Do you look at food just in terms of $$?

[pearlieq]

Re: Do you look at food just in terms of $$?

Money is actually about 3rd on my list of considerations. My decision process goes something like this:

1.) Does it meet a nurtitional need (high fiber, low sugar, high ratio of protien to carbs, rich in at least one vitamin or mineral)?
2.) Do I like the taste (this one does go lower in priority than #1, but just barely!)?
3.) How much does it cost? Can the same benefit be obtained for less money?
4.) Is the product convenient and/or easy to prepare and eat?

I budget $80 per week for 2 adults and 2 cats. That includes all groceries, personal care items, household supplies, and pet supplies. So, in reality, I have closer to $55-60 per week to spend on food for us.

I stay on budget by mixing higher priced health or treat foods with cheaper staples. Things like beans, brown rice, and frozen veggies are cheap, tasty, and highly nutritious. Can't beat that!

[tinapbeana]

Re: Do you look at food just in terms of $$?

You've described us exactly! Health is more important than cost (assuming you have the funds to make that choice). I'm a physician and so many of my patients suffer from preventable conditions that are majorly impacted by the crap they eat. We're pretty frugal but groceries are the last thing we would cut if the need arose. The other thing is when we eat the healthy, whole grain, high fiber stuff, we are filled up and satisfied longer so we snack less. That saves money indirectly.

So glad to have a doctor who backs up what I too believe. I try to eat as little processed and as much organic as possible. Do I always succeed? Heck no! But I try...

What I have found easiest is avoid foods that are all white i.e. potatoes are OK b/c they have a brown skin, & brown rice over white, etc. The other thing I find easy (not to mention fun & pretty!) is to get as many colors on my plate as possible for a given meal. This way, I'm just about guaranteed a wide enough variety to meet most nutritional needs.

As for cost: buy in bulk at the health food store, it's is frequently comparable maybe less than regular package food. And spices you can usually get in bulk, too. Frontier sells them online if your store doesn't carry them. For instance, 16 oz of organic cinnamon for $9 = $0.5625 per ounce, less than $1 for a 1oz bottle at the dollar store.

And for those interested in knowing what gets you the most nutritional bang for your buck, try The World's Healthiest Foods , which lists the top 100 nutritionally dense readily available foods, nutritional info, recipes, yadda yadda... One of the tops is quinoa (yum!).

[emmiedahl]

Re: Do you look at food just in terms of $$?

I definitely look at food in terms of money! But I always pick the most nutritious choice for the dollar. If iceberg is 39 cents and romaine is 1.29, I buy one of each and mix them for salads. If chicken breast is 1.99 a pound, and thighs are .69, it's a no-brainer for me. I make a lot of our baked goods, so I know exactly what goes into them--there is no place for corn syrup in bread, imho. Even the healthy-sounding breads can be full of chemicals that we honestly don't need in our diets. Generally, if something comes prepackaged, it will not be good for you. This include salads.

I don't think Americans are dying from white bread and iceberg. They're dying from soda and fast food--stuff that is more expensive than any loaf of bread and has no place in a frugal diet OR a healthy one.