Being "sold" the wrong idea of healthy foods.

[Nika]

I am on the fitness website, and a lot of people keep open food diaries.

When I look at them, about 90% of foods in an average American diet comes from packages.

People are "sold" the idea that certain foods are healthy. But they are not. Some of the yogurts, with 20 grams of sugar... you are better off eating a Haagen Daz. But we think, that "it is yogurt", it must be good for us.

Cereals is another example. Over processed grain with a bit of vitamin (with dubious absorption properties) added just to give it appearance of nutrition. Grain is extremely cheap, and profit margin sky high.

I LOVE SUGAR! I eat a giant coconut cream doughnut from the Doughnut Plant (gourmet, from scratch, no preservatives, baked every 2 hours fresh doughnut) almost every day (my weakness). My co-workers ask me how I can eat that and stay thin. But besides regular intense exercise, I probably eat less sugar than they do.

Doughnut is not really worse than: bagel = pasta = bread = cereal = pizza = high sugar yogurts. I am very careful in limiting those, putting them in the same category as cake.
They are all low nutrition over-processed foods that turn to sugar instantly the moment you eat them.

When I eat a doughnut, I don't fool myself into thinking that I had a normal meal. Someone who had pasta or cereal are often under that impression, due to genius marketing campaigns.

Stuff that is really healthy for us, has the lowest profit margins (fresh produce) and shortest shelf life. There is no point for the industry to market those. But they know public wants to feel they eat healthier, so the drive is to attach health claims to same processed foods that have been making them money for decades.

[Nika]

I see advertisements for foods aimed at children, and the are all horrible.

Pizza pockets, toaster strudels, frozen waffles, chocolate milk, juice drinks, nutella... Part of the "balanced breakfast"... sure, the "unbalanced part". They leave the mother with the impression that it is all hazelnuts and milk in there. When in reality is is just palm oil and sugar, and hazelnuts are about 13% of that mixture, well after oil and sugar.

[asdf]

The problem, as I'm sure you know, is that non-packaged foods aren't easily marketable. An apple is an apple, regardless of which producer it came from. So non-packaged foods will always be at an disadvantage in that regard, and I'm not sure if there's a way that will ever be changed.

[TheKayla]

I just mentioned something similar in a recent post, about how theres this sort of stereotype that eating healthy means eating expensive, when in reality, its the complete opposite. It was geared towards my vegetarian diet, but the same concept applies across the board. Since when is fresh produce more expensive than meat and dairy? Since when is simple grains, produce, and the basics more expensive than processed?

I think a lot of people need special advertising and the 'health food' labels/gimmicks to make them feel like they're making healthy choices, when in reality, the healthiest option is to go back to the cheap, fresh basics -- getting away from cans and boxes all while saving a TON of money on food. Even better -- growing it yourself and getting the food for close to nothing in cost.

[asdf]

I just mentioned something similar in a recent post, about how theres this sort of stereotype that eating healthy means eating expensive, when in reality, its the complete opposite. It was geared towards my vegetarian diet, but the same concept applies across the board. Since when is fresh produce more expensive than meat and dairy? Since when is simple grains, produce, and the basics more expensive than processed?

This is quite true, and it's an argument that I make quite often. There are, however, two additional factors to consider.

The first, which I think has been overrated a bit, is the food desert phenomenon where some neighborhoods have poor availability to non-processed foods. Some definitely have more difficulty than others in procuring healthy meals, but it is possible to be devoted enough to make it happen.

This leads to the second factor: lack of time. So many people are strapped for time thanks to all the work that they do, either at home or in the workplace, that it's difficult for many to take the moment to cook well rounded meals. It ends up being too easy to give up and just hit the drive-thru while on the move.

I think a lot of people need special advertising and the 'health food' labels/gimmicks to make them feel like they're making healthy choices, when in reality, the healthiest option is to go back to the cheap, fresh basics -- getting away from cans and boxes all while saving a TON of money on food. Even better -- growing it yourself and getting the food for close to nothing in cost.

Not only is there self-satisfaction, but there is also the signaling factor, letting people know that they feel superior for purchasing these products. See the South Park episode about Smug for an excellent example.

[Nika]

I disagree about expense thing. Fresh produce is way more expensive.
Our grocery bills are 300+ per week and climbing. That's without the fresh fish I buy separately in a specialized store. I could post receipts some time. But processed is definitely cheaper (on the front end).

Bell pepper $4.99lb. Baby bok choy 4.99lb. Berries $5-6 per small box. Mangoes 2.99 each... Nuts are very expensive. Everything except grains and beans is very pricey. By no means eating mostly fresh produce is cheap.

My point was that the public has a lot of misconceptions regarding what is healthy.

[hamchan]

I don't bother to keep track of my food intake on those types of sites because most of my meals are made from scratch. I'd have to weigh and measure everything I used, then try to figure out how much of it I just ate. If everything comes out of a box with the nutrition info right there on it it's much easier to keep track.

[bzbee]

I buy lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and I rarely pay more than $1 per pound. We often eat cut-up assorted fruits and veggies. Kids love those instead of chips or popcorn when they watch a movie. Of course it takes a few minutes more to wash and cut up a some bananas, apples (and whatever else in season and on sale) than opening a bag of chips, but it is way healthier. A bag of chips, 10 oz, will cost at least $1.99 on sale, a pound of fruit will cost less than $1.
I buy mangoes when they are on sale 4 count for $1. Bananas are 59-69 cents per pound, apples anywhere between 29 and $1 per pound. It takes time to shop around, look at the sale ads, and visit more than 1 store per week (they are not too far from each other), prepare the food, but it is way healthier and saves money.

[hamchan]

The cost of fresh produce depends a lot on where you live.

[bzbee]

Most of the diet food, and " healthy" kind is low in fat and high in sugar. People do need fat for their brain to function properly. Sugar is what makes people fat, not the natural fat in the eggs, milk, avocadoes, or meat (not sausage or bacon -- those are way too processed).

I make my own yogurt, because those prepackaged ones are full of chemicals. I know exactly what I put in my yogurt. I add a spoon or 2 of real honey (from real bees, not from the store) or even if I add plain sugar, it is still better than corn syrup or some ingredients, you can't even pronounce.

[bzbee]

The cost of fresh produce depends a lot on where you live.

I live in California, and I wouldn't want to move anywhere else. Even though is considered to be a high cost of living area because houses and properties cost more than most other places, looks like we pay less for healthy food. We don't need winter coats or boots. We save on heating bills in the winter. And because we have no snow in the winter here, my chickens can eat free grass in my backyard year around, and even lay eggs in the winter (not a lot, like in the summer, but at least I don't have to buy any at the store). I still have tomatoes and eggplants in my garden that I pick almost every day, while some lower-cost areas are all covered in snow. I think, there are pros and cons for every area, but I moved to California from Europe (rain and snow) about 15 yrs ago and just love the weather here.

[cschin4]

Eating healthy is no more expensive than junkfood. In fact it is CHEAPER. You can buy a 3lb bag of carrots or apples for a couple of dollars. You can buy big bags of frozen vegetables here like 10 bags for $10. Yes, there is some seasonal produce that is expensive. But, if you CHOOSE to eat a healthy diet, you can do so cheaply. You can buy a big bag of rice that is very inexpensive. If you focused your diet in that direction you would be far healthier and have lower grocery bills.
The "oh it's sooo expensive" is just simply a cop out and an excuse. Prepackaged carbs and junk food are very expensive in comparison.

[disneysteve]

Since when is fresh produce more expensive than meat and dairy? Since when is simple grains, produce, and the basics more expensive than processed?

I disagree about expense thing. Fresh produce is way more expensive.

Bell pepper $4.99lb.

Nika, where do you live? Around here, in the regular supermarket, peppers are $.99/lb, 1/5 of what you're paying. If I go to a discount place like Produce Junction where you have to buy a bag of them, the unit price is even lower. Even organic produce isn't nearly that costly.

[rennigade]

Nika, where do you live? Around here, in the regular supermarket, peppers are $.99/lb, 1/5 of what you're paying. If I go to a discount place like Produce Junction where you have to buy a bag of them, the unit price is even lower. Even organic produce isn't nearly that costly.

Im guessing its a red/yellow/orange bell peppers thats close to $5lb.

Green bell peppers are usually the cheap ones...around here the red/yellow/orange are approx 3.99/lb.

[cschin4]

Well, that is my point. You don't have to eat red or yellow peppers. You can get the same type of nutritional quality from the cheaper veggies. But people want to buy what they want to buy which is fine, but let's not then pretend it costs more. People are making choices that make it cost more.