Yep, grocery stores carry healthy food!

One of the top concerns many people have with eating healthy is that healthy, whole foods are much more expensive than processed foods. While that is a perfectly valid criticism of eating healthy, upon closer look, it may not be entirely true. 

First, healthy foods (ie fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, ect.) absolutely should not be more expensive than a steak. But in some instances they are. Have you compared a package of quinoa at a specialty store to the cost of meat at a big box retailer? There is no comparison. In most instances, meat is less expensive. But what does that really say? To me, that raises serious questions as to why meat is so inexpensive. You are not paying the true cost of the product. That leads to other questions...

Why is fast food so cheap? Why can you buy a bag of chips for less than a bunch of kale? Why can’t you buy fruits and veggies in some rural and inner-city neighborhoods? 

The reasons go deep and are a prime example of how the food system in America has been hijacked. There is some major reform that needs to be done. This is a super complex topic that we’ll get into in future posts regarding food deserts. 

Second, in one way or another, you will pay for the food you consume, eventually. That could be at the time of purchase. You are paying for the actual ingredients but also the packaging, manufacturing, marketing, supplies, labor, and everything else associated with that food. Or, you could pay for that food in the future. Those costs look like expensive medical bills, lost time from work, low energy, and overall disease. Not to sound grim, but that’s the reality. Our poor eating habits have been directly linked to many of the top causes of death in the US. 

Finally, (in reality, I could go on and on about this, but we’ll keep it short for today) the idea that healthy foods are crazy expensive is not the reality today in most areas of the country. Sure, smaller grocery stores won’t carry certain products, but many managers and owners are more than willing to special order things for you. In fact, you the customer, drive what stores carry. If you continue to purchase processed foods and limited fresh fruits and vegetables, guess what? Your grocery store won’t carry them. You vote with your dollar. Make your preferences heard! Demand more fresh, healthy products! 

Let’s talk about prices. I have to tell you, when my husband and I switched to purchasing natural and organic foods and products, it was tough. The selection was slim and virtually non-existent at many stores. Prices were astronomically high. That was over 10 years ago. It is amazing how far we have come! Most grocery stockers now actually know what quinoa is! And more importantly, where to find it in the store! Big win for Big Quinoa!!

I went grocery shopping last weekend and was SO impressed by our local grocery store and the broadening of the natural food selection. Here is a (long) list of what we bought to illustrate my point. There are likely many healthy foods at your grocery store, you just may have to look a bit! The even better part, most of these items are private label, meaning they are the “store brand”. More often than not, this means they are produced by the same manufacturer as the “brand name” product but don’t carry that label so they are less expensive. 

Here’s what I bought: Pasta (Brown Rice, Amaranth & Quinoa), Seltzer Water, Corn Taco Shells, Almond Milk, Almond Milk Creamers, Kidney Beans, Pasta Sauce, Blackberries, Blueberries, Broccoli, Potato Gnocchi, Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Chips, Brown Rice, Sunflower Seeds, Grapefruit, Avocado, Garlic, Cranberries, Limes, Lemons, Radishes, Tempeh, Brown Rice Noodles, Parsnips, Ground Mustard, Black Olives, Nutritional Yeast, Vegan Butter (spread), Vegan Butter (sticks), Gluten-Free Flour, Frozen Fruit, Banana Chips, Pineapple, Pumpkin Puree, Black Eyed Peas, Lite Coconut Milk, Diced Tomatoes, Great Northern Beans

I encourage you to check out what your local store carries. If they don’t carry something, ask for it! The food industry is changing and to be successful and profitable, they must answer to the consumer! 

Peace, love & kale!

Lindsay