Don't Fall For It

Hey everyone, it's Karen here. Whether you have a flexible or a fixed grocery budget, I generally believe that no one wants to spend more money on groceries than they need to. Amirite? I was raised to understand the value of a dollar. As a kid, I would ask my dad this question when he came home from work: "How much money did you make today?" He always gave the same response: "Not enough." I didn't get it then, but I get it now (and I know you do too!)

In class this week, we'll debunk the myth that it costs more to eat healthfully. It is a common belief, and I completely understand why people think it's true. Healthful eating has become synonymous with a lot of things it isn't. For example, healthful eating is NOT:

• Shopping at Whole Foods (or Whole Paycheck, as some like to call it)

• Buying all organic foods (which are often more expensive, but not necessarily healthier)

• Buying tons of fresh produce (that people end up not using, therefore wasting money)

• Believing in the magic of expensive "superfoods" (sorry folks, there is no such thing)

There are probably lots of other examples, but these are the main things I tend to hear from folks when they say "healthy eating is expensive." They have assumptions that healthy eating has has to look a certain way. And we have been led to believe that from various so-called experts, news outlets, and social media platforms. Personally, I find it infuriating. It makes people with limited budgets (most of us!) feel powerless to eat well. Like we shouldn't even bother trying.

Interestingly, the research sheds some light on this issue. When you compare foods by cost-per-calorie, most "unhealthy" foods will look much cheaper than more nutrient-dense foods. But when you compare foods by cost-per-portion or cost-by-weight, the cost differences tend to disappear. You can bet that this information has been misused to create scary headlines that make people think it is impossible to eat well on a budget. Don't fall for it.

We'll discuss specific tips for saving money at the grocery store this week, but I hope this helps to set the stage. I'll look forward to hearing your favorite money-saving strategies!