Is Eating Healthy Really Too Expensive?

It’s time to break down another fitness myth…!

Over the years I’ve heard many people say that the inflated cost of healthy food is one reason they can’t seem to stay on a healthy diet. Apparently many people think that eating healthy is an elite behavior, and one fit only for people who have many digits in their checkbooks. Well guess what? That’s bull! What a lame excuse for eating garbage, which incidentally is usually more expensive than a healthy meal.

Have you noticed what a “meal” at one of your local fast food places costs? Some of them are upwards of $9, while providing no nutrition at all. That’s $9 for just one meal – a family eating fast food can run $35 easily. I can go to Trader Joes (traderjoes.com) and buy 4 grilled chicken breasts, seasoned and ready to eat for $6. I can buy a can of black, red, or kidney beans for 70 cents, which means a serving costs about 25 cents. I can make a serving of brown rice, or a small sweet potato for 75 cents or less. And in every supermarket frozen section, there are countless bags of various vegetables for under $2 that contain up to 6 servings. If I chose to add a little dressing, Smart Balance mayo, or healthy oils on my meal, the cost is just 25 cents more.

The point is this – I can eat 5/6 meals per day that average 300-400 calories for under $10 per day! That’s for all six meals! Sometimes even less depending on what I use. Those stone ground tortilla chips that I love – they’re about 80 cents per serving, or natural peanut butter – that costs about 20 cents per serving. Canned peas, French beans, asparagus, carrots – all under $1 per can with no salt added.

The biggest cost is usually the source of protein, and that’s because people tend to over eat their portion sizes. You can find salmon, lean red meat or pork, boneless chicken breasts and even ground lean turkey for under $4 per pound on sale. Since an appropriate serving size is 4 – 5 oz., then you get at least 3 servings. That equals $1.33 per meal – not bad going.

How about eggs? You can get 18 eggs for about $2.50, or about 14 cents per egg. Even if you eat 10 egg white omelets with one yolk, you’re only at a cost of $1.40. The Ezekiel bread I always write about, that’s about $1.70 per slice. I could go on with almond milk, coconut water, other unprocessed foods, fruits, nuts etc.

But by now I’m sure you get my point. The only difference is that in order to eat healthy you sometimes have to plan ahead and actually make your own food. But with so many pre cooked, pre made, pre wrapped options available, it’s really very easy. I remember boiling pounds of chicken and cooking huge pots of rice and vegetables back in my bodybuilding days. I had an assembly line of Tupperware set up that would have made Henry Ford proud. But thankfully just as I have evolved, so has the food industry.

You tell me what’s better – eating 6 healthy, tasty nutritious meals that provide great fuel and nutrients for your body for under $10, OR eating one fast food meal for almost the same cost that literally sets you up for bad health habits? Hmm… let me think about that.

I realize people with families and children are going to say that this is unrealistic, and that their kids won’t eat healthy food. I say crap with that! Parents should lead by example and whether they realize it or not, 90% of their kids dietary habits are learned at home.

I also know some people will say canned or frozen foods aren’t the best choices – that we should eat only fresh, readily available food. And maybe in a perfect world that would be true, but it’s not a perfect world is it? As I’ve stated before, my goal is to inform you with real world information to help you achieve your health and fitness goals. I won’t give you fairy tale expectations that are unrealistic to achieve so that you fail. So frozen it is!

The simple truth is this – eating healthy food is not expensive. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean sources of protein are all very inexpensive relative to the unhealthy American diet. You know my philosophies and that I’m a straight shooter. Stop using lame excuses to not eat healthy and get off your butts. You’ll feel better, be healthier, probably lose a few pounds of fat, and you’ll have more money in your pocket!

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