Healthy food options are expensive ?

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Do you think that healthy food options are expensive. And if this is true, is this one of the reason for people to ignore healthy lifestyle.

Healthcare
Food
Healthcare Consulting
Hitesh Mathpal
64 months ago

20 answers

2

Cooking does provide healthy food if one choose the right type of food. You could also control and monitor what you would like to add into your dish for example the amount of health aromatic herbs,amount of seasoning, the type and amount of oil and most importantly the way you prepare the dish as different preparation does poses different health benefits. For example, steam is provide better health benefits than deep fry . Furthermore, it is cheaper compare to if you dine out.

Lawrence Loy
64 months ago
It is true that self preparation of food is healthier as different preparation techniques does affect the nutritional quality of the food! - Chun 64 months ago
Right! - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
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To ignore healthy options mean you have a choice. And yes, they’re more expensive. I was poor and raised on a mostly unhealthy diet, but through the years and with some small affluence and education, I’ve eaten more healthy. But now I’m retired on a small pension, and my diet is mixed. Can’t afford Whole Foods anymore; my dollars have to stretch. Money!

Hope that helps.

Jacqueline G
64 months ago
Very well said Jacqueline. Healthy food is expensive compare to other food options. And when it comes to managing budget, choice becomes harder. - Hitesh 64 months ago
NOPE: Just the opposite. SORRY. Fast food is costly. - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
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It is true but it turned to be even a myth at a certain point. Obviously meat and fish are expensive, pulses are not. Increasing the variety of vegetable and fruit will hel and is not really expensive. Avoid buying process food is another suggestion, if you cook it yourself is cheaper and maybe even more tastier and fresher. Healthy does not necessarily means expensive.
Here it is with an interesting example, https://www.organics.org/why-is-the-price-of-healthy-food-so-high/

Paolo Beffagnotti
64 months ago
"if you cook it yourself is cheaper and maybe even more tastier and fresher."`I like that. - Hitesh 64 months ago
Maybe an easy reply but this is true, obviously you need more time. however you could have more time than money. - Paolo 64 months ago
You can control what you put into your dish if you cook your self. For example the amount of sodium and seasoning - Lawrence 64 months ago
Yes now all the info about ingredients, calories and nutrients are available, so it is easier - Paolo 64 months ago
Agreed! Total control of what you cook=total control of your health! - Chun 64 months ago
A balanced diet will improve your health. Maybe cost more but you will save money from medical tratments then. - Paolo 64 months ago
True enough! Look as it as a long term investment! - Lawrence 63 months ago
1

I agree with you; healthy food is better.. But we shop at corner stores and lately at the CVS for staples where there are few fresh vegetables. or fruits.. When we go to Supermarkets, we typically buy processed because they're cheaper. Sometimes 5 cans for $1. And we do eat fresh vegetables, but maybe add salty meats for spice. I still do after trying the organic alternatives. And frankly, fruits are expensive.

And by the way, we can eat healthy when we need to. If nothing else has changed the way we eat, it has been the Diabetes epidemic. I believe that nothing has changed our eating habits more that this diagnosis, but also that nothing will change it more than to make the healthy alternatives less expensive and more readily available.

I've contributed all I can. Greater minds than I, I'm sure, have the answers. Enjoyed the dialogue and the desire to help.

Jacqueline G
64 months ago
Many thanks. - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
It is true that process food is cheaper because the profit margin is higher compared to natural wholesome food. But it is always important to remember wealth con't buy health! - Chun 64 months ago
FALSE and TRUE - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
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John Matthew Douglas
64 months ago
Interesting article! - Lawrence 63 months ago
Lawrence Loy Truly. Speaks a truth that needs to heard and addressed. There is so much that can be done that has yet to be implemented and maximized at the grassroots level with effected communities and among diverse populations. Therein exists remarkable opportunity for as yet untapped yet highly rewarding cost benefit for both hospitals, health systems, Payers, and Outreach Organization’s - John Matthew 63 months ago
Say what? - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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FAST FOOD IS EXPENSIVE AND UNHEALTHY

OMG - Whole grains and raw foods, eggs, milk and chicken [staples etc]; have never been cheaper in the USA. And, when one commodity rises in price; there are always substitutions.

It’s just that they have to be cooked and prepared; that takes a bit of time and know-how. And, they are not expensive and unhealthy like fast food. Far, too many folks succumb to Madison Avenue marketing and advertising. SHAMEFUL!

Dr. David E. M
64 months ago
Yes, cooking is always a great alternative, especially when you are able to buy raw sources. - Hitesh 64 months ago
YEP and KISS - too many seek to play the victim card. THANKS! - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
WOWSA - "cooking is always a great alternative". - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
If u can buy fast food; you can afford raw food with money to spare More healthy, too. Which in turn saves money in a virtuous cycle. - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
Fast food is not only expensive, unhealthy but also creates craving for more! - Chun 64 months ago
What esle is new! - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
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So - cooking can provide you healthy food within the same budget. Agree / Disagree ?

Hitesh Mathpal
64 months ago
Agree, even a bit cheaper than prepared food. Unless you try to value the time spent cooking and then cleaning everything. - Paolo 64 months ago
OK - don't cook - STARVE - Folks have far too much leaisure time today. OR - ask someone else to pay! - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
slightly cheaper ! - Lawrence 64 months ago
Feed a man -OR- Teach him to fish! - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
Teaching fishing is the solid solution. Thanks. - Hitesh 63 months ago
No kidding. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Cooking is cheaper. Also, you better know what you eat. - Charu 63 months ago
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It is true that Healthy food are slightly more expensive but in the long run if we sum up the health benefits vs diseases that are associated with unhealthy diet, it is actually cheaper and contributes to better quality of life. Healthy diet is akin to a life long insurance investment for our health. Money can't buy health!

Chun Wei
64 months ago
Then why the obesity epidemic? - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
That's an issue of nutritional unbalance issue. Over nutrition indeed. - Chun 64 months ago
Not over nutrition - Over consumption of crap. - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
True indeed as what David E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP® commented! Over consumption of crap! Fastfoods, unhealthy Snacks, Chips, and even staple made from flour base such as bread! - Lawrence 63 months ago
Lung cancer rates in the US just went down becasue of less smoking. Obesity [FAT] rates just skyrocketed! - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
nicotine and appetite! - Lawrence 63 months ago
NO; not nicotine at all since JUUL and vap rates are skyrocking. Just nicotine and food addiction; moral hazards again! - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Vap contains nicotine. Just an alternate route of transmission not thru the lungs..- - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Noted David E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP®. Thanks for the explaination But, less smoking = less nicotine = (nicotine suppress appetite) = appetite increase isn;t it? - Lawrence 63 months ago
Why assume less vaping? In fact, it is the oppostie. This us why cig makers are rushing to market with other addictive products like chews and oils, etc. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
SIMILAR: Folks drink more, not less, diet colas - even worse! - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Thanks for the info! Could you please elaborate more why diet colas are worse? ThanksDavid E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP® - Lawrence 63 months ago
No thanks - do an internet search yourself. You will learn more.. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Noted. - Lawrence 63 months ago
FAR WORSE - Appreciate your kindness - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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Interesting report from British Medical Journal -

As per results healthier food-based diet patterns cost an average of $1.49 more than less healthy patterns. Any thoughts -
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/12/e004277.full?sid=820d6e1a-280e-47a6-b8c5-498bfa4657e3

Hitesh Mathpal
63 months ago
RAW food is always cheaper, and tastier. Just learn to cook it; and with love not an app. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
10 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill by Going DIY in the Kitchen https://www.gobankingrates.com/saving-money/food/diy-ways-save-money-on-groceries/ - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Good read. - Charu 63 months ago
Thanks. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
David E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP® interesting article David. Thanks. - Hitesh 63 months ago
You are welcomed. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Great article! - Lawrence 63 months ago
Cheers - enjoy - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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The production of healthy food is more costly as it requires more resources. Technology may support, but in general it is not to change. Of course, on the long-run, the costs of cheap food may be higher, as you have to add higher healthcare costs or even damage to environment. As these costs are not transparently calculated to food (as for example tax), consumers don't pay this at the start, but eventually much later in life.

Patrick Henz
63 months ago
RAW food is less expensive than fast food. But, it must be prepared. Healthier too. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Right, ready prepared food is costly and unhealthy. Education teaches about health and how to prepare raw food. Then there is the difference between cheap and more costly raw food. - Patrick 63 months ago
But; Madison Ave markting wins the day with fast foods. Obesity enters. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Sure-in a paternalistic society. NOT FOR ME. I am smart-dont take my choices, BRO. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
So, NYC taxes sweet colas, and NY and other states allowing pot sales and lotteries. INTERESTING contradictions based on money.. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
When the pocket book is empty - vice enters. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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In many societies food is part of the culture. Low quality food damages the culture. It can lower people's drive and due to this, reduce growth of economy. As the Roman politician and general Decimo Junio Juvenal said: "Mente sana en cuerpo sana".

Patrick Henz
63 months ago
And obesity is a sort of res ipsa loquitur ! - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Well said "Mente sana en cuerpo sana" - Lawrence 63 months ago
A bit hackneyed. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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This is a great question/debate! Over the years, I have done research on this topic. No one simple answer, but there are food deserts in urban settings where fresh fruits/vegetables do not exist and only packaged and processed foods are available, whatever the cost.
If you have no food allergies or restrictions than here is my advice:
In regards to cost, when on a low cost budget, buy in bulk and store foods in containers for durability. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be purchased in season to minimize cost. I used to buy nuts and seeds in bulk and ate them throughout the week in small increments in snack bags I brought to work. Preparing your food at home takes time but is always better for you and less costly than relying on someone else...
Shop the perimeter of a store for healthier foods and look for sale items. Buy cereals that are on sale. Make a meal at home and freeze it or eat it more than once that week to save money. When at restaurants, order a full meal and eat half, take the other half for lunch or dinner the next day. No cost that day! Drink more water, tap is fine, it's free at restaurants and work and very inexpensive at home. Buy lost cost whole wheat bread, freeze it as needed, not expensive to make sandwiches for lunch with cheese, peanut butter, eggs, canned fish, etc.
Good luck and stay healthy!

Sam Grief
63 months ago
Very well insight Sam. Thanks for this. - Hitesh 63 months ago
Agreed; an informed response. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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There are many “Deserts” within communities that generate the majority of US healthcare expenditures, and some beyond these. Of which, many are preventable, and/or avoidable. They include however are not limited to:

  • Food
  • Education ( Patient, Public School, and Health-Wellness-Well-being)
  • Behavioral Health Intervention
  • Legal Assistance
  • Employment
  • Transportation


There are others such as access to wholistic care, and within many urban communities access to open spaces conducive to building and sustaining wellness and well-being healthy lifestyle.

From a healthcare delivery perspective disparity (healthcare and health inequity) outcomes may often be a result and aftermath of systemic issues, which linger unaddressed often inadvertently. And there is much to be said regarding a paradox of healthcare delivery that needs not exist in contemporary care delivery. Meaning, there is limited to no mechanisms among healthcare providers that tracks, measures, and proves whether and when “deserts (social determinants of health)” issues have been addressed thus health and healthcare disparity lingers.

In the final analysis the “food desert issue” discussed is only one among many deserts (SDoH) to be journeyed by vulnerable populations before good health and wellness may be achieved and costly acute and chronic illnesses avoided and/or prevented. Given the very real limits of healthcare provider resources, as a community aspires health, both private and public industry has a significant role to play. ROI, potentially, is remarkable for all parties concerned. Hence the noteworthy ABJ health venture collaborative.

John Matthew Douglas
63 months ago
Forget personal responsibility. Just add every human foible or moral hazard; known and/or unknown, now and in the future - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Feed a man - teach a man! - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
True enough that there are ther access to wholistic care! - Lawrence 63 months ago
Thanks. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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Agreed, personal responsibility is paramount, and must be. But how does one avoid the question whether the next generation of babies born into abject poverty (for example) are personally responsible for the condition of the environment they’re born into and correcting it at birth? This may be a condition of ghetto life, and/or abject poverty. These are the very zip code areas within America wherein avoidable shorter life expectancy has become a kind of accepted norm and, is the origin of avoidable catastrophic health cost directly link to significant increases in insurance premiums aimed at mitigating financial losses generated by preventable catastrophic health expenditures.

One may spend an entire lifetime and generations over educating self, thinking of self, analyzing shortcomings of their fellow man for the sake of self, and so-called collaborating to only once again find themselves debating and analyzing for self sake, thus never focusing on solutions. Meaning, never converting data analytics into effective transformational action as if fearful of the inevitability of failure that cannot be avoided in the more noble disciplines of action, progress, and transformation.

To think one may address “every human foible or moral hazard” is irresponsible altruism. However, it is also fiscally irresponsible (from a healthcare delivery perspective) and evidence of moral bankruptcy forgoing focusing on and implementing solutions unveiled through observation of studies that suggest, to a significant extent, ability to reduce total cost of care, improve patient experience and outcomes, and literally transform community health environments responsible for shorter life expectancy and population health events issues leading up to this particular morally unacceptable community health outcome. US healtcare is better than the patient outcomes and healthcare total cost of care seemly acquiesced to. Healthcare transformation requires boldnes, courage, and uncommon capacity to serve and to sacrifice.

John Matthew Douglas
63 months ago
Such logic - while emotional - promotes a repetitive never ending cycle. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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It is almost five times more expensive to order delivery from a restaurant than it is to cook at home.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/priceonomics/2018/07/10/heres-how-much-money-do-you-save-by-cooking-at-home/#128596e435e5

David E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP® as you rightly mentioned,

Hitesh Mathpal
63 months ago
Yes, this is valid for the US. In other countries (for example Mexico), eating out, nearly has the same cost as cooking at home. - Patrick 63 months ago
Many thanks. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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First of all, how do you define "healthy food"? In order to answer, it is imperative to understand the context of healthy food in this discussion. Is it regarding organic food? Vegetarian? Balanced diet?

Lawrence Loy
64 months ago
Healt food means eating a variety of foods (e.g. carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, fat) and drinking water giving you the nutrients needed to be healthy. You then have enough energy and feel good. Just bear in mind that healthy food can't prevent you from getting sick. - Paolo 64 months ago
Paolo Beffagnotti. Thorough definition of what healthy food means. Just an add on, it also means a balance diet that is suitable for your current health condition! - Chun 64 months ago
you are right Chun, different people different diets based on the physical conditions, lifestyle, location, etc. - Paolo 64 months ago
I would say the food that can provide all necessary nutrition through natural and hygiene sources, is a healthy food. Though, yes, it doesn't prevent you to get sick. - Hitesh 64 months ago
In this contect - not "fast food" - OBVIOUSLY. - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
Great pointHitesh Mathpal The word Hygiene is important when we talk about healthy food. For example if a food is pack with good nutrients with lot's of health benefits as it claim but if it is not hygiene, it defeat the purpose of a healthy food! - Chun 63 months ago
Say what? - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Walmart is about to start trialing autonomous grocery deliveries - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
10 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill by Going DIY in the Kitchen https://www.gobankingrates.com/saving-money/food/diy-ways-save-money-on-groceries/ - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
David E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP® interesting sharing you got! - Lawrence 63 months ago
Many thanks. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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Does organic Food consider as healthy food? Why organic food is pricier than non organic food? Organic food claims that they are pesticide free. Are you convince with the claim and does pesticide free does bring real benefits to our health?What is your opinion regarding organic food?

Lawrence Loy
64 months ago
Isn't foodbabe a shill? - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
David E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP® That is what i wondering! just looking for an opinion regarding such stuff! - Lawrence 64 months ago
David E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP® Agreed that foodbabe a shill. Organic and non organic is just a matter of how they farm the food. What ever food you put into your mouth today contain some sort of chemical so there make no real differences between organic or non organic food. - Chun 64 months ago
OK - Dr. David E. 64 months ago
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Many think that healthy food should be expensive. But look at this comparison, What do you think? The same amount of money you could spend on a fast food is the same for a basket of apples (+-10) or any fruits. so does healthy food really expensive? I think that i depend on the consumer on what and how you spend. If you spend wisely healthy food is actually the same price as "non healthy food"

Chun Wei
63 months ago
Not a real comparison! - Lawrence 63 months ago
Totally! - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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Just as Patrick Henz commented. Food choices are in tied with many cultural aspect in various countries and continent. Thus, different culture might poses different perspective regarding "healthy food". For example in mexico, burrito and tortilla could be consider healthier compared to flauta or crepes! In Asian continent, steam brown unpolished rice is consider healthier than white fried rice. So, the cultural impact upon food choices would influence the definition of health food and the price of healthy food.

Lawrence Loy
63 months ago
So, cultural differences result in varying health concerns. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Yes. - Lawrence 63 months ago
Of course, so why discuss here? - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Definition of healthy food is also different for different culture. So the price of healthy food is relative. What do you think? - Lawrence 63 months ago
NOPE: Raw is always cheaper than processed. . - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Well said David E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP® Raw ingredient is always cheaper then processed. - Chun 63 months ago
I know. Tell your patients. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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David E. Marcinko MBBS-MD DPM MBA MEd CMP® “Feed a man teach a man” within some circles of evolved critical thought is considered a false construct. For edification purposes, passion and emotion notwithstanding, FYI:https://youtu.be/fPcIumnhB8I

John Matthew Douglas
63 months ago
Exactly; "some" circles. Point proved. Many thanks. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
BUT, I still love my socialist kidney: https://www.tarbell.org/2018/11/i-still-love-my-socialist-kidney/ - Dr. David E. 63 months ago

Have some input?