Economics of Healthy Living

aimeecc · 02-06-2008, 02:12 PM

For Aliantha...

Not only is buying healthy and organic foods expensive, but contrary to claims that its better for the environment, its worse for the environment when the organic food has to be shipped 3,000 miles to the consumer.

I don't buy all organics, but do when its not much more expensive. Probably half of my little one's food is organic. My mom's visiting in 2 weeks and will only eat ALL organic. Its going to be a pain. Oatmeal has to be organic slow cook - no quick cooking Quaker Oats.

One of the funny things is there are 2 stores nearby that carry a good selection of organic foods. One is incredibly expensive. About once a month I get a $10 coupon in the mail from them, so I go shopping there then. The other store isn't too bad on price, but their selection is hit and miss. And their farther away. There's another store that carries some organics, but its 20 miles away, but way cheaper on everything. So usually once a week I go there. My husband says I waste time, and money on gas, but when a box of cheerios is $1 cheaper, and its the larger box (x 3 boxes a week), and the diapers are $2 cheaper, and the chicken is $3 cheaper (x 3 packs of chicken), and the baby food is 20 cents cheaper a jar (x 18 jars of baby food)... it adds up quickly. My husband thinks it funny I remember all the prices.

I was thinking of going organic toys for little one with all the scare over lead in childrens toys (it is IMPOSSIBLE to find toys not made there). But organic toys are incredibly expensive. So I figured I'll take the risk along with the millions of other parents who buy the China toys.

monster · 02-06-2008, 04:26 PM

Just save all your organic packaging, and next time your mom visits, decant all your regular crap into them

Buy second hand toys -not only is it cheaper and more environmentally friendly, but someone else's kid will have pre-chewed the lead paint off for you

I'm a mine of helpful tips, aren't I?

Seriously, resale stores are great places to get good domestically made toys at a reasonable price.

glatt · 02-06-2008, 04:43 PM

You're in Arlington. Have you been to Kinderhaus toys? They have many more high quality toys there than you will find in Toys R Us. They moved to Clarendon, so you have to pay for a meter spot, or park in a garage.

Aliantha · 02-06-2008, 05:06 PM

Well thanks for making a thread to tell me something I already know aimeecc.

I wasn't specifically talking about organic food though. I was talking about having a whole food diet wherever possible regardless of it's organic status.

It's cheaper and more filling to eat a packet of ramen noodles than it is to buy an orange, particularly if they happen to be out of season. The oranges not the noodles of course.

eta: About the lead in the paint on kids toys, you should lobby your government about not allowing such things into the country. In Australia, led in paint is illegal and toys found to contain led either in the mechanism or the paint are rejected. Of course, that doesn't stop things like bindi beads from arriving here.

Aliantha · 02-06-2008, 05:11 PM

btw, you could look at another discussion on the topic of organic food here.

aimeecc · 02-07-2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Well thanks for making a thread to tell me something I already know aimeecc.

lol. I know you know. Just wanted a diversion from other topics.

I was listening to NPR the other day and they were talking about how in DC (and I'm sure a lot of other inner cities), the poor really only have unhealthy options. There's not an abundance of grocery stores, so if you're poor, without a car, its much more cost effective to go to MacDonalds than to try to get to a grocery store, and pay high prices for healthy food.

SteveDallas · 02-07-2008, 09:52 AM

Or as I said to my wife once, "I can get two donuts across the street from my office for $1.58. What the $#%$*() kind of healthy breakfast can I get for that much?"

HungLikeJesus · 02-07-2008, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

Or as I said to my wife once, "I can get two donuts across the street from my office for $1.58. What the $#%$*() kind of healthy breakfast can I get for that much?"

SD, please clarify. The wording of this statement can be misconstrued to imply that donuts are not "healthy."

Combined with a Coke, they make for a nutritious and delicious breakfast.

Shawnee123 · 02-07-2008, 10:47 AM

Tis true: watch previously posted evidence here.

Well poo...says video no longer available?

HungLikeJesus · 02-07-2008, 10:50 AM

That was the one with the little chocolate donuts?

kerosene · 02-07-2008, 10:52 AM

Buy a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of 100% whole wheat bread for a total of about 4.50. It will last you at least a week and put your daily breakfast at the cost of about .90. Half of what you pay for your dough nuts. And it will be healthier than dough nuts. Not perfect, but healthier.

Why the hell am I getting all serious?

Shawnee123 · 02-07-2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

That was the one with the little chocolate donuts?

Yes, darnit. So funny.

@ case: yummmm peanut butter!

aimeecc · 02-07-2008, 10:54 AM

Box of multi-grain cheerios, $2.99, 1/2 gallon of soy milk, 3.50... So a dollar a day for my breakfast. Of course I'm hungry by nine. Cheerios aren't that filling.

HungLikeJesus · 02-07-2008, 10:59 AM

I just scoop up a pot-full of mud from down near the creek, mix it with some of the naturally-occurring vegetation from the back yard, maybe add some elk droppings when I can find them fresh, and I've created a very cheap and wholesome meal.

And it's 100% organic!

SteveDallas · 02-07-2008, 11:28 AM

The unspoken part of my quote was "what kind of healthy breakfast that I can leave my house and quickly pick up at or on the way to work without any prior preparation or planning on my part."

02-06-2008, 02:12 PM	#1
aimeecc Super Intendent Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 249	Economics of Healthy Living For Aliantha... Not only is buying healthy and organic foods expensive, but contrary to claims that its better for the environment, its worse for the environment when the organic food has to be shipped 3,000 miles to the consumer. I don't buy all organics, but do when its not much more expensive. Probably half of my little one's food is organic. My mom's visiting in 2 weeks and will only eat ALL organic. Its going to be a pain. Oatmeal has to be organic slow cook - no quick cooking Quaker Oats. One of the funny things is there are 2 stores nearby that carry a good selection of organic foods. One is incredibly expensive. About once a month I get a $10 coupon in the mail from them, so I go shopping there then. The other store isn't too bad on price, but their selection is hit and miss. And their farther away. There's another store that carries some organics, but its 20 miles away, but way cheaper on everything. So usually once a week I go there. My husband says I waste time, and money on gas, but when a box of cheerios is $1 cheaper, and its the larger box (x 3 boxes a week), and the diapers are $2 cheaper, and the chicken is $3 cheaper (x 3 packs of chicken), and the baby food is 20 cents cheaper a jar (x 18 jars of baby food)... it adds up quickly. My husband thinks it funny I remember all the prices. I was thinking of going organic toys for little one with all the scare over lead in childrens toys (it is IMPOSSIBLE to find toys not made there). But organic toys are incredibly expensive. So I figured I'll take the risk along with the millions of other parents who buy the China toys.

02-06-2008, 04:26 PM	#2
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Just save all your organic packaging, and next time your mom visits, decant all your regular crap into them Buy second hand toys -not only is it cheaper and more environmentally friendly, but someone else's kid will have pre-chewed the lead paint off for you I'm a mine of helpful tips, aren't I? Seriously, resale stores are great places to get good domestically made toys at a reasonable price. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

02-06-2008, 05:06 PM	#4
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Well thanks for making a thread to tell me something I already know aimeecc. I wasn't specifically talking about organic food though. I was talking about having a whole food diet wherever possible regardless of it's organic status. It's cheaper and more filling to eat a packet of ramen noodles than it is to buy an orange, particularly if they happen to be out of season. The oranges not the noodles of course. eta: About the lead in the paint on kids toys, you should lobby your government about not allowing such things into the country. In Australia, led in paint is illegal and toys found to contain led either in the mechanism or the paint are rejected. Of course, that doesn't stop things like bindi beads from arriving here. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber Last edited by Aliantha; 02-06-2008 at 05:15 PM.

02-06-2008, 05:11 PM	#5
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	btw, you could look at another discussion on the topic of organic food here. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

02-07-2008, 10:47 AM	#9
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Tis true: watch previously posted evidence here. Well poo...says video no longer available? Last edited by Shawnee123; 02-07-2008 at 10:48 AM. Reason: not working sorry

02-06-2008, 04:43 PM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	You're in Arlington. Have you been to Kinderhaus toys? They have many more high quality toys there than you will find in Toys R Us. They moved to Clarendon, so you have to pay for a meter spot, or park in a garage.

02-07-2008, 09:52 AM	#7
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Or as I said to my wife once, "I can get two donuts across the street from my office for $1.58. What the $#%$*() kind of healthy breakfast can I get for that much?"

02-07-2008, 10:50 AM	#10
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	That was the one with the little chocolate donuts? __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

02-07-2008, 10:52 AM	#11
kerosene Touring the facilities Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The plains of Colorado Posts: 3,476	Buy a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of 100% whole wheat bread for a total of about 4.50. It will last you at least a week and put your daily breakfast at the cost of about .90. Half of what you pay for your dough nuts. And it will be healthier than dough nuts. Not perfect, but healthier. Why the hell am I getting all serious? Last edited by kerosene; 02-07-2008 at 10:53 AM. Reason: to bitch slap myself.

02-07-2008, 10:54 AM	#13
aimeecc Super Intendent Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 249	Box of multi-grain cheerios, $2.99, 1/2 gallon of soy milk, 3.50... So a dollar a day for my breakfast. Of course I'm hungry by nine. Cheerios aren't that filling.

02-07-2008, 10:59 AM	#14
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	I just scoop up a pot-full of mud from down near the creek, mix it with some of the naturally-occurring vegetation from the back yard, maybe add some elk droppings when I can find them fresh, and I've created a very cheap and wholesome meal. And it's 100% organic! __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

02-07-2008, 11:28 AM	#15
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	The unspoken part of my quote was "what kind of healthy breakfast that I can leave my house and quickly pick up at or on the way to work without any prior preparation or planning on my part."

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