Does Healthy *Really* Cost More?

“Why does it cost more to eat less?” After asking this question, Weetabix rails against the 100-calorie packs that are fast becoming ubiquitous. I agree with her assertion that our laziness is costing us millions of dollars a year. But, the title of her article, “The reason why healthy foods cost so much,” is misleading.

100-calorie packs are not made up of healthy food. They are nicely portioned packages of low-calorie food, but that doesn’t mean the food is healthy. The food is typically highly processed with little nutritional value. Only the pre-portioning keeps it from being off the charts in terms of sugar and salt.

Truly healthy food is still relatively cheap. Fresh produce, eggs, cans of beans, potatoes, and whole grain rice remain fairly inexpensive. Get ‘em at the warehouse store or a try a neighborhood farmers’ market. Even a roasted chicken can be picked up for fairly short money at your local grocery store. We pay for convenience for sure, but convenience isn’t always healthy.

So, don’t read Weetabix’s headline and bemoan the fact that your attempts to eat healthy are breaking the bank. Remember that healthy options are most definitely available on a budget if you’re willing to make a little effort, for example, as Weetabix suggests, using your own baggies to create homemade 100-calorie packs.

Need more tips on how to eat healthy on the cheap? Visit Healthy Hillbilly Housewife for recipes, tips on dieting on a budget, and other terrific information.