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
Shelf stability is a huge consideration as well. Fresh fruit, meat, dairy and veggies go bad really quick, which means you have to go to the store more often, spend more time shopping, and pay for gas or bus fare to do so. Hot pockets will stay in the freezer til you want them. They might suffer a bit in quality after a really long time, but they’re still edible. It lets you buy things in bulk without having to worry about if they’re going to go bad before you use them.
Latest Answers