Organic food... really more expensive?
As recently as within the last year, I would not buy chicken (boneless, skinless breasts) unless it was less than $2 a pound. Vons would usually put their generic brand on sale for about $1.79/lb., and I would buy several pounds.
The chicken we buy now costs between $6 and $7/lb., sometimes more. It hurts, believe me. After years of only buying the cheapest chicken available, it ain't easy shelling out the better part of ten bucks for the same thing.
When I talk to friends about eating organic, one of the biggest objections everyone has is cost. And it's a valid concern, organic and healthier foods are usually more expensive, sometimes excessively so (a difference of what, almost 400% on the chicken alone?). But I've come up with a new catch phrase that I will use any time this argument comes up. You can use it too, that's the beauty of language: it's free. [disclaimer: the use of the following catch phrase is allowed only until the copyright holder registers it with the U.S. Trademark Assn.] Here it is: "Food is always more expensive than poison."
Knowing what many of us know (and many more at least suspect) about how chicken and other "food animals" are farmed and processed, how do we justify saving a few dollars when it comes to our health? Two pounds of chicken would probably feed a family of 5 or 6. At $7/lb., dinner for 6 just cost $14, add in another $10 for salad, some veggies and fixin's, $6 for bread and drinks, and, with a total of $30, each person ate a healthy dinner for $5. When was the last time you bought dinner out for $5 each? We went to Tony Roma's last night. We're a family of only four, the kids ate FREE, the food wasn't exactly healthy, and it cost over $40!
I'm preaching... sorry.
We were really happy to see our neighborhood Vons start a brand they call "O" (for organic, duh). They have a great selection of products, and the price is indistinguishable from that of comparable conventional products. Of course it's a marketing move, designed to tap into an emerging market, but hey, it's a step in the right direction.
Be wary, though, as just because something is labeled "organic" doesn't mean it's necessarily good for you. I went to buy some "O"rganic frozen cheese enchiladas (microwave... I know, baby steps, BABY STEPS!), and flipped 'em over to check out the stats. One serving = 90% of the Daily Recommended Allowance of saturated fat. A day's-worth of fat in lunch. So, read the label, always check out the nutritional value and ingredients!
The chicken we buy now costs between $6 and $7/lb., sometimes more. It hurts, believe me. After years of only buying the cheapest chicken available, it ain't easy shelling out the better part of ten bucks for the same thing.
When I talk to friends about eating organic, one of the biggest objections everyone has is cost. And it's a valid concern, organic and healthier foods are usually more expensive, sometimes excessively so (a difference of what, almost 400% on the chicken alone?). But I've come up with a new catch phrase that I will use any time this argument comes up. You can use it too, that's the beauty of language: it's free. [disclaimer: the use of the following catch phrase is allowed only until the copyright holder registers it with the U.S. Trademark Assn.] Here it is: "Food is always more expensive than poison."
Knowing what many of us know (and many more at least suspect) about how chicken and other "food animals" are farmed and processed, how do we justify saving a few dollars when it comes to our health? Two pounds of chicken would probably feed a family of 5 or 6. At $7/lb., dinner for 6 just cost $14, add in another $10 for salad, some veggies and fixin's, $6 for bread and drinks, and, with a total of $30, each person ate a healthy dinner for $5. When was the last time you bought dinner out for $5 each? We went to Tony Roma's last night. We're a family of only four, the kids ate FREE, the food wasn't exactly healthy, and it cost over $40!
I'm preaching... sorry.
We were really happy to see our neighborhood Vons start a brand they call "O" (for organic, duh). They have a great selection of products, and the price is indistinguishable from that of comparable conventional products. Of course it's a marketing move, designed to tap into an emerging market, but hey, it's a step in the right direction.
Be wary, though, as just because something is labeled "organic" doesn't mean it's necessarily good for you. I went to buy some "O"rganic frozen cheese enchiladas (microwave... I know, baby steps, BABY STEPS!), and flipped 'em over to check out the stats. One serving = 90% of the Daily Recommended Allowance of saturated fat. A day's-worth of fat in lunch. So, read the label, always check out the nutritional value and ingredients!
1 Comments:
I can't even afford to read that blog entry, let alone go organic.
I'll just start eating at your house more often; that way, everyone wins! You get my hilarious company and I don't get poisoned to death!
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