In some places organic food is more expensive than non-organic/conventional food. Where should one draw the line when choosing the kind of food one should buy? Do you opt for cheaper conventional food which probably has traces of chemicals used during the production of that food or healthier [more expensive] organic food that's completely chemical-free? Does the price determine which of the two you buy?
I buy whatever's cheapest. As a single parent supporting a child on one income, I have to buy as much food as I can afford and make it last. I'd rather come home with 2 bags of cheaper produce than one bag of organic produce that costs more. Being righteous, health conscious and hip isn't going to help me if I run out of food before my next paycheck. It's easy for people who can afford organic food and meat to judge those of us who can't afford it.
I also buy whatever is cheaper. The problem with the healthy options is that they are on offer for at least DOUBLE the price of something unhealthy. If I ever paid $1 for an onion then you can bet I'd be crying while cutting it up!
I simply can't eat any non-organic food for more than a few days before I get that "chemical hangover". I've been eating fresh, organic food for over 20 years now, and can always tell what is organically grown and what isn't. When it comes to food, I am never stingy. I rather not buy clothes or new shoes for a while, as long as I can have my chemical-free vegetables and fruit.
Healthy food tends to be more expensive so to manage my budget I try to mix it up. I buy cheaper food mainly but when I find a good price on healthy food that's what I get. It helps that I have time to check the supermarkets often since from time to time the better food goes on sale. Once my life improves financially I can see myself consuming more and more healthy food, but for now, I eat what I can afford.
I buy organic whenever that is an option and even then I wash it. I like to buy organic because washing cannot remove all of the chemicals so I feel a little better about what I am eating when it comes to organic. It is more expensive so shopping organic was definitely a choice I had to make and I had to resign myself to paying more for certain items and cutting back on snacks and the sort so my grocery bill wouldn't increase too much.
I find eating real food is far cheaper in the long run. You can't put yourself in the poor house to buy organic though, but you don't have to buy organic. Many places don't even go out of their way to certify themselves, because it's an expensive, lengthy process.. so you can still get clean food that isn't certified organic. I'd rather "dirty produce" over boxed foods any day. My monthly food bill is far lower than it used to be and I'm healthier than ever. People just aren't sure how to eat properly anymore.. seems to be the biggest issue of them all. Once you figure out how to eat, your bill will reflect it. PS: there is no such thing as chemical free food.. everything is chemicals.
I try to strike a happy medium. I try to buy healthy foods, but you won't see me buying all organic or anything. I don't think that's worth the money. I also try to avoid buying too many processed foods, even when they seem to be cheaper at times. I would rather buy the middle ground and make healthy combinations at home myself.
Even when money is tight I can't bring myself to eat unhealthy food anymore. I rather eat bean soup for a week than eat a bunch of cheap processed foods. As long as I have herbs and spices on hand, I can make most beans and lentils taste good. I keep my diet simple. I only buy organics for the FDA dirty dozen fruits and vegetables. I buy beans and lentils by the bulk. I gave up meat at one point. I started to add some meat back to my diet, but I have all but lost my taste for meat. That saves me a lot of money.
There is a middle ground to this question. I usually try to purchase the cheapest version of the best food I can. Do I always succeed? No. Do I sometimes overpay or sometimes purchase below standards? Yes. I mean it's all a matter in how you balance each meal on the plate. I would prefer to spend more money on food but I wouldn't be able to live if I spent every dollar I wanted.
I know this sounds really bad but I just get whatever tastes good to me. I'm already a picky eater so if I just went for what's healthiest all the time then I'd become an anorexic. I think if you always eat unhealthy then eventually you're going to get tired of it. At least this is the case for me. I may love bacon and pizza which is the worst for your health but I think even my taste buds know there's a limit. I eat only slightly more than my body needs. My philosophy in life is you gotta try to have fun in whatever you do. Why should eating be just a chore? As long as you don't get insane with it it doesn't really matter.
I try to find a medium of both. I'm not that the most healthy person in the world, not even close. But, I try to keep in mind whats good for me when I shop. I like my Oreos, yeah, but I like my trail mix and fruit as well.
My health is important to me so I avoid what is not healthy for me. I have learned to elininateothe unhealthy foods that I know will make me sick or have too much salt or chemicals in the food. It is better to budget my money to include the right foods in my diet. I tend to eat more fruit and vegetables than meat which helps to keep the price done. I also make smoothies out of the fruit I purchase.
I opt for purchasing reasonably priced healthy food. In the past, I tried to buy organic foods. Then, I found out about a surprising study done by Stanford that statedLog In for people. Ever since, I have saved more money buy purchasing the 'regular' stuff. Anyway, I truly believe that if a person exercises regular, eats reasonably and maintains decent stress levels, he or she won't succumb quickly to illness or disease.
Realistically, a lot of those processed foods aren't actually any cheaper anyway. It might seem like they are because they're only a dollar or two, but you can use the same money for multiple servings of something that's even healthier. Spending a dollar on beans would last SEVERAL meals so you could use the rest of the budget to buy things to add to it and make the dishes even better (both in taste and nutrition).
Most organic foods are indeed way more expensive than regular food. I buy some things organic, but I can't afford to buy everything I eat organic. Not to mention I have to eat and my work's restaurant every day of the week so it's hard to keep things organic. However I buy them if they're on sale or a good price.
It depends on my current situation. If I'm on a tight budget then I'd probably forego healthier food temporarily, but as much as possible I prefer to purchase what is healthier even if it costs more. What I really aim for, however, is to buy as healthy as I could on a limited amount because I'm a firm believer that it could be done with creativity and diligence.
