I have found that living healthier costs less because I don't eat much junk food. I eat lots of beans and other vegetables. I love cooking some frozen veggies due to my schedule. I often hear others talking about how expensive it is to eat healthy but for me it is not. I believe planning your meals is crucial though and it does take time to prepare versus buying convenience foods which are often more costly.

I've noticed that as well, and I find it very flusterating. Perhaps it depends on where in the country you live. I live in Maine, it's February. This seems to equal higher prices for the fresh fruits and veggies that my family likes to eat. If you're on a strick budget, it is tough and perhaps a little unfair. Am I going to spend $5 on a frozen pizza for dinner or on a few pounds of apples for a snack?

Yes it is more expensive, but you dont need to live longer. The truck will hit you, and then it is done

Maybe you should give Donna a raise.

Holy cow it can cost a bit more! Feeding a six pack at our house has been a little more costly and we have changed not only our eating habits but our shopping habits too. We use to shop every 2 weeks, now we shop weekly since everything is fresh. I get past worrying about it when I think of how much healthier we will all be. Our clothes are fitting better, we have more energy and everyone is eating much better.
I couldn't agree with Chris more.... maybe Frank should give Donna a raise. Keep up the good work!

Yes, I find it is more expensive but in the long run, it costs less. I'd rather spend money on healthy food choices rather than spending it on a hospital stay from having a double or triple bypass! My goal...Eat healthier and stay fit! Good luck everyone, whatever your choice!

Oh, please, y'all. Cut corners somewhere else, but NOT on the food you eat! Yes, it's more expensive to eat stone-ground whole wheat/sugar-free bread and to buy organic Granny Smiths, but it's worth it. (Right now, too--not just in the future because you'll live longer or have fewer doctor bills.)

It's worth it (now) because it tastes better (now) and your body RUNS better (now). People who eat junk (but buy premium gas for their cars and premium pet food for their pets) just don't get it.

The bad news is that they probably never will because they're practically *giving away* soda and chips and high fructose corn syrup snacks. Ick. Obesity and diabetes and death and ick.

I, too am immensely frustrated by the high costs of healthy eating, especially when trying to shop organic; and in many cases it is not as easy, as some here have suggested, as re-prioritizing budgets.....organic eating is significantly more expensive than fast food/junk and for many Americans, it is simply not an option.

Perhaps you could focus your lobbying efforts on steering Congress away from cow towing (believe me, pun definitely intended) to big agriculture/factory farms and towards supporting more sustainable and healthier farming/eating practices.

We should be ashamed of ourselves for allowing our food supply to become so incredibly unhealthy/tainted and environmentaly devastating!

I've noticed the same thing in my grocery bills, but maybe we're looking at the wrong expenses? Add up every single dime you spent on food before: convenience stores, vending machines, fast food restaurants, eating out several times a week, and the grocery store. Then compare it to what you're spending now on the same thing. You'll find that your grocery store bill is bigger, but the eating out bill is smaller.

Cost More???Are you kidding!! I lost 100 pounds in my last marriage...My rich marriage or so I like to call it. Now in my happy marriage and after having a baby and needing to loose that last 10 or so pounds....I can't afford it. It's so easy and cheap to buy the boxes of mac & cheese or canned pasta. Take the fat out or lower the calories,,,,,,you pay twice the price. Its sickening. Kids full sugar-fat cereal $1.50 a box. try getting some Total for that price. Yeah right.
Shame Shame.....
Wishing to be rich

Ms. Abilene, TX -
I wanted to respond to your comment, but Ms. Atlanta, GA's comment had a valid point. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware that the world was going to be this flat and getting flatter by the minute, so I've got to hustle, and when I stop to take a breather, it's a domino effect.

To eat healthier, I'd like to grocery shop smaller and more frequently ensuring my foods are as fresh as they can me. There is one time of week scheduled for grocery shopping. I promised I would not make this political, but I must reiterate that a fresh food market is no where near my community and many across urban America. Maybe if regulations weren't lifted a little every year, the info on a simple snack cake package wouldn't grow to be two paragraphs long with 6-to-9 syllable processed ingredients. Our corner stores place these foods at the front door of their establishments - it sells. The commercials couple children's favorite character's w/ the high sugar cereals...and it sells. I could go on.

I commend you on your healthy food choices and hope more American's will be able to choose in this way. And I also commend that working mother whose tryin' to make a dollar hollar, keep the kids safe, fed, decent and clean. Obesity, diebetes and their complications are terrible, but ick is not a word I'd choose for those millions confronting it. Back in my day, survivin came first & health came later as long as there was castor oil around.

Good Blog Sir Frank!;)

It really does cost more to eat more healthfully. I believe that is why the poor in this country are so overweight. When you have a family to feed and you live on the barest of incomes then you buy the cheapest. Keep up the good work, oh and Donna, from a fellow smoker...you go girl. I am sure you both will do great.

Eating healthier has cost me about double of what I used to spend on food. I don't really cook though and I often go out for supper with my 2 goddaughters. Wendy's, McDonald's, Arby's, etc...fast food. That was for last year. We started the no-fast-food diet this year. Freshly made sandwiches, veggies, milk, juice, no pop. The price has doubled for each person. I haven't tried buying healthy food and cook myself...yet. Have to convince my girls to let me do that still. It seems that anything that is advertised as "heathly choice" cost at least $3 or $4 more.

We've eaten many a meal together, my friend, and in a couple of weeks we'll share another. This time we'll go for smaller portions!!

You are right, many healthy things ARE more expensive, but the long terms costs are well worth it.

I've always eaten healthy and I would say that I spend less on groceries than someone in my same circumstances. Good food keeps you fuller, longer. I've also been a vegetarian for nearly twelve years, and that may be a reason why I don't spend a lot on groceries. Meat is expensive when you eat it all the time! Plus I hardly ever eat out, I enjoy cooking and always cook extras and freeze it for later, in case I don't feel like cooking one night. Eating healthy doesn't have to cost more, it just requires more planning when you are reorganizing your lifestyle. And once you get used to it, you won't know how you lived before!

Yes & No... Frank if you compare "healthy living"; purchasing nutritious food it may be a little more expensive. But on the other hand, if you continue to buy JUNK FOOD and fast food; the doctor visits, hospital costs and medication will surely outweigh your "healthy living"
food budget!!

I know, because eating healthier helped me to lose 120lbs over 5 years ago. And continuing to each healthy has allowed me to keep the weight off!

And I really don't care if the doctors miss my office visits!! So now when I drop by their office, it's strickly a friendly visit to say..."Hello and I'm doing Just GREAT..."

CONTINUE TO EAT HEALTHY..FRANK!!

Yes it does! It's very expensive for a family of four to eat healthy. Then at school they also eat unhealthy, have access to vending machines and no recess!

I agree whole heartedly with many of you who state that the benefits of eating healthily outweight the added cost associated with it.
However, I feel that this fails to acknowledge that many (many) people in North America live is situations where spending extra money on fresh, organic produce is just not an option. Housing costs, cost of oil for heat, transportation, clothing, take precedence over food in some people's situations.
It is great that many of you are in situations where you are able to make this choice, and that you are making an effort and sacrificing other areas of your spending in order to eat healthily.
I too am thankful every day that I am in a position to be able to choose healthy foods. But, I also think daily about the single mother who had to choose between being evicted from her home and putting food on the table. For her, it was not a choice. And, it is not fair, just or right.

We need towork towards health for ALL, not just health for those who can afford it.
We need policies put in place to increase access and availability to healthy food.