Interview On Geezeo: Is Healthy Food Expensive?

From Geezeo.com
http://blog.geezeo.com/2008/01/02/why-is-healthy-food-expensive/
By Kati

With the kick off of the new year many of us are vowing to improve our diets. One common excuse, however, is that purchasing healthy food is expensive. I spoke with Jennifer Cassetta, Holistic Health Counselor and founder of Health in the City, about the financial aspects of what goes into our shopping carts and our bodies.

Hi Jennifer, please tell us a little about what you do and your expertise in health and nutrition.

I grew up on wheat bread and natural peanutbutter and embarrassed that I was the only kid in class that never had junk food in my house. Somewhere along the way, probably in my college years, I lost my way and wound up a midnight pizza eater and barfly. Thank goodness I found my way back as well as my life mission about 8 years ago when I started my martial arts training at World Martial Arts Center in NYC. I traded my cigarettes for self defense and vodka for wheatgrass shots. I became an instructor and later a personal trainer. I studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, bundled my expertise and started my own business called Health and the City. I train and counsel busy, overstressed NY’ers on how to find balance amongst chaos and to maintain their ideal weight through exercise and diet. I teach my clients to incorporate healthy habits into their lifestyle to ward off disease, manage stress, and maintain high levels of energy.

A lot of people complain that it is too expensive to buy “healthy” food. What do you say to a person that says that? What would be your suggestions for someone who feels they need to cut back on the food bill but still want to improve their health?

I was one of those people who complained about the cost of healthy, organic foods until I sat back and reevaluated the situation. I realized that I spent way more money eating out than I did on groceries. Not to mention the cost of drinks in the city, averaging about $8 each, can definitely pump up the price of any dinner. So, now I counsel my clients from experience. Cut back on the number of nights you eat out. Brown bag your lunches because lunch in NYC can be a $20 bill when you add up your morning lattes and post lunch sweet fix.

Also, the cost of eating healthy is miniscule compared to the cost of getting sick all the time due to poor nutrition and health. When you are eating healthy and pack your diet with fruits and vegetables that contain necessary nutrients and anti-oxidants, you are building your immune system to fight off sickness. If you are eating low quality, junk foods you are destroying your immune system little by little and have a much greater chance of “catching” flus and colds that keep you unproductive and out of work for days at a time. This is especially true for entrepreneurs who work for themselves and must rely on their health to keep them in business. (I am speaking from experience here!)

The cost of eating healthy is much smaller than the cost of hospital bills and sick days down the road.

What kinds of grocery items are “worth” paying a slight premium for?

When grocery shopping it is an absolute must to pay a premium for animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs. Unless you want a chicken breast with a side of antibiotics or a steak with a serving of growth hormones and other chemicals, I seriously suggest that you buy organic animal products. As a bonus, you are helping the environment as well. If you don’t believe me just do your research on conventionally grown meat products in the U.S. You will be shocked at what you find!

There is also a list called the Dirty Dozen that is put out annually by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which lists the most contaminated conventionally grown foods. The list usually contains spinach, peaches, strawberries, bell peppers, and grapes. So, if you can buy these fruits and vegetables organically then you are saving yourself from extra doses of pesticides.

What are some tips to keep a food bill low?

Eat out less and spend money on healthy groceries and it is possible to save money. Have friends over and they can bring the wine!
Go vegetarian a few days a week. Vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes are relatively inexpensive and a healthier alternative to meals based on meats and dairy which are more expensive. You can build meals around these ingredients alone that can last for days as leftovers so you can cook once, and eat for 3 days. Drink water (it’s free) and skip the chemical and sugar added juices, sodas and sports drinks that contain no nutritional value.

Do you recommend clients do more cooking, or learn to cook?

Absolutely! If you are on a budget, cooking is the most wallet-friendly practice. It can help shrink your waistline while keeping your budget in check. Take-out food, although convenient, is usually drowning in oil and loaded with highly caloric sauces that can contain large amounts of sugar, salt and chemicals like MSG. Restaurants don’t care about your health, they just want the food to taste good so you will come back for more. When you cook for yourself you can control all of the ingredients that go into your meal as well as the amount.


When budgeting for food what are three things to keep in mind to give your body and your wallet a happy outcome?

1 - Buy expensive items in bulk like olive oils and your cleaning products and paper goods.
2 - Plan your meals for the week so you don’t waste money on rotting produce in your refrigerator.
3 - Again, eat vegetarian for a few days a week and save money on costly items like fish, meat and dairy.

Obviously, exercise is the other half of the equation to being healthy. It too, in the same ways, is the best kind of health insurance there is. It helps boost your immune system, keeping you productive and able to take care of yourself, your work and your family. Exercise can also be done on a budget. No need for fancy equipment or high class facilities. Going for a walk or jog outside 4 to 5 times a week is just as good!

Thanks, Jennifer! These are great tips. I can vouch that brown-bagging lunches works. By doing that and faithfully transferring the weekly savings into a savings account I was finally able to create a “savings cushion”. It works!

If you’d like more health and fitness tips suitable for your body and your wallet, make sure to visit Health in the City. What are some food-budget tips you use? How many of you switch to vegetarian meals every once in awhile (aside from us full-timers)?