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MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES OR DOES IT?
by Rebecca Maldonado
"Full breakfast $2.99"
"2 hamburgers for 99 cents"
"2 Tacos for $1.00"
"Green burrito, only 69 cents"
How many times have you seen signs like these? One of the complaints many people have against adding fresh fruit and vegetables to their diet is that they just cannot afford it. When there are inexpensive and tasty ways to fill your stomach, the choice seems clear.
When buying organic produce, the prices listed may seem outrageous.
It is not our aim to tell you what you can or cannot afford, but we feel that going beyond the surface on this issue and including "TOTAL COSTS" may help you make the best decision for you and your family.
The value of good health is priceless and the cost of poor health is burdensome, to say the least.
Buying 10 packages of ramen for a dollar instead of just one organic apple seems like a no brainer if you go by quantity alone. On the other hand, if you go by the amount of nutrients and the absence of chemical preservatives and additives, the apple wins hands down.
Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and disease-fighting phytonutrients. Eating plenty of fruits and veggies daily can help reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and cancer, among other things.
Many studies have proven the link between junk "food" and poor health. The cost of poor health is a big one and when deciding how to budget your money, it's worth considering. In fact, in a joint study carried out by researchers at Harvard Law School and Harvard Medical School, based on personal bankruptcies filed in the U.S. during 2001 they discovered:
- Medical bankrupticies affect about 2 million Americans annually.
- Most of those bankrupted by illness were covered by health insurance. However, 38% had lost coverage at least temporarily by the time they filed bankruptcy.
- 56% of the people who filed medical bankruptcy owned a home, and the same number were college graduates.
- In many cases, illness forced family income earners to take time off work causing them to lose income and health benefits just when they needed them most.
Dr. David Himmelstein, the lead author of the study and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard commented: "Unless you're Bill Gates you're just one serious illness away from bankruptcy. Most of the medically bankrupt were average Americans who happened to get sick."
Here are some ways to save money when adding fruit and vegetables to your diet:
- Green smoothies give you a great bargain. You get your vitamins and minerals without losing any of the fiber and none of the produce is wasted compared to what is lost when using a juicer. Blended foods are easily digestible and nutrients are used by the body more easily.
- Make sure you keep track of what you buy and allow nothing to go to waste. It sometimes takes a little time to learn but once you do, you never have to throw away any of your money spent on produce. For example: If you buy a flat of fresh organic strawberries and know that you cannot eat the whole flat before they start to go bad, you leave some fresh to eat and clean and freeze the rest for use in smoothies. (Don't wait until they are spoiled, estimate your usage ahead of time.)
- Growing sprouts is easy to learn and they can provide you with plenty of greens for pennies on the dollar compared to many other greens. They don't require a garden or any soil, for that matter.
- Let everyone know how much you love to eat fruit and vegetables; you may be suprised at how many people have gardens or fruit trees and would love to share. (Personally, I have had people bring me bags of fruit from their yards and thank me for eating it!!!! Unbelievable!!!)
- You can grow many things yourself with almost no effort, like aloe vera, mint, rosemary, and nasturtium. (Find out what grows easily in your climate.)
- Farmer's markets usually have better quality and lower prices.
In my own case, I will admit that sacrifices have to be made to buy the best quality food I can afford. However, the return on the investment is well worth it to me. Here are some other statistics to consider when planning your budget for food:
- Legal gambling in the United States is a $135.9 billion per year business, based on revenue figures provided by the states that allow it. That's more than double the combined revenues of $50 billion annually from box office movies, recorded music, spectator sports, and live entertainment. (These numbers don't include online betting.)
- Poor people are disproportionately addicted to gambling, a study by the National Institute of Mental Health concluded. They are pulled by the lure to get rich quick.
- According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the cost of a pack of cigarettes averages $4.32, with the highest prices in Maine ($6.46) and New Jersey ($6.06) and the lowest in Missouri ($3.33). So, a pack-a-day smoker burns through about $30.24 per week, or nearly $1,600 per year.
- The cost of a cigarette habit includes more for insurance. Smokers lose money on the resale value of their cars and homes. They spend extra on dry cleaning and teeth cleaning, to name a few extra costs.
While cycling down the street I saw a sign saying, "We Finance Tire Rims". I must say, I stopped to take a look at the rims, they were amazing and I wouldn't mind driving down the street with those rims on my car. However, the bottom line is that if I have to CHOOSE where my priorities lie, my body will always take precedence over any vehicle or material items.
That's a choice for us all.
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