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How Much Does Real Food Really Cost?

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I often hear people complain about the 'expense' of eating organic, unprocessed, real food. If we really take a closer look and compare prices, though, unprocessed foods provide far better value.

I often hear people complain about the “expense” of eating unprocessed food. If we really take a closer look and compare prices, though, unprocessed foods provide far better value:

I often hear people complain about the 'expense' of eating organic, unprocessed, real food. If we really take a closer look and compare prices, though, unprocessed foods provide far better value.

Does that make you think twice about the cost of processed foods? Not so “cheap” when you break it down, right?

A few weeks ago, my kids and I saw a billboard for a famous fast-food restaurant boasting $5 meals. While five dollars sounds like a reasonable amount to spend, dinner would be over $20 for a family of four. That’s a lot of money to spend on a “cheap” meal! I usually spend $8-10 on a nice home-cooked meal. With $20, I can go all-out!

When we saw the billboard, my kids and I started talking about what we could make for $5 or less. How about some of these alternatives:

  • Two eggs, two pieces of organic/pastured bacon and a glass of unprocessed milk.
  • A quarter-pound grass-fed hamburger with a side salad.
  • A bowl of steel-cut oats with cream and honey.
  • A pastured, organic sausage and some steamed vegetables.
  • A bowl of whole milk yogurt, half a cup of frozen berries and a drizzle of raw honey.
  • A lettuce, ham and cheese roll-up with hummus and raw vegetables.

I often hear people complain about the 'expense' of eating organic, unprocessed, real food. If we really take a closer look and compare prices, though, unprocessed foods provide far better value.

The nutrients
Beyond the price, remember that fast food contains lots of preservatives, additives, and other processed ingredients.

Cheap, premade “convenience” foods usually mean cheap, processed ingredients and minimal nutrients. A bag of tortilla chips serves as a normal snack in the US, but it contains very few nutrients and won’t “fill you up” or keep the body running efficiently for any real period of time. If you eat foods that don’t satiate, you’ll want to eat more so your body can feel full. Instead of a bag of chips that will soon leave you hungry, why not eat two deviled eggs with good fats and nutrients and keep your body satiated for several hours?

I recently witnessed a family of four pay $45 at a gas station for “road food” – chips, candy bars, sodas, etc. I was shocked the bill was so high! On top of that, the foods they purchased wouldn’t nourish or satiate, so I’ll bet that family hit the drive-through a couple of hours later for another stash of nutrient-void, empty food.

The Time
Many people tell me they don’t have time to cook so they resort to fast-food or processed foods. I have news for you – “fast” foods don’t always save you time. A few weeks ago, I took my daughter for a little date and we decided to go to our favorite BBQ joint here in town. This restaurant only has a drive-through, so we got in line and chatted while we waited. 25 minutes later (25 minutes!), we got our food. Granted, that was a particularly long wait, but in 25 minutes I could have made an entire unprocessed meal for my family. I was shocked at how long it took, especially knowing so many modern families go through a drive-through 3-5 times a week!

In the mornings, I see cars wrapped around the fast-food restaurants. They wait about 10 minutes and each person spends at least $4. At home, I can scramble two eggs in some ghee and wash it down with a glass of fresh juice or milk in 10 minutes. I’d even save myself a little cash.

Am I saying you shouldn’t grab a quick bite? No, but let’s all be mindful of how much time and money it really takes for fast, premade foods.

If you have some busy days during the week, plan ahead. Make a pot of soup or stew on the weekend. Then you can quickly heat it and pour it into an insulated thermos when you’re on the move. I can’t tell you how handy an insulated thermos is!

Next time you’re tempted to grab some “convenience” foods or drive-through, think about the money, time and nutrients. Maybe it’s just as quick and easy to get home and heat up some leftovers or throw together a salad. Better yet, try to plan ahead and bring some good, satisfying, real food along with you.

I often hear people complain about the 'expense' of eating organic, unprocessed, real food. If we really take a closer look and compare prices, though, unprocessed foods provide far better value.

Here are some of my favorite quick or make-ahead meals for busy days:
Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard and Sausage
Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Kale
Creamy Chicken and Tomato Soup
Simple Weeknight Chili
Caesar Salad (Make the dressing ahead of time and grill some chicken and store in the fridge. When you get home, toss the romaine, dressing and meat together. Done!)
Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry (Marinate meat, chop the vegetables and mix the sauce the night before or when making breakfast. When you get home, you can cook up a nutritious stir fry in about 20 minutes.)
Coconut Blueberry and Spinach Smoothie (You can even make this for dinner if needed! It’s quick and provides a wealth of nutrients.
Grilled Steak with Green Beans and Mustard Shallot Sauce
Creamed Kale and Eggs
Butterflied Chicken with Red Onions (I make this at least once a week and then use the carcass to make chicken stock. To save a bit of time, just brush the chicken with ghee and season with sea salt and pepper.)

And if you’d like someone to plan out your meals and shopping lists for you, check out our Weekly or BiWeekly meal plans. They are now available in Classic, Gluten Free, Grain Free and Paleo.


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41 Comments

  2. I love this post and the breakdown. It makes you really think about the true cost of food. We try to eat as much organic, whole foods as we can. I don't have an unlimited food budget, but with menu planning and buying in bulk I feel like we tend to spend the same or sometimes less than our friends that eat a lot of processed foods. We don't go out to eat very often, because it is expensive to feed a family of four whether it's a fast food place or sit-down restaurant. When I start to think about how many groceries I could buy for the same meal it usually deters me on the nights I may not feel like cooking. I have two boys under 4 years old and work full-time, so time is often a factor at dinner time (which is why I usually do slow cooker meals 3-4 nights a week in the winter)! My hope is making healthy family meals at home a priority will teach my boys to think about what they eat and also create a love of cooking.
    Reply to this comment

    • Thank you for your feedback. I think it's fantastic that you're working hard to feed your family home-cooked meals. That's bound to make a big impression on your kids even if they don't realize it now! :)
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  3. You're right - I can fill a shopping cart with produce for less than I would need to spend on packaged foods. My biggest issue is with our local grocery store in a smallish (20K+ people), semi-rural town where we live. They don't even seem to try to keep FRESH organic produce on their shelves... letting it get wilted, edges turning yellow/brown. I understand that organic produce wouldn't have protection against "pests," but don't understand why it can't be kept fresh and crisp like conventional produce. At any rate, it disgusts me that when I get home, I have to throw away portions of the produce I've just purchased at a higher price because it isn't suitable for use. I am so eager to be able to grow my own greens later this year!
    Reply to this comment

    • Our town is the same. It's very difficult to find organic produce at the stores that isn't wilted. Fortunately, I found several co-ops in our small town and a local farmer who comes and delivers milk/eggs/cheese each week. How fun that you're planning to grow your own greens this year! I hope to garden one day when we settle down! :)
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  4. I agree that under certain circumstances eating real food is no more expensive than eating processed junk. When my family of 4 switched to a real/whole food diet, we ALL did it, and I found that by not buying all the crappy stuff (like boxed cereals/granola bars/Doritos/soda, etc.), we saved a ton and were able to buy the healthy stuff. I can see that if just one person in a family is trying to eat only real food, but they're still buying the junk for the rest of the family, it would be quite expensive. I did have to make a mental shift to make this work, however. For example, I used to pay 1.50 for a dozen eggs in the grocery store, now I pay 3.00 a dozen for pastured eggs. I used to shop for all my meat at the grocery store and could find what I perceived as real bargains such as chicken breasts on sale for 1.99 a pound, or hamburger on sale for 1.59 a pound. Now I know that meat is likely all factory farmed and I avoid it. I'm lucky to live in a farming community, and found out that I can buy grass fed beef at my local farmer's market, and I happily pay 2.99 a pound for my ground beef. I realize that if you have to order your grass fed meat online it can be quite expensive, but I think it's worth it to search out a local source. If I didn't have my meat stand at the farmer's market I would most likely try and purchase a side of grass fed beef and a small chest freezer in order to get the best price possible. I also made a mental shift when it comes to purchasing produce, since that's now the foundation of my diet. I used to balk at paying 3.99 for a small container of blueberries because I could buy some kind of junk food for 99 cents a bag; now my attitude is to not be concerned about the cost of produce (not that I don't still try and get the best prices on everything I buy!), but to have the attitude that I'm doing something very very good for my body and my families bodies by buying whole, real, vitamin packed foods. And yes, I cook a WHOLE LOT MORE than I used to by eating this way (and I don't really love cooking that much), but I feel so much better, and my health has improved immensely, so it's worth it!
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  5. I totally get this. Breakfast especially is one meal I will not go out for - way, WAY too expensive. I visited a local cafe for breakfast. They use local and organic ingredients and I was happy to support them. However, we spent over $30 for a family of 4 and all I had was a coffee drink and oatmeal from DH's plate!!! Since I get local pastured eggs for $4/dozen, I could have made several breakfasts for our family for that amount of money.... never again. We do go out to eat once a week for dinner (gives me a break from cooking) and we try to spend it wisely (we usually have leftovers, too, so it's a better deal). Other than that, I prefer eating at home.
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  6. I have a hard time finding pastured dairy that is affordable. The milk at Whole Foods is $8-$10 a gallon, pastured eggs are $7.99 a dozen, and butter and cheese are $8 each. My grocery bill is HUGE!
    Reply to this comment

    • Have you checked local harvest.org or eatwild.com (Eat Wild is technically a site to find meat, but many of those farms also sell eggs, milk, cheese, etc.)? I live in a small town, but have been able to find farms nearby that sell milk, eggs, cream and cheese for very reasonable prices. Or maybe ask around and see if there are any co-ops in your area?
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    • Same here, Kristin. I live in a very small town, far enough removed from larger towns, so there isn't a large enough demand here for organics. The few places that carry them have a limited selection and their prices are very high. I pay exactly the same prices as you do for milk and eggs. So it frustrates me when people post these sort of comparisons. Oh, and forget about organic, grass-fed beef. I have to order that and have it shipped. Nothing near me at all. I have to order it and have it shipped. The prices are outrageous. And yes, I have checked eatwild and localharvest.
      Reply to this comment

      • Have you tried simply checking craigslist for beef? Keep in mind, it's almost all grassfed, if you buy from the farmers. Cows don't get a lot of grain till the farmer sells them and they go to the stockyard, so even beef that isn't advertised as grassfed is likely to be. It's worth asking the farmer. It's also a LOT cheaper to buy a quarter or half cow at a time, if you can make the freezer space.Also, for any of you west of the Appalachians, check if http://www.azurestandard.com has a route near you. They are a grocery co-op. Much of the same goodies you see at Whole Foods and similar places, but way cheaper and delivered near you once a month. You can buy from them in bulk amounts, but they sell things in not-bulk amounts, too. I've been buying groceries from Azure for about 6 years. The quality and customer service are both awesome (checking on a route near you may take a phone call, and you need to make an account to see prices on the website, but that does not obligate you to buy.)
        Reply to this comment

        • Two other tips: Costco sells a LOT of organics, including produce. Even their big sacks of baby carrots are organic. Other things, like grapes, seem to be organic when they can get organic, conventional when they can't. Our Costco has been using gree shelf labels for the organics, but that's kind of hit and miss, so you want to check packages, anyway.Also, if you live where they operate, there is http://www.bountifulbaskets.org which offers both conventional and organic produce, as well as organic coconut oil, breads, and granola. The produce baskets are a plentiful amount--enough to keep my family of 5 going, and my kids love fruits and veggies.
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  9. First I wanted to say thank you for all you have done and are doing to help people make better food choices by writing articles like this and posting new recipes to try. While trying to eat "real food" for the past 18 months, I recently made the switch to being gluten free and feel a big part of my success is because I found your blog and enjoy many of your recipes - so thank you!That being said, making the switch to real food has taken a huge toll on our family's grocery bill. I have always been a price-conscious shopper cutting coupons, buying in bulk, and stocking up when an item is on sale. The problem I'm finding is many major stores deeply discount processed items and rarely have "real" food on sale. Combined with the fact that I have to do much more searching to find coupons for real food items vs. processed items or travel farther distances to get them adds extra burdens. Before making the switch to "real" food I simply wouldn't buy a box of cereal at full price. But if I found a bogo sale and used coupons, I could easily buy an entire box of cereal for under $1 - breakfast for my small family of 2 for a week.Now that I'm more interested in researching where the food I'm putting into my body is coming from and spending time to make better choices for my family, we've more than doubled our grocery bill. The store brand of eggs frequently goes on sale for $0.99-$1.50/dozen. But if I choose to buy organic, free range eggs from a local farmer it costs $3.75-$4/dozen. Each morning, I make an omelette for my husband and I for breakfast - and each morning that omelette costs more than $1 after you factor in eggs and veggies. Yes, it's still less expensive and healthier than driving to the nearest drive through and ordering a breakfast sandwich, but still much more than what I had been spending on groceries.I happened to read this right after going through the main grocery store's weekly ad and each week I'm circling less and less items I am willing to buy "on sale." It just frustrates me that our country has become obsessed with the "quick and cheap" - and the companies producing all that garbage are the ones profiting from it all - with no thought to how they are impacting our future health. With all the hullabaloo surrounding healthcare these days, a bit of preventative medicine in the form of healthy, real food would go a long way. So I thank you, Carrie, for doing your part in helping people like me make better choices about the food that I eat - at whatever the cost!
    Reply to this comment

  10. I love this! When we first switched from the Standard American Diet to eating real foods, I was surprised how little my grocery budget changed, since I was no longer buying the processed foods you highlighted in your article.However, I think when many people bemoan the price of organic foods, they are not comparing fast-food breakfast with a home-cooked breakfast, or a bag of chips with a bag of apples. They are comparing the cost of the conventional bag of apples with the organic bag of apples; and many times (depending on the item), the difference is striking.I have come to the decision for my family that the organic (or locally produced, or sustainable, or whatever), is worth it for the health benefits and for moral reasons, but I don't kid myself that I'm saving money on these items.However, as your article highlights, even though the cost of individual items is often more expensive than that of their conventional counterparts, my overall grocery bill is still about the same - because I'm not buying the sodas, granola bars, cereals, etc. which really add up.And a note about shopping sales: I know everyone is different, but I often used to find myself buying something I didn't really need, just because it was on sale for a great price (i.e. 12-packs of soda @ buy 2 get 3 free). When I stopped doing this, I really noticed that I was saving a lot more money by not buying these things at all than I was by scooping up these "deals." (Of course, if the item is something you would need and use anyway, this doesn't apply.)
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  11. I dislike this tremendously. I purchase organic at my local store (not Whole Foods) when I can and we rarely eat prepared foods, however, let's not try to pretend that organic isn't more expensive. It is.This doesn't compare "apples to apples". For example, I just returned from the store. This is the daily reality of organic: 1lb of organic butter: $5.89 vs. traditional butter$3.29 1/2 gal organic milk is $ 4.29 vs. tradition milk$ 2.89 organic brown rice: $ 4.89 vs. traditional brown rice "$2.89 organic granny smith apples $2.99/lb vs. traditional granny smith $1.99 1 doz organic eggs $4.89 vs. traditional eggs $2.39 organic granola bars $4.29 for 8 vs. Quaker granola bars $2.50 for 8.organic beef is so expensive I can't afford it at the store. To compare a bag of Doritos to a pound of apples (and, btw, that bag is a LOT more than 1 pound of apples) is flat out ridiculous. It is, pound for pound, HEALTHIER to eat the organic apples? Of course, but it's not cheaper. That bag of apples costs about $10. I know because I recently purchased almost that exact bag.
    Reply to this comment

    • I see your frustration. The point of this post was to compare the cost of real food to processed foods. I was not trying to compare the cost of organic vs. conventional. Many people who eat a processed diet, tell me they don't want to buy unprocessed foods because it's too expensive, so I thought a post discussing about the comparison of price, nutrients and time would be a good way to learn how unprocessed foods can actually save you time and money.The bag of apples comes to exactly $2.33 a pound even though it is sold in a 3 pound lot. Most kids (and even adults) could eat an entire bag of chips and not really feel full because the chips are void of the nutrients needed to satiate the body. But if that kid was given an apple or two, they would find nourishment from the apple and their body would be satiated for much longer than if they ate chips. So in my opinion, a bag of apples would be the more economical choice. When I was a teenager, I would eat 2-3 packets of processed oatmeal for breakfast, but as soon as I would get to school I would be hungry again. It was very confusing to me because I thought I had eaten a big breakfast. What I learned was that the food I was eating didn't satiate my body and was also high in sugars and processed ingredients. Now, I'll eat 1-2 eggs at breakfast and am satiated for several hours. So in my opinion, a dozen eggs is a more economical choice.
      Reply to this comment

      • Thanks for the response. I found you because there is a meme or link on Facebook which just shows the comparisons, which bothered me a lot. I eat real food. I know what it costs to eat organic. It's expensive, but, for the most part, is worth it to me.Eating real food is at least as cost effective as processed, if not more. As you point out, real food fills one up, whereas processed food does not.
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  12. The only thing that trips me up is the eggs. Here in Cali pastured eggs are $8+ a dozen and I'd love to find some for even $5! I've successfully made the change to real and traditional foods over the past 2 years and have only encountered a slight rise in food cost-except for eggs. I find when I eat real food, I don't consume as much so don't end up buying too much.
    Reply to this comment

  13. Another resource for less expensive organic food is grocery co-ops that deliver. I'll mention Azure Standard not to plug them but because they wouldn't come up in a google search of grocery/produce delivery. I did get lots of produce/CSA type delivery services when I googled which is also a more cost effective source than grocery stores. They're also almost always fresher. Local FB groups can also be great resources for local sources. Finding affordable quality food IS difficult sometimes.
    Reply to this comment

    • Yes, it can be difficult sometimes. I've learned this as we've moved around the country (we are a military family). Thanks for mentioning Azure. I've ordered from them for many years and have always been very pleased with the low prices and quality.
      Reply to this comment

  14. This is a great article but as someone who has recently had to drastically cut down my food budget I feel like it shames me a bit. I used to buy moistly organic foods but now have to prioritize what I buy. I feel terrible for it, but right now it is what we need to do. I make sure to buy antibiotic free meat and organic dairy products but cannot afford organic produce right now. I actually don't even know if I can sustain the organic dairy-at this point just making sure what I buy is antibiotic free would be good enough for me. I buy cage free eggs from Whole Foods because they are antibiotic free but cannot afford pastured or organic eggs though I would love the better options.I can honestly say that I am happy with what I buy for my family. I make all of our food from scratch (except for the junky food stockpile my husband has) and know that I am doing the best I can. Sure, I get upset sometimes that I can't actually afford the "best" but I can only do what my budge allows.
    Reply to this comment

    • I'm sorry to hear this post was disheartening for you. I in no way intended to shame anyone for not buying 100% organic. My goal was to show the difference between processed and unprocessed foods. I used organic examples in the photo because I wanted to show that even when buying organic food, it can be more economical than purchasing processed foods. So if you purchase antibiotic-free eggs instead of processed oatmeal you're saving even more money!From your description, it sounds like you're making the best decisions for your family and that's the most important thing! If you can afford antibiotic-free, but not pastured, I encourage you not to give yourself a hard time. Think of the good you are doing your family by purchasing unprocessed foods!
      Reply to this comment

  17. Another good guide to use is the 'dirty dozen' and 'clean 15'. If your budget is really tight, you might want to prioritize based on the pesticide amount of fruits and vegetables, especially if you eat a lot of a particular fruit/veg. I do that with potatoes - since we quite a bit, I have decided to buy only organic a while back and have stuck to that. For some veggies that I only use a bit of (parsnips, celery root, etc.) I buy conventional and I'm happy with that.
    Reply to this comment

  18. When we first switched to whole foods, the price was shocking but I was not making the best of my menu plan. I am trying to feed a family of five and budget 200 a week for food. (They are 3 ravenous boys that eat like 6 people). Our local feed store/co-op sells eggs and has plenty of sources of others who do also. It also sells honey that is local. I can now spend 150 per week and keep them happy. I alternate breakfast ideas with eggs and a homemade baked good. I buy a pastured chicken each week to cook and make broth. Then, from the meat and broth we eat soup once a week and salad once a week and this helps keeps costs down. One of our favorite soups is your Creamy Vegetable soup, which I serve with a grain free biscuit. We also have raised garden beds that the boys help plant and pick. We are growing kale, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage in those now.
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