I keep running across articles, blogs and web pages that discuss how expensive it is to eat healthy.   Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about that. 

First, I think expense is relative.  You can put some money into good wholesome food now and spend less on other things OR you can eat the cheap junk offered and join the army of obese, diabetic, and sick; because that IS becoming the majority, not the minority in our nation today and that’s not ok.  Not because fat is ugly or repulsive and I don’t think everyone needs to be super model thin.  I think that everyone needs to be HEALTHY.

I also think it’s about priorities. If it is important to you to eat right you are going to find the money to do so. I don't care what people say about their budgets they have SOMETHING in it they can get rid of to eat better.  Or a pet peeve of mine, someone who complains about how little money they have but doesn’t HAVE a budget so they have no true idea where their money is actually going.

It’s a given that we’ve become the nation of the entitled.   Things that our very recent ancestors considered luxuries, we consider necessities.  Our grandparents and great grandparents worried about housing and good food for their family.  Everything after that was considered a bonus.  Sweets were calls “treats” for a reason, they weren’t eaten every day.   They were actually….treats.   I bet if someone asked their grandparents what they ate for a snack as a child they would respond that it was a vegetable/fruit or piece of bread, which we know was probably homemade and definitely without high fructose corn syrup and preservatives

So, let’s look at our budgets and see what has now taken priority over our health and the well being of our family:

I know this will bristle a lot of people, but pets.  I know that my cats are absolutely my biggest expense.  I realize we all love our pets but if you can't afford to feed you properly then perhaps it’s time to rehome a few pets and start taking care of yourself and your family.

I agree TV is wonderful but if you can't afford to feed yourself properly get rid of cable and take care of your family. Use the TV time to take a walk instead; you'll all be healthier for it.

I love the internet but if you can't afford to feed yourself properly then cut it off and use the public library for internet access.  In today’s WiFi world, it’s hard to walk down a street and NOT see a sign for free WiFi.

Virtually everyone has a cell phone today but if you can't afford to feed yourself properly, stop paying for a cell phone and use the money to take care of your family. It's a luxury, NOT a necessity unless you’re an awfully important person.

Do you *really* need to drive your car for short trips all over town? Can't you walk and save that gas money (and help our environment) and use that extra money to take care of your family?  Don’t give me “I live too far from town to walk!”  Yes, but once you GET there can’t you park that car and walk the mile or two between stops?  Really?  You can’t walk that far? 

Those are the most obvious thing I see and the areas of my budget that would have to be cut if can’t afford to eat healthy (in no specific order, ‘cause I’d have to be pretty broke to get rid of my cats). 

Now expand on that.  Are you still buying new clothes year after year?  Is it because you just enjoy spending?  If so, stop and put the money to better use such as making you and your loved ones healthier foods.  Is it because you keep getting fatter and fatter and need new clothes each year?  Then put that money towards healthy eating and stop having to replace your wardrobe.

Are you visiting that beauty shop for manicures/pedicures/facials?   Why make your hair/skin/nails look so great when your body is dying inside?   How about you paint your own nails and use a nail file so that you can put that money towards making your body healthy.

Going to the movies lots or eating out in restaurants?  I bet not only are you spending a lot of money to go to that movie and eat out but you’re buying junk to eat while you sit there.  Up until the most recent generations everything I listed were all considered LUXURIES (except probably the pets) or didn’t exist and they managed.  They fed their families and if they had enough leftover they used it for fun. 

Experts say that our generation will be the first in mankind’s history to die younger and be less healthy the one before.  Is healthy eating more expensive was my original question; I’ve decided that the answer doesn’t matter.  We have to all make the change and decide that eating healthy is not a luxury, it is a necessity.