Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Why is healthy food so expensive and junk food so cheap?

One thing I'm learning about work--I have to take food with me. And I'm talking a LOT of food. Whenever I'm there, I'm starving, and that keeps me from concentrating. I took some salad, but that wasn't much of a "meal." Problem is that I have no clue what to pack to take with me. I can't believe how expensive food is. And you know what makes me mad? You can get all kinds of junky food super cheap, but the most expensive foods are fruits and vegetables! What gives?

Chris bought a half-pound of lunch meat over the weekend. He got lean turkey, but I still kind of consider that junk food because of all of the processing and preservatives that goes into making that loaf that they slice up. I looked at the price--it was a little over $3 for that half pound bag, which equals a week's worth of lunches for him. I often buy strawberries to put into smoothies, but now that they're not local anymore, they're $3 for a one-pound container at the cheapest place I've found them! I get about two smoothies out of a pound of strawberries, but I also mix it with kale (yes, that green leafy stuff) and apples or bananas. (I also don't cut the leaves off the top of the strawberries--I blend them into my smoothie for even more greens :) So one of the healthiest things I could eat is also one of the most expensive things to eat. I shouldn't feel guilty about eating FRUIT, but it kills me to spend so much of our food budget on that stuff.

1 comment:

G. said...

I'm with you. I think it's a conspiracy. My husband always laughs at me whenever I share my "theory" about healthy food being so ridiculously expensive. We eat so much fruit around here but, and it can add up but, I won't quit buying it because it's worth our health. :)