The price of being healthy

Never before have I been so acutely aware of how expensive produce is. In the past, I've always been working in kitchens, and so half of my meals were free as part of my employment (or occasionally taken out of my paycheck, whether I partook or not). Grocery shopping was an occasional thing for breakfast food and days off, so I had way more disposable income to allot to fresh fruits and veggies. Now, as I'm counting every penny I can save towards tuition, budgeting for a rent check every month that's triple what I'm used to, and going to a job that requires you bring your own lunch (and lets you get home before dinner time), grocery shopping is a struggle between what I want (mushrooms, fresh fish, avocado, raspberries!) and what I can afford. Starches are always cheapest: if a girl could live off pasta and rice alone, I'd be all set. Frozen and canned veggies are affordable, but leave you with a slim selection. Peas, carrots, broccoli, and stir-fry mixes are pretty much all you can get- I couldn't even find frozen cauliflower at the store yesterday. But when it comes to good, fresh veggies, you have to chose carefully, or shop the sales. Kale is my go-to for the highest nutrition at the lowest price; onions, which no one really seems to think of as a veggie, are also a good stand-by. The "humbler" vegetables tend to be cheaper than the exotic, so I've been getting creative with squashes, leeks, rutabaga, and turnips. Zucchini, if you can get it on sale, can be added to EVERYTHING, and carrots are always on my list. I have a hard time resisting avocado, fresh berries, and softer fruits (grocery store peaches are never worth it), and buy fresh tomatoes in moderation.

Although my tight budget is somewhat self-imposed, I can commiserate with those who have tighter budgets or less time. Eating healthy really does cost more, especially if you don't have time to do things from scratch, and high-calorie, easily eaten items (think bread, frozen dinners, processed meats) just seem more worth it when looking at the price tags. Why buy all this expensive produce when $4 at McDonald's could buy you two days' worth of calories? For me, it's been a challenge to see fresh food as a necessity rather than a luxury. In a pinch, I could live on pasta and canned sauce, and probably cut my food cost in half, but I have to remind myself that that would be neither healthy nor enjoyable. Some things in life are worth the extra expense, and fresh veggie sandwiches should be one of them.