Guest guest Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 In light of all the recent discussion on this topic, we asked ourselves the question... Does it really cost more to eat healthy? Yes? - NO? - who knows? Guess it depends on what you compare it to... So, we decided to do our own comparisons: last night's Dinner menu - Garden fresh organic yellow crook-neck, quartered and again with thinly sliced organic red onion and organic garlic, organic okra, and organic fresh basil sau'ted in EVOO and a splash of Braggs served over a bed of organic fettucini pasta... with a garden fresh big, fat organic summer greens salad; a mix of organic bronze arrow, red oak leaf and tom thumb heirloom lettuces, with organic arugula, baby chard, and mizuna, organic cucumber, radish, and red onion, with wedged organic vine ripe " big beef " tomato and chopped basil - all tossed with EVOO & basil infused red wine vinegar with a splash of Braggs... Now taking the raw cost of all the seeds involved, the compost, organic fertilizers, etc, even though we harvest our own seeds and have for decades now, just for comparison purposes, and we garden our " lettuce and salad making " boxes year round, this will be a very conservative (high side estimate) on the actual costs of our own fresh greens, and the fact that the beds often reseed themselves and they require only periodic seeding, etc - anyway you get the idea, seed stock at this point and time costs us nada, nothing, zero, zip! And, everyone can have a " lettuce or salad " box, if they want one, or two or three, (and if you don't know how or need seeds, anything, just ask) - loads of fresh, clean greens in cold climates, hot climates, apartments, houses, urban, rural, no yard, a huge yard! it does not matter.... everyone can have their own fresh, natural organic salad maker(s)! Oh yeah... back to our comparison. the entree': approx. $2.12 for two organic crook-neck seeds:$2.79pack@12to20+lbs yield: 16+lb avg.=(.17) " " red onion seeds: $2.99 a bunch (60-80) 70 avg. = (.04) " " spanish garlic bulb: $2.49 (approx: 10-12 cloves) which produces 10-12 bulbs for a season (100-144 cloves) 120+ avg. = (.02) " " clemson spineless okra seeds: $2.79 pack (100+seeds) = 100+ plants yielding 1+lbs.per plant(anyway you get the idea) = (.02) " " siam queen basil seeds: $3.49 (100+seeds) yields a butt load! avg. .5-1 lb per plant (.01) 1 Quart organic EVOO @ 18.99/32 = .59 oz by 3.5 = (.17) 1 Gal. Braggs liquid amino @ 23.95/128 = .19 oz by 3.5 = (.05) 1 lb. Organic fettucini pasta @ $3.29 makes 4 servings = .82 x 2 = (1.64) the salad: approx. $0.65 for two all organic lettuce seeds @ 2.79 a pack x 3 = 8.37/52 wks = .16 @ 2x harvests a week = (.08 for a BIG bag full) organic arugula, baby chard and mizuna @ 2.79/pk each = " " " " = (.08) organic cucumber, radish and red onion = (.06) *see above organic " big beef " tomato @ 8+ lbs. per plant (6/plants)= 1.20 ea/ 8 = .15/lb @ .5lb. ea = (.075 a med. tomato) organic basil: *see above (.01) EVOO: *see above (.17) organic basil infused red wine vinegar: 6.99/16 oz = .43 oz by 3.5 = (.125) Braggs liquid amino: *see above (.05) --- -------------- any restaurant: (if you can find one that serves all organic food) $14-18 each x 2 + 20% tip = $33 - $43 vs. the dining inn, a slow food experience! (*see breakdown): $2.77 for two! This mornings Breakfast menu - Freshly ground whole bean organic certified, free-trade sustainable, shade grown coffee (no starpucks here...yeah baby yeah!) with freshly baked organic zucchini spelt bread (which by the way IS to die for) and then breakfast tacos; organic brown omega-3 eggs, smart round, diced organic red onion and jalapeno, dice organic vine- ripe " cherokee purple " tomato on warm natural white corn tortillas. We buy the above coffee online for $5/lb @ $25/5lbs.(+ no tax, free shipping, no driving, no $3.50 gasoline, no standing inline) = .31 oz/ we use approx. 1oz per/press x 2 presses (approx. 4 cups each = 8 cups or approx. .08 a cup (.64) organic zucchini: *see organic squash above (.17) bread mixture: all ingredients organic; spelt flour, raw & unrefined sugar, fresh crushed pineapple, brown eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, pinch salt, baking soda, baking power, etc. ($2.23) breakfast tacos: $1.71 for 4 = less than .43 each organic brown omega-3 eggs @ $4/dz = .33 each x 3 = (.99) smart round/soy @ $3.29 (makes 1.5 lbs. of " ground meat " substitute) used approx. 2 oz. = (.27) organic tomato, jalapeno and onion: *see above - approx. (.09) natural white corn tortillas: $1.79/20ct. = .09 each x 4 = (.36) --- --------------- Again any restaurant: (if you can find one that serves all organic food) $8-10 each x 2 + 15% tip = $18.40 to 23.00 vs. the dinning inn - a slow food experience (*see breakdown): $4.58 for two! So, in conclusion - it might cost more to eat healthy, but why? It doesn't have to and it should not, especially when eating a " meat free " diet. Dinner for two under $3 and Breakfast for two under $5 - and of course, the cost of eating healthy.... priceless! was this a master card moment or what?!? Blessings to you all! namaste' doc (and milli) ps: please excuse being long winded again - musta' been all that great coffee... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 Well, of course, restaurants (especially the ones serving healthy and/or organic food) are going to cost significantly more than eating at home. You may recall my story of the $3 side salad of lettuce and tomato versus the big bunch of collard greens I picked up for $2 at the grocery store immediately following the lunch out. -Erin http://www.zenpawn.com/vegblog , " mendo_medicineman " <mendo_medicineman wrote: > > In light of all the recent discussion on this topic, we asked > ourselves the question... > > Does it really cost more to eat healthy? > > Yes? - NO? - who knows? > > Guess it depends on what you compare it to... > > So, we decided to do our own comparisons: [...] > So, in conclusion - it might cost more to eat healthy, but why? It > doesn't have to and it should not, especially when eating a " meat > free " diet. > > Dinner for two under $3 and Breakfast for two under $5 - and of > course, the cost of eating healthy.... priceless! was this a master > card moment or what?!? Blessings to you all! > > namaste' > > doc (and milli) > > ps: please excuse being long winded again - musta' been all that > great coffee... > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 So the recipe of this " to die for " bread is where? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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