View from the sidelines on the war against processed food

The excuse that healthy food is too expensive is just bu11sh1t. Buying fancy 'health foods' or organics can be expensive, but good basic ingredients are not. They just need someone to put the effort into preparing them. The excuse that healthy food is too time consuming to prepare is bu11sh1t too. How long does it take to prepare an apple? Or a salad? Variety of taste and choice is limited only by your imagination by the ingredients and seasonings that you choose. There's nothing to stop you including salt and sugar if that's what you want to do, but at least you can control the amount. You get off the fence, and I'll get off my soapbox!

Okay, if people cut out cake, cookies, potato chips, fried food, candy, soda and takeaway, then it's a win/win situation...right? They are not eating crap and so they are saving money which can go towards healthier food.

It seems notifications are back!! Yay!! Very exciting. Yeah.. I agree.. war on food not winnable.. processed junk prevails in my house.

Very difficult for the average family to eat perfectly healthy unless they grow veggies in containers etc. This can be done. Tomatoes are easy to grow in flower pots and lettuce too. But processed foods are cheaper and more filling and also things like macaroni and white flour. These foods are fillers for growing children to feed on at less cost. I am not sure that the war is winnable at all unless each individual family becomes creative and committed to their own gardens or using containers to grow veggies.

I am all for eating natural and organic food products and less processed food but like you I also have budget constraints which doesn't allow me to get all of the things exactly the way I want. A lot of organic things are almost double in price compared to non-organic which is unfortunate because I've read about all the negative health impacts that exposure to pesticides and genetically engineered food can do. I try to buy most of my food organically but it's hard to afford it all. Organic meat and breads and things that aren't vegetables can get really expensive. Most non-vegetable and fruit-products are pretty expensive regardless of how they were produced. I think we should all try to avoid processed food as much as we can but unfortunately that can be tough for most people. I think that the food industry should be required to do more research on the quality of their food so that they can find the best ways to deliver the most healthy and nutritious products that they can. We all pay good money for our groceries and our hard work should be rewarded by these corporations that are raking in a lot of money. They should be able to at least show concern in our livelihood and make higher quality products or organic food companies should lower their prices.

For me natural and organic products are the best food products. Packed food are filled with preservatives that are totally harmful for the body. Well, budget constraints are in everyones life, so i have opted for growing my food in my garden itself without any artificial fertilizer. The veggies have such an awesome taste that i can't express in words. I think you should also opt for that. What say...

I think you can win, but it takes some work. You have to cook and bake things from scratch with quality ingredients. Even organic ingredients are cheaper than premade junk food. Basics like flour, salt, sugar, tea and/or coffee, beans and dried peas, a minimum of organic meat and fresh fruits and vegetables don't cost much, but they do take time to prepare. For instance, I can buy a pound of organic, grass fed ground beef for around $5. I use a third to a half of it at one time and make skillet dishes with whole wheat pasta, maybe some cheese and fresh vegetables. That isn't as expensive as buying a pizza and it doesn't take very long to cook it AND it's much healthier.

Personally your statements here does make a lot of sense, and if they are so concerned with what people eat, and want people to try and eat more Healthy, especially when things are tight, they could offer some better choices at prices we can all afford. It is unreal just to try to eat more Healthy like in Salads even just the price you have to pay for all the ingredients to have one. Has no one ever who stresses on eating more Healthy ever considered this?

Oh it's a tough one. I remember being able to buy half the "healthy stuff" versus the not so healthy stuff. Plus the fight you can get from the family when you take away their favorites like Coca Pebbles If can't tell...I have been there. I eased it in slowly. It's different if you are used to certain things and then have to change versus being raised with it. I am still not off the fence totally either way. I am the in betweener.

It is hard to keep your family healthy mot especially if you are constraint from buying the healthy food choices due to lack of money. I am guilty of giving my kids those processed food, but sometimes, I do not have a choice. But I guess, the best that we can do is to just limit the amount of processed food that we give them.

I love how I feel when I eat organic natural foods, but the price here is riiculous. I find myself trying to eat healthy but the price is overpoweing. I try to make it half and half when I shop. I know many who buy all processed meats, foods and so constantly you can see in their weight, and lifestyle. A guy I went to college with use to eat fast food breakfast, lunch and dinner out at McDonalds, Subway and other places like that. I don't think this battle will be won.

Yes nice advice, but it is hard for us to acquire really healthy food specially if your budget is not enough but on anyway have some exercise and drink more water and eat more vegetables it is much cheaper. Water can help wash out ingredients not good for our body. exercise make our body flexible and improve blood circulations.