Healthy food options vs. junk food

Hello to all!
Today was grocery shopping day. I decided I would venture out at 4:30A.M. Usually I go during mid day or early evening time. Today I decided to go quite early because my husband was home. While usually I don’t mind to take my children (which is most of the time) today I wanted to enjoy some me time. 2 hours and $250.00 dollars later I was loading my minivan and I started really thinking about what I just bought and the price I paid for everything. Now I have only been on a what I like to call “health kick” for almost a year now. Before I didn’t really eat too healthy. I did buy some fruits and veggies but sides were usually mashed potatoes & other processed foods. I have always been a frugal shopper no matter what it is I am buying. I always shop the perimeter of the store first because I have been told to do so by the Doc for my weight loss needs rather as he puts it healthier benefits. So while I was picking and choosing groceries I was really paying attention to the prices. Starting out in the produce section the apples, lettuce, bananas among a few other produce items were not too expensively priced. First of the produce items I took a look at that was too expensive and had to walk away from was the bell peppers @ $1.00 each. Onto 4oz packages of blackberries and blueberries @ $3.98 that I also walked away from among a few other items. Moving onto the bulk which in my stores case is granola, pasta, grains, rice, spices, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, some candy and some other things that are not really considered healthy. First I walked to the rice section to get some quinoa. There were 2 separate kinds to choose from. Organic @ $5.78lb and plain white quinoa @ $3.78lb. I was determined to buy some quinoa so I chose the white quinoa. Now I am headed to the nuts and seeds. Usually I like to get raw almonds but this time after seeing the price on them @ $6.98lb so I quickly turned to raw sunflower seeds @ $3.74lb. Just glancing around in this area I noticed this store is now carrying agave nectar. I thought maybe I would get some but also after seeing the price for it must have been a 1.5 liter @ $23.58. Now for sugar substitute I usually use Stevia natural sweetener. lately I have been hearing about some good health benefits from agave nectar though regardless of them having even minor calories amounts in them so I thought to myself once I spotted it “oh yes I have been wanting to try this.” I wished that bubble did not have to get busted. I was greatly looking forward to trying it. Now to the meat we go. Now I like my occasional pork or beef but lately I have been strict about sticking to the turkey or chicken or even some fish choices for obvious reasons. Strolling through the meats to the ground turkey I have arrived @ $7.45 for a 3lb prepackaged piece I stroll on by it. Now we have the whole pieces of chicken and turkey. I see some chicken legs for a very decent price that I decide I am going to buy, mind you they are off brand. Five minutes after that I was convinced that was the only “good deal” I was getting on meat. “Fish” the only kind of steal around here you get is if you snag it yourself out of the water. Now I am in the dairy section next to to frozen. I grab my dairy items, quickly glance at Greek yogurt (suppose to be healthiest) cheapest I see is $1.00ea for the smaller tubs and move on. In the freezer section I grab some corn dogs, hot pockets, fries, hash browns, burritos and some regular old sausage links I would not consider the healthier choice and I wouldn’t personally eat. Grabbing these items for my husband the non believer of “health foods”. Wow I can’t believe the amount I am getting for the price is my thought. Thinking if only I could get these kinds of deals on my healthier choice food items. Now I am almost finished. Last couple stops @ whole grain bread, canned tuna, some healthier choice condiments, coffee, green tea and the soda & chips for the hubby. These are items I consider not too badly priced. Most brands of pop actually are more expensive than what they used to be but I get store brand so it is not too bad. Strolling through the isles on my way to capture all these last items I am paying attention to mostly popular bought items in general and a lot of the items I used to shop for. I am comparing prices for these processed and not so healthy choices to the healthier items that I have chosen to buy instead and I am shocked. This seems to be something that is only getting worse. Now did you think this is the only time that this frugal shopper has compared prices like this? No, I have done this before. This is just the only time I have blogged about it :). I have done some research into this and I do realize that prices on items are different in different geographical areas. Seriously though going from my grocery bill being $75.00 to $250.00 for the same portion of food is quite noticeable don’t you think? I do personally believe this is why a lot of people choose to not eat healthier options. Now I also realize they cannot completely blame “food” it is also about portion sizes and exercise too. I do believe that with more affordable healthy options that people wouldn’t be so hesitant to buy these options. So I am going to end this post now but I am willing to leave this topic open for some more opinions. I would like to hear where abouts you readers live and what kind of prices you have in your local grocery stores. I want to know your take on this. If you agree or disagree. Thank you for your time in reading my post

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