$20 Food Showdown: what's YOUR excuse not to eat healthy?

[Woodbabe]

Its a new year and a great time to make changes for the better...what's YOUR excuse not to?

http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=what_20_will_buy_at_the_drivethru_and_at_the_supermarket

Budget constraints prevent many people from eating right.

"I can't afford to buy healthy food."
"Fruits and vegetables are too expensive."
"Grocery store prices are astronomical."
"It's cheaper to eat fast food."

We hear these "excuses" every day--and they're good ones. But we don't give up that easily and believe any excuse can be overcome. Today we're setting out to prove that healthy eating is possible on any budget.

We compared the cost of unhealthy foods from the drive-thru, freezer section and snack foods aisle to the cost of healthy foods. By making even one of these swaps, you can make room in your grocery budget for a few new healthy foods.

The photos below aim to show the diversity in healthy foods available. Prices may vary in your area (some items were on sale when we shopped), but we think you'll be shocked at how far you can stretch a buck at the supermarket when you buy healthy foods! 























If you bought all that junk food in one month, you would spend $115.64. The healthy food would cost $111.83 but feed you and your family for far more meals.

It might take a bit more time and planning to put these foods on the dinner table each night, but at least now you know you can afford to try!

Foods are store brand unless noted.

[tiffyhamm]

i don't eat healthy all the time because i like the taste of the non healthy stuff.  i don't buy burger king or dominoes, etc...but i do buy the tilapia, veggies, turkey sausage etc (it really doesn't cost much more than the junk and in some cases less than the junk)...my problem is what i do with that stuff at home.  i'll make unhealthy dishes or side dishes with it, or i'll eat too much of it.  that is my problem.  i'm working on it in the new year though.

[Euphoric]

 I like everything. I eat healthy and non healthy foods.

[Euphoric]

 Good post!

[Veni.Vidi.Vici.]

I went grocery shopping yesterday. I ran into a former coworker. He looked into my grocery cart and asked where the cookies and ice cream were. = )

My husbands goal this year is to eat more home cooked food for lunch and less fast food. He works downtown and often has a time crunch for meals.

[Mrs.Pedro]

For us its mostly about tastes... I grew up on prepackaged and processed food mostly. That's all I know and when I taste many things that are healthier, they just don't taste good to me or don't satisfy my cravings. Add in that there isn't much variety in produce here and no off brand stuff to fall back on, and you have a lot of processed stuff. I am getting better about the flavor of stuff like veggies(I used to hate all cooked veggies and get tired quickly of salad, but now I like some cooked veggies!), but I can't quite afford it everyday and I definitely don't want it everyday. I focus on trying to get my kids to eat as healthy as possible, so they get almost all the produce bought. I'm trying but its just not that easy for us... Maybe if they seared out taste buds off and we moved away to a place with variety and off brand stuff lol.

[greenie63]

Sometimes a super thick chocolate milkshake is the answer to my dreams, with a bag of fries. 

[Sisteract]

I wish I could get my 22 yo old son to eat better.

Between school, work, athletics and his social life, I see more of the top photos in his diet than the bottom photos. I harp, he does not listen- LOL.

If he lived at home 24/7/365, my concerns would be eliminated. When I visit  and do the cooking and shopping , he does eat properly.

[lga1965]

   This is great !

[AMBG825]

 

Quoting Veni.Vidi.Vici.:

I went grocery shopping yesterday. I ran into a former coworker. He looked into my grocery cart and asked where the cookies and ice cream were. = )

My husbands goal this year is to eat more home cooked food for lunch and less fast food. He works downtown and often has a time crunch for meals.

 My SIL went shopping with me a few times. She asked what kind of cookies I was going to get as we went down the cookie aisle (I can't seem to make my own crackers. They don't come out right.) I told her I had flour, sugar and chocolate chips. 4 dozen cookies for half the price.

[Woodbabe]

I too like to keep a good balance! LOL

Quoting Euphoric:

 I like everything. I eat healthy and non healthy foods.