A
female
age
26-29,
anonymous
writes:I know this isn't exactly a love or relationship question, but I really respect the answers and opinions of the people here and would love some input.My father is drastically overweight. It is affecting his health and quality of living. He has been on every diet in the book, but can never keep the weight off because he has little self-control. I don't say that to be rude, it's just a fact that he admits.Another matter is that unhealthy foods are simply cheaper than other, healthier options. We struggle with money a lot due to my mother's medical bills and sometimes it's just easier to go through the drive through rather than create a (more expensive) healthy dinner.It's a vicious circle and he's only getting older and more susceptible to the pains of his habits. I am not in any way trying to control him or his life, I just want my father to be around for a long time and see his family grow up.How can we escape the rock and a hard place of wanting to eat healthy but not having the right funds to do so?
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reader, anonymous, writes (23 December 2013): This is verified as being by the original poster of the questionThank you so much to everyone who responded.
I suppose I just haven't been looking in the right places. I'm going to be doing a lot of internet searching for some healthy recipes.
There is an open air market nearby, but it's only open in the summertime. I'll absolutely keep that in mind though. I guess I just need to get the thought out of my head "healthy is expensive, bad is cheap".
A
female
reader, Honeypie +, writes (23 December 2013):
 A home made dinner (healthy options too) IS WAY cheaper then drive through. I cook HEALTHY meals for 5 people for less then a big Mac Menu meal.
Frozen veggies are cheaper then fresh, but have the same amount of vitamins and NONE of the salts of canned goods and often you find frozen veggies on sale too so if your freezer is big enough - stock up. When they ARE selling fresh veggies at a good price use them.
We do NOT eat meat every day (though the husband would like too) we eat more chicken then beef - when I DO use beef I used 1/3 of the recipe and add more veggies.
As for things such as rice - it;s a cheap filler and not unhealthy per se, but go with the more expensive unprocessed types such as brown (not the instant bag ones) and the wild rice - they fill you up faster and thus you use less.
Making weekly (or monthly menus) can also help. That way you know what to shop for (and if you get smart you make you menu around sales and seasonal stuff) for instance in winter root veggies are cheaper because they are in season, so I make HUGE pots of vegetable soup. To that you can add meat balls, a little cheese, low sodium or turkey bacon, orzo or rice (whatever you like) and have soup for a few days, just freeze the soup in containers.
Cut the soda, just don't have it at home. Drink water. If that gets boring there are plenty of Mio and crystal light options to flavor it for kicks, or go with the cheap easy one, couple of slices of lemon/lime.
I also agree with Male Nonny who said keep the "whites away" - salt, sugar and starch.
I bake my own bread. I am not a fan of limp fluffy white bread because well I didn't grow up with it, I grew up with rye mainly.
I would LOVE to be able to buy organic 100%, but it's not an option at the moment. Come summer though I want to grow a lot of my own veggies. Tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, squash, onion, potatoes and so forth. It will save some money, create a work out (trust me taking care of a garden can be exercise). Our neighbor has chickens so we buy eggs from them. They are way more taste then the store ones.
And in spring, summer & fall we use the Farmer's market a lot - much cheaper and great fresh produce.
So eating healthy can BE an option, it just means YOU (or your dad) has to put forth a little more effort then just the drive through.
And good for you wanting your Dad to be happy and healthy!
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A
female
reader, YouWish +, writes (23 December 2013):
 I couldn't agree more with the others - healthy food isn't more expensive than unhealthy food. The real issue is time and work. The anon poster is so right - For example, one pass for 3 through the drive-thru at McGreasy's could run about $21 ($7/meal) unless people are used to eating several big burgers and fries and all of that, then it can be higher. Give that same $20 and a few hours and someone could whip up a delicious fresh chicken noodle soup with carrots, onions, celery, a small side salad and that could be $2/meal and much healthier and in my opinion taste so much better.
And nobody can tell me that loading up on chips, cookies, snacks, cakes, and all that is cheaper! For the price of a can of original flavor Pringles (my occasional vice!), you can get those fat free pretzel rods or better yet, whole wheat pita chips or fresh air-popped popcorn with a little bit of nutritional yeast.
And a choice between Cupcakes and M&M's? Why not get a couple of apples, slice them up and add a bit of peanut butter? Takes two minutes and is much healthier. I grew up on ants-on-a-log after school, which is raisins, celery, and homemade peanut butter. I still eat it sometimes because of the energy for working out.
Even cereal - instead of reaching for something unhealthy, why not some whole wheat cereal with skim milk and a couple of strawberries or an orange? Or a granola bar, even though you've gotta watch those because some of them you might as well be eating a Snicker's?
It's really a mindset, not a matter of money. Buying the ingredients is cheap. Lean chicken breast, red potatoes, and fresh green beans and baby carrots are very cheap, cheaper than the drive-thru. But say you are dead set on drive-thrus. What's to say getting a salad or a wrap isn't a good idea?
The summer is even better. I *love* the summer for the farmer's markets, where fresh veggies and spices are so inexpensive and fragrant. I challenge you this next summer - find one, wait until you're good and hungry, and then just walk down the aisles and pick up some delicious veggies.
There's a good book called "Eat this, not that" out there that can help even make substitutions for the more healthy. Your dad has to want to change his lifestyle, and you do too. Money isn't the issue because eating healthy is cheaper even if you don't go for the "organic" variety. What you do need is time and dedication. It's EASIER to eat unhealthy because you can just grab, open, and gratify. But change even a few things, and the impact to health is amazing. Nobody can tell me that buying an egg mcmuffin with processed cheese is cheaper than scrambling a free-range egg (my brother in law has a farm!), and toasting an English muffin with low-fat skim mozzarella or reduced fat cheddar?
You're doing great by being self-aware. Develop a passion for cooking! It's so much fun, and can be healthier, cheaper, and more delicious than a big plate of cheese bacon fries. If your dad or mom are making the "Eating healthy is too expensive" claim, challenge them by giving you $20, the price of a drive-thru run. Then you go find a good recipe for something like soup, and then take that $20, buy your ingredients and astound them with a great dinner that will taste better, be more filling, have leftovers, everything.
Funny, my husband brought home a fresh 12-pound turkey on sale last Saturday that was $8 and a bag of potatoes ($2) and a pack of baby carrots ($2) and a loaf of wheat bread ($2). I roasted it and we're still eating on it now! $14, and each meal averages about $1.50 per meal. Eating healthy is so much cheaper it's ridiculous. That's like saying that smoking is cheaper than a membership to the fitness club!
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A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (23 December 2013): First I would like to take my hat off for you for being such a good daughter.As for the post, I know how difficult is trying to lose weight but with change of style of living it can be done. Most important is to change one's life style. If he has a lot of boring idle time he should try to fill his time by trying to do something interesting like gardening or going for walks or joining a group or club.The idea is to keep busy so you don't eat out of boredom.I don't understand why you do think home cooking is more expensive than the drive through.Everywhere in the world home cooking is cheaper.All you have to do is keep away the three whites from his diet ( sugar,salt, and starch)also eat meat moderately.eat lots of vegetables like cabbages, lettuces,and fruits.I assume that apples which is one of the healthiest foods for the dieter is cheap in America like everywhere else.Also skimmed Milk and yogurt are cheaper than normal milk and much healthier. If you are meaning organic food as healthy food.That is different matter.Organic food is said to be healthy but has no effect on weight losing. and anyway it is doubtful that non organic food is bad for the health.The formula for losing weight is keep busy,take more interest in your surroundings, keep active and be optimistic always.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (23 December 2013): Its actually misconception that healthy foods prepared by you are more expensive than fast foods. First of all please understand that fast food is not really food. It's man made material grown in a lab.
Now, going back to healthy foods. If you buy veggies at the market, where everything is cheaper, to make a salad costs 2$ per person. I know what I am talking about because I did it for living: I was selling raw and vegan foods for years.
To make soup that will feel you left full and satisfied takes 6$ worth of produce to make 10 bowls of soup. Try it, and then you will believe me. Like split pea, or curry lentil, or simple veggie soup.
To boil rice, bake veggies in the oven, mix it all, and here you have veggie jambalaya for 4 people it will be around $10.
I can give you a bunch of recepies, but I am sure you can find all on line,
Even if y ou are meat eater, to buy whole chicken and prepare it in the oven will be much cheaper that drive through food joints.
It's a huge excuse that people use when they say it's cheaper to eat bad. Not only its not cheaper, it's more expensive. If you father wants to see his grandchildren, he needs to Sid down and think well about what he is doing to his body.
A good way to start turning toward healthy way of eating, is green juice for a week, he ll have couple hard days in a beginning but then he ll be in heaven. Promise:)
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (23 December 2013): Get your dad to go walking everyday, cut his cals, drink more water. Theres no other healthier way to lose it by dieting. Diets seriously damage your body.. he needs to do it the proper way
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A
female
reader, Lieutenant  +, writes (23 December 2013):
I find it ridiculous when people say healthy food is expensive. It simply is not true. You can find healthy food for the same price or even cheaper than the unhealthy stuff if you put in the effort to actually go looking for it. Going to one supermarket and deciding "healthy food is expensive" is not putting in the effort. A lot of vegetables and fruits in supermarkets are cheaper than chocolate and sweets; in a lot of supermarkets fish is a lot cheaper than red meat. Try looking around in different supermarkets. This might mean that you have to do your shopping in several different places, but you will get what you need at affordable prices if you put in the effort to go looking. Also, look around your area to see if there is an open air market. Sometimes they may only be open during the weekends; at markets like these you can get pretty good deals on bulk fresh goods.
Another thing to keep in mind is the way the meals that you buy are cooked. You can buy fish and then decide to deep fry it; that takes away from the whole point of buying fish in the first place. Use the oven (season only and bake, don't add any oils or butter) instead of the deep fryer; eat salad without the heavy dressings and creams. It's the little things here and there that make a huge difference. Heck i'm a broke med student (probably one of the brokest group of students as we can't work), but i'm eating healthier than I ever did because the healthy stuff is much cheaper than the unhealthy stuff; you just have to look in the right places.
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