The cost of Healthy Eating?

[Calluna]

We shop in Carindale, one of thier higher end suburbs of Brisbane because the produce is better and I refuse to eat substandard food or end up throwing half my purchases because they are poor quality and rot quickly.
For enough fruit and vegies for 3 adults and a child for one week it costs $60 maximum. That includes things like cherry tomatoes, avocardos, some kind of melon, bananas, the odd purple carrot, etc. So not all super cheap basics.
DS gets to help choose what we buy each week and when I dish something up I give him options. If he then decides he doesnt want it, bad luck, its what he chose, if he doesnt eat it he goes hungry. I explain to him that we cant afford to waste food. He, to a point, understands that this means he doesnt have a choice beyond what the ones I gave him and he is fine with it. If he decides not eat it I either put it away and bring it out again later if he decides he does want it, or just leave it out for him depending on what it is. Because of this, we have very little waste.

[fionas]

I don't think it's just a question of cost, it's a question of how to cook healthy food on a budget. Some people would have no idea that you can make your own wedges and chips from potatoes. Being on a budget means being more inventive and some people have never learnt how to cook.

I'd like to see government-sponsored TV ads showing how to cook simple, cheap, healthy meals or a 5 minute segment within Masterchef.

If people have never seen their parents cook, they really are behind the eight-ball - being on a budget and worrying that you're going to stuff up the $20 of ingredients you've just bought because you don't know how to cook suddenly makes a Maccas run seem very appealing.

[Novella]

Its a really good point n2l and FS

I was floored watching the Jamie Oliver series when he went into US schools and a large number of the chidren could not identify what I would call your basic fresh vegies, onions, cauli and potatoes! How are these kids supposed to make healthy choices as adults if they don't know?

Education is a big component of healthy eating, then people can make informed choices about what they buy, although they still have to be able to afford it!

[~clover~]

Yeah, but thats not the point I was trying to make PZ. The pies & chips aren't healthy, but so many people don't understand that very well. Andwhen you don't know how to make a healthier meal for the same price, how do you do it?

The learning how to cook the cheaper healthier options IS a huge thing. We grew up on a tight budget. Our food was very basic, so I only really know basic foods. Chops, sausages, rissoles, mash, continental packet pasta's, peas, corn, carrot & broccoli. Those were our dinners every night. I'm still learning from others how to make different things now. We never had spag bol, or lasagne, or pasta's. Not that they are the healthiest of foods, but we just never had them. I never heard of lentils til a friend was cooking her DD a veggie lasagne. I've never eaten or used them myself. I wouldn't have a clue what to do with them.

I also had a DH who was raised on the same basic foods as me, so he only wanted those foods, so those are the foods our kids first ate & are used too. Its alot easier to just make sure they're eating than have them not eat a thing while you try to switch to healthier options.

I'm not making excuses here, I genuinly don't know much better, but I am learning. And I don't have the money to be buying some of that stuff if its something that noone will eat. I've done that alot lately by trying to get the kids to eat better. Their diet isn't too bad, but it could be better.