Eating Healthy Without Breaking the Bank

I recently read an article in a SelectHealth publication about healthy eating that lead off with: “Do you go into sticker-shock when you load your shopping cart with healthy foods? A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that healthy foods such as lean meats, low-fat dairy products, fruits, and vegetables are significantly more expensive than junk foods.”

Oh. So that explains why I always fill my shopping cart with pre-packaged, pre-prepared foods–it’s cheaper. (Not to mention it usually lasts longer if I don’t eat it right away, and it’s less work.)

But what’s the trade-off?

Studies abound that show there are greater benefits from eating healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables than from eating the pre-packaged, pre-prepared foods. And other studies indicate that poor diets cause an increase in illness. And increases in illness usually cause increases in medical expenses. So is a less-than-healthy diet of cheaper, unhealthy foods less costly than increases in medical and prescription expenses? Probably not.

So here are a few tips for buying more healthy foods without busting your budget:

* Buy staples such as brown rice, oatmeal, and beans in bulk when they go on sale.
* Buy produce in season. Not only will it taste better, it’s usually cheaper. A local fruit stand like Verd’s Market on State Street in Orem or Chavez Fruit Stand in Lindon is a great place to look for deals.
* To lengthen the shelf-life of fresh foods like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, corn, and other veggies you freeze at home, blanch them first. Put them in boiling water for one to three minutes, and then plunge them into ice-cold water. Drain well and then freeze in plastic bags.

For more tips on healthy eating and shopping on a budget, visit http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematter.org/. For the complete SelectHealth article “Healthy Foods Don’t Have to Break the Bank” visit www.selecthealth.org/totalfitness, and click on the “Total Fitness Spring 2009″ link.

Of course, you can always plant a garden and a few fruit trees and grow your own healthy food, too.