No wonder Americans are gaining weight. A new study of Seattle supermarkets shows that cookies, candy, and bacon have gotten 2 percent cheaper, while the cost of foods we're supposed to be eating -- vegetables and fresh fruits -- has jumped 19.5 percent.
One encouraging finding from the University of Washington study: Prices have stayed stable for many canned and frozen vegetables and fruits, which retain almost all the nutritional value of fresh. It helps to buy produce in season and scout out deals at a farmers' market.
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Eat Well for Less
Is the cost of healthy food making Americans overweight?
By Janis Graham
From Reader's Digest
It is difficult to eat healthy on a budget. Canned foods have a lot of preservatives, such as sodium, not good for you, fresh veggies for one meal cost more than 3 canned foods for 3 meals. The affordable meats aren't as a rule the good cuts. Most foods that are on special tend to be prefrozen & loaded with more preservatives, veggies alone not so bad,meals not really healthy, and special ones that are suppose to be healthy are more expensive. Unless you do live on a real budget, don't assume.
It's NOT hard to eat healthy on a budget. Cut out all the processed foods, and you've cut your grocery bill in HALF, easy. Yeah, it takes time, but if you have kids, get them to help! And when you buy raw, in bulk, the minute you get it home, separate it into usable portions.
It is hard to eat healthy on a budget!