This is from a U.S.-centric viewpoint, though insights from other countries are appreciated.
Nearly every article on the topic says healthy food is 1.5-2x+ the cost of UPFs and other foods generally viewed as unhealthy. That hasn’t been my personal experience at all, bit clearly there is more to the story – because every source on the internet contradicts my opinion.
Groceries are pricey and it’s hard to budget as a single person because of portion sizes. Even so, foods like poultry and vegetables are far cheaper to cook at home than to buy at a restaurant or (from a nutritional perspective) the frozen foods section at Kroger.
Some foods – like certain kinds of beef or fish – are either similar to or slightly cheaper to get a restaurant or frozen food item as opposed to making healthier types at home.
I guess some fruits are kinda pricey and eating healthy is a challenge in a food desert, but otherwise I’d spend so much more on UPFs as opposed to buying whole foods.
What part of the story am I missing?
In: Economics
I feel like you have a misunderstanding of what ultra-processed foods are. Its not fast food vs home made food. For almost every category of food, UPF are cheaper.
For example, how much is the cheapest cereal vs the cheapest cereal that does not contain all kinds of coloring agents, preservatives, sweeteners, emulsifiers, etc. Those are usually in the fancy health food section and cost twice the price. How much is the cheapest bread vs the cheapest whole-grain bread without additives? Same thing… How much is American “cheese” compared to a proper cheese?
And if we’re talking whole meals, try making a 1000 calorie dinner thats cheaper than a frozen pizza. Same thing for going out: whats cheaper, McDonalds or a local restaurant?
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