As I was checking out at the grocery store yesterday, with my boys in the shopping cart waiting patiently, I proceeded to observe the woman in front of me and her full cart of groceries. Her groceries totaled about $239, which already seemed like a good deal considering the volume of her purchase. However, she then proceeded to open up a binder of coupons, and ended up getting this huge quantity of groceries for $89. Quite frankly I was impressed at her coupon saving ability. For comparison, her cart was practically overflowing with groceries, and after coupons was only $89. After she completed her purchase, I congratulated her and began putting my things on the conveyer belt: two half-gallons of coconut milk, 6 Vitamin Water Zeros, organic ketchup, organic peppers, organic broccoli, organic gluten-free pasta, organic marinara, pesto, organic stoneground crackers, organic coconut yogurt, pine nuts, and some frozen organic raspberries.
My bill?
$70
The cashier even commented on how expensive my bill was considering how much less I bought than the woman in front of me. I thought for a second. I then began explaining to her how my food was not sprayed with pesticides, did not contain gluten, did not contain high fructose corn syrup, cow’s milk, and was processed very minimally, if at all.
In considering all of these things in my food purchases, I explained to her that even though I paid more now for my food, I happily pay this higher amount now so that I don’t get tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, insulin co-pays, and/or cancer treatment bills down the line. Although this woman had a great volume purchase, many of her products were highly processed, minimally nutritious, loaded with sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup, gluten, and casein. So in the end, who wins?
I only relay this story because many people don’t consider this when shopping at the grocery store. Think of it this way: if a given product has an ingredients list, it’s processed in some manner. This is important. The next time you go to the grocery store, look at the ingredient list on an apple. That’s right! You won’t find one. The only ingredient is apple. Contrast this by examining a chicken nugget from any of the major fast food chains. Believe it or not, a chicken nugget contains 25-40 ingredients (depending upon which chain to which you’re referring). It’s not chicken.
So, after getting off my soapbox and saying goodbye to the cashier, I look over at the gentleman behind who’d also been listening to me. What did he put on the conveyer belt?
7 two-liters of Pepsi and 3 frozen pizzas
Ugh. I guess I can’t help everybody.
Just some food for thought. Pay a little more now or potentially a LOT more later, and in a lump sum.
But this brings up another issue. Why is it cheaper to eat like garbage? How did we get here? I understand that the economy makes it tough for people to eat better, or does it? Why are people still eating out all the time when they could be home making healthy, nutritious home-cooked meals for one-third the cost of eating out? People are hurting, yet they don’t realize that they could be saving hundreds of dollars every month just by skipping one or two fast food meals a week.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Again, just observations.
