where most of the processed food, such as twinkles, cheetos, chips and boxes of sugary cereals lay.
Photo: oritzgift.com
On sale for $1.99 a pound at local supermarkets.
After I started eating real food over processed food, I spent less (time shopping and) money on groceries, a bonus I didn't expect. I will link a newly discovered website, called Foodfacts From A - Z, which is a handy-dandy encyclopedia of food. Look up the origin and nutritional value of a specific food. Your homework is to browse the alphabet of food, then add a new rarely/or never eaten food to your diet each month. Expand your food horizons.
Photo: blazer76 iStock
While it's normal to enjoy occasional treats, we need to remember what the true purpose of food is, as well as, to care about achieving longevity. Probably we should eat-to-live 95% of the time, and live-to-eat about 5% of the time for overall good health and a long life free of disease.

I notice that all types of anti-oxidant-rich berries are now in season. Priced as cheap as they will ever be. Eat up while inexpensive and plentiful. I posted lucious berry photos throughout the blog to entice you! {Cheeries are not considered berries as they have pitts, but like barries are high in axtioxidants and can be popped into your month.} We all need little nudges once in a while to learn and stick with healthy habits.


You may also enjoy:
Jamie Oliver's The Food Revolution
The Five Second Rule For Food Is Untrue
9 Ways To Save Money At The Supermarket   
Greenmarkets, Community Gardens And CSA's

7 comments:

  1. So very true Debbie. I do most of my shopping around the perimeter of the supermarket, as you say where the real food lives. Since having cancer I try to avoid preservatives and additives in processed food, and feel much healthier for it. However, our diet is simple, and many would say boring :)

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    1. You are being smart Trish! As I've become used to a diet of fresh food minus the processing and chemicals, I can taste the difference. Simple fresh food is quite tasty! Like a fresh ear of corn, micrawaved in its hull for 4 1/2 minutes. The ear of corn slides right out and there's noting better! That I can eat as it. To make dishes for dinner, spices + fresh celery, onions and bell peppers boost the flavor.

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    on our site. Keep up the good writing.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the kind words. If Google allows/is fine with it, so am I. But Anonymous, who are you?

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  3. Dearest Debra,
    That is THE main reason that we love to shop at Costco, Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's. That combination makes us come home with a bounty of fresh fruits and veggies and good food.
    Both of us need to stick to a healthy diet, low cholesterol, low sodium and automatically adding fresh fruits and veggies to it. Plenty of them. Yes, my husband always says, being sick is a LOT more expensive and you are right, if you stop living to eat (even sharing meals with friends...) than you learn it is not more expensive.
    Good post!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Mariette, I am eager to know if Amazon (which just bought Whole Foods) will bring prices down. In Manhattan, it is a bit more expense than our supermarkets, though the food looks fresh and there is a big selection. Luckily, I live in a neigborhood with lots of choice! I have always been a healthy eater and have gotten even more so. It all tastes delicious to me!

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    2. Debra, indeed we have to find out. We always eat lunch at Whole Foods Market when we shop in Atlanta. Not really buying their fresh produce, only when not available elsewhere. They are very high priced indeed!

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