S/O skittles

ByeBabyBunting

I sometimes question the argument that unhealthy food is cheaper than healthy. I find that when I make things from scratch it is usually cheaper than buying processed convenience foods. Some produce is expensive, but a lot of good healthy food is cheap: broccoli, bananas, dry beans, apples, eggs etc. Of course the organic stuff costs a lot more, and there are a lot of examples of expensive healthy foods too.

I don't judge people buying processed foods, government assistance or not, and I do buy crap food too, and if I'm wrong please school me. I understand that there are food deserts that prevent healthy food purchases and time is a factor too.

So am I wrong thinking that whole foods are really cheaper than processed foods?

aglenn

There is also the cost of spoilage.  I know a lot of our fresh food goes to waste and that is hard to afford if you are on a very limited budget.

CinemaGoddess

Food deserts. 

ByeBabyBunting

CinemaGoddess said:

Food deserts. 

I totally get that, and I just can't imagine living in one. I heard on NPR last night that they are closing the last full sized grocery store in Camden, NJ, a city of 80,000+ people. I just can't believe it. I used to live in NJ and it made me seriously emotional to hear that.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

RondackHiker

It's also cost per calorie. DH had a lecture on a study about cheap nutrition. The researchers thought'd it be cheaper to buy raw ingredients and make them... but the cheapest way to get the most calories was by buying those shitty frozen pizzas and similar items. Two bucks for an insane number of calories.

Add in time, and it gets harder. People on assistance are more likely to have kitchens with crap food prep areas and supplies and with crap appliances, and if they're working more than one job or rough hours, it can be hard to devote the time to making everything from scratch. 

Plus, when you need to buy food for THAT week and only have enough money to do that, it's hard to pay a crap ton of money to get the longer lasting bulk supplies that could make cooking cheaper in the long run.

ByeBabyBunting

RondackHiker said:

It's also cost per calorie. DH had a lecture on a study about cheap nutrition. The researchers thought'd it be cheaper to buy raw ingredients and make them... but the cheapest way to get the most calories was by buying those shitty frozen pizzas and similar items. Two bucks for an insane number of calories.

Add in time, and it gets harder. People on assistance are more likely to have kitchens with crap food prep areas and supplies and with crap appliances, and if they're working more than one job or rough hours, it can be hard to devote the time to making everything from scratch. 

Plus, when you need to buy food for THAT week and only have enough money to do that, it's hard to pay a crap ton of money to get the longer lasting bulk supplies that could make cooking cheaper in the long run.

That is eye opening and horribly sad

acaudill75

For me, buying fresh is easier if I can feed it to DDs raw. I have not done a cost comparison of canned vs fresh, but I am sure it is cheaper to buy canned because of its shelf life. Also, as PPs have mentioned, once you invest in the peripheries, making from scratch may in fact be cheaper.

But in economically depressed areas, sometimes perishables are harder to come by, are narrower in variety, and cost more than in suburbia, where people can better afford it. So fresh is cheaper perhaps if you live outside a more eco depressed area.

Being "poor" sucks, and not just because you don't have the money to buy, but your options are limited even with what you can buy, not just by the government, but by location.

seahorse102410

I think like Rondack said I can't imagine the people that are struggling with groceries have nice kitchens with which to prepare foods.  And what if they just are uncomfortable cooking.  Some people seriously cannot cook. 

CinemaGoddess

Food from scratch is cheaper if you have the money for the upfront costs.  

jorkz821

CinemaGoddess said:

Food from scratch is cheaper if you have the money for the upfront costs.  

And the storage abilities to keep things safe, and the cooking tools and abilities to do something with re ingredients. And time to make it like PPs said.
But I overall yes I think healthy is cheaper, assuming the factors above are addressed.

I think also that some people's views on what's healthy and not can be skewed. Veggies don't need to be organic to be healthy. Frozen or canned are options, same with fruit.

Lots of organic packaged goods have just as much sugar as non organic choices. Just because something is made with organic agave nectar instead of white sugar doesn't mean it's any less sugar.

jorkz821

You can also use pb instead of tahini in hummus

CinemaGoddess

I have a taco seasoning recipe that has 0 salt in it if anyone wants it.  

jorkz821

You only need like a tbsp or 2. Or like other said, you only really need chickpeas, oil and garlic. Other stuff is bonus

CinemaGoddess

speer06 said:

CinemaGoddess said:

I have a taco seasoning recipe that has 0 salt in it if anyone wants it.  

Spill it!

6 tbsp chili powder

5 tbsp paprika

4.5 tbsp cumin

2.5 tsp onion powder

2.5 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp cornstarch

cayenne to taste

Mix all together and store in the fridge.  Use 3tsp per lb of ground meat.  Makes 21 tsp.  

One batch usually lasts about a month.  We have tacos or nachos at least once a week and I use more than the 3 tsp/lb.  

fancynewbeesly

We do tanhini free hummus here--tastes fine to us. (sesame seed allergy)

SunnyMeg1

After my last grocery trip I'm not sure Stop and Shop sells any food for less than $5.

ByeBabyBunting

SunnyMeg1 said:

After my last grocery trip I'm not sure Stop and Shop sells any food for less than $5.

They are way over priced, I was there last night. Do you have other stores around? Or is that your only option?

SunnyMeg1

ByeBabyBunting said:

SunnyMeg1 said:

After my last grocery trip I'm not sure Stop and Shop sells any food for less than $5.

They are way over priced, I was there last night. Do you have other stores around? Or is that your only option?

None that are much cheaper. There's a Shaws or maybe it's a Big Y now and an IGA market that's even more expensive. Even our farmer's markets aren't cheap. I usually pay more for produce there in the summer than in the grocery store. I don't mind paying for local quality food but I don't utilize it as a way to save.

jorkz821

humptydance said:

Mackalien13 said:

jorkz821 said:

You can also use pb instead of tahini in hummus

Oh good then @humptydance will be all set.

Haha! You know, I don't really like peanut butter. I get a pb&j craving 1-2 times a year. I'm not down with PB tasting hummus.
I love pb. I would marry it if I could. Pb and jam toast for breakfast for me pretty much every day. I could switch it up but why mess with a good thing?

CinemaGoddess

POOR PEOPLE DON'T HAVE BREADMAKERS, MACK. 

GAWD.  

I think you need some Owen and a glass of wine today.  

CinemaGoddess

I got a crockpot from the goodwill once.  It cost $10. 

It lasted all of two weeks.  

::pours one out for the Goodwill crockpot::

CinemaGoddess

NO WAY.  

Imma give you one back @humptydance.

CinemaGoddess

OK.

HOLD UP.

Why don't we get a badge for 1k love tits?  

That is badge worthy.  Don't make 500 love tits the OG platinum, @bumpjackie

CinemaGoddess

They obviously don't know us at all. 

You give us a goal and we will go above and beyond.  

ByeBabyBunting

HilarityEnsued said:

Making bread is fucking tedious. And that shit lasts for 3 days. Ain't nobody got time to be whipping up bread every 3 days.

this bread recipe is so so easy and is the best bread I've ever made (and I bake a lot!)

https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/bread/other-bread/the-best-crusty-bread-dutch-oven.html

Kitiara5512

Crash Into Me said:

Whole foods can definitely be cheaper in the long run, but say you want to make muffins. To make them fresh, you need oil, milk/water, flour, fruit/seasoning, flavoring, eggs, sugar. To make from a box you need the box, an egg, a bit of water, and a tiny bit of oil.

Same with soup. It's easier to crack open a can and dump it in a pot than to buy all the ingredients, measure them out, and let them cook.

Same with hamburger helper type stuff-it's easier to dump the box into a pan and add cheap ground beef than it is to make the same meal with homemade sauce, a more expensive ground chuck/turkey/chicken, ww noodles, & veggies.

Errr....my point in the beginning was that it costs more to buy all of the ingredients than it does to buy a box, but those ingredients will be around longer than the one meal/item you prep when stuff is premade.

And depending on your cooking habits, some of that stuff may go bad before you finish using it.

Produce doesn't always get used as intended at our house (OMG you filthy hors, that's not what I meant) and so we usually pick it up the day I intend to use it. We do a lot of frozen veggies, do leafy veggies and squashes fresh, and canned or fresh tomatoes.

Kitiara5512

CinemaGoddess said:

 

 

6 tbsp chili powder

5 tbsp paprika

4.5 tbsp cumin

2.5 tsp onion powder

2.5 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp cornstarch

cayenne to taste

Mix all together and store in the fridge.  Use 3tsp per lb of ground meat.  Makes 21 tsp.  

One batch usually lasts about a month.  We have tacos or nachos at least once a week and I use more than the 3 tsp/lb.  

I just copied that in sharpie on a canning jar, so I can replenish stash as needed. Thanks, we are having tacos tonite now.

 

tbmadeamistake

Making bread is fucking tedious. And that shit lasts for 3 days. Ain't nobody got time to be whipping up bread every 3 days.

I can't get out of your quote box...
My mom used to make, like, ten loaves of bread at once.  Family of six, zero cash-ola, GIANT BOWL OF DOUGH.  She'd freeze the loaves until we needed them.  Once, she added too much yeast, the dough rose up out of the bowl, all over the counter, and onto the floor.  From my 6 year old perspective, it was awesome.  I'm not sure she agreed!

tbmadeamistake

Crash Into Me said:

Whole foods can definitely be cheaper in the long run, but say you want to make muffins. To make them fresh, you need oil, milk/water, flour, fruit/seasoning, flavoring, eggs, sugar. To make from a box you need the box, an egg, a bit of water, and a tiny bit of oil.

Same with soup. It's easier to crack open a can and dump it in a pot than to buy all the ingredients, measure them out, and let them cook.

Same with hamburger helper type stuff-it's easier to dump the box into a pan and add cheap ground beef than it is to make the same meal with homemade sauce, a more expensive ground chuck/turkey/chicken, ww noodles, & veggies.

Errr....my point in the beginning was that it costs more to buy all of the ingredients than it does to buy a box, but those ingredients will be around longer than the one meal/item you prep when stuff is premade.

I disagree only on the hamburger helper aspect.  There's a blog where some lady broke it down into its parts and it's super easy to make.  I use it because being gluten free, I can't eat the boxed stuff.  Her recipes are basically meat, noodles, water/milk, spices, and cheese, with the occasional canned tomatoes.  They are amazing. 

https://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/homemade-hamburger-helper/