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.
it depends on details. it is possible to take cheaper ingredients and process them a lot to make a cheaper but less healthy version of healthier ingredients. eg a chunk of lean meat can cost more than ultra processed meat byproducts and other stuff in spam, sausage, etc.
fat, flour, sugar can be cheaper than blueberries, spinach and beets
fruit punch (more sugar water and added flavors) is cheaper than pure juice.
preservatives like nitrates make food last longer so slower Shipping is ok and less spoiled but harm your good bacteria in digestive system resulting in more junk slipping into your blood and causing health problems like autoimmune diseases
on other side, if you have the time and can put up with taste, you can eat healthy dandelion veggies for nearly nothing and drink water for less money than more unhealthy soft drinks
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is what determines “healthy food.” If you include “organic” food and “non-gmo” then yes, “healthy” food will cost way more than processed food that is mass produced. That and other factors like shelf life and adherence to FDA regulations to qualify for said above status will play a huge part in price.
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?
Restaurant food isn’t necessarily ultra-processed, especially as you go up in price/quality. Comparing home-made to restaurant food isn’t really a fair comparison; of course cooking your own food is going to be cheaper than eating out.
Think white bread vs. fresh whole grain, Chef Boyardee vs. fresh pasta, fast food vs. fine dining, chicken nuggets vs. fresh chicken, etc. etc.
Latest Answers