why are nuts so freakin' expensive??
- Thread starter jdoll
- Start date
Jes,
You can freeze nuts and eat them right out of the fridge, they don't actually "freeze." As a matter of fact I like them better this cold, better flavor to me. But, one warning, if you're going to bake with them let them come up to room temp first, or some funky stuff can happen with flours, batters, etc.
I totally agree with you about the price, like $5 for a pound of almonds? They're so tiny!
Mattea
You can freeze nuts and eat them right out of the fridge, they don't actually "freeze." As a matter of fact I like them better this cold, better flavor to me. But, one warning, if you're going to bake with them let them come up to room temp first, or some funky stuff can happen with flours, batters, etc.
I totally agree with you about the price, like $5 for a pound of almonds? They're so tiny!
Mattea
candi
Cathlete
I was just commenting yesterday how expensive and inconvenient it is to eat healthy. Not complaining, mind you, but just making an observation.
Fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts are so much more expensive if you compare a 99 cent fast food hamburger...and you don't have to prepare the hamburger. I'm sure this is party what contributes to such an overweight population.
Fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts are so much more expensive if you compare a 99 cent fast food hamburger...and you don't have to prepare the hamburger. I'm sure this is party what contributes to such an overweight population.
It's probably market driven.
A little o/t, other than actually eating them I found another great use for nuts--they take scratches out of wood. One of my dogs scratched the heck out of my oak dining room table (trying to get food off it of course). So I bought some pecans, broke them in half & rubbed the broken part on the scratches. They pretty much disappeared. It's like a miracle!
A little o/t, other than actually eating them I found another great use for nuts--they take scratches out of wood. One of my dogs scratched the heck out of my oak dining room table (trying to get food off it of course). So I bought some pecans, broke them in half & rubbed the broken part on the scratches. They pretty much disappeared. It's like a miracle!
Are you serious?? had you heard that somewhere or did you just try it out of desperation? that is amazing and i am going to try it. i have tons of pecans in the freezer and i don't eat pecans, so i will use them all for the scratches in my furniture. Excellent!
i do live on a farm actually and we have 15 pecan trees but we let the neighbors come get them all. maybe i should start selling them to pay for my walnuts!!!!!
jes
i do live on a farm actually and we have 15 pecan trees but we let the neighbors come get them all. maybe i should start selling them to pay for my walnuts!!!!!
jes
And while we're complaining, I'd like to add my two cents. Not only is eating healthy expensive and inconvenient, but it just doesn't taste as good as junk food! I'm sorry, but I prefer my fruit nestled cozily between two crusts. I want my veggies dripping with cheese or butter. And while we're at it, I'd rather have a frozen Pepsi than a glass of water. There, I admitted it. I like junk food.
Shari
(who's off to fix a batch of TVP chili and a big jug of lemon water, drat it)
>I was just commenting yesterday how expensive and
>inconvenient it is to eat healthy. Not complaining, mind you,
>but just making an observation.
>
>Fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts are so much more expensive
>if you compare a 99 cent fast food hamburger...and you don't
>have to prepare the hamburger. I'm sure this is party what
>contributes to such an overweight population.
Shari
(who's off to fix a batch of TVP chili and a big jug of lemon water, drat it)
>I was just commenting yesterday how expensive and
>inconvenient it is to eat healthy. Not complaining, mind you,
>but just making an observation.
>
>Fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts are so much more expensive
>if you compare a 99 cent fast food hamburger...and you don't
>have to prepare the hamburger. I'm sure this is party what
>contributes to such an overweight population.
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I don't find healthy eating to be expensive. Some items are - especially if you buy organic - but I'm always amazed that buying low on the food chain (fruit, veggies, rice, oatmeal, eggs) is so cheap and prepared food (Lean Cuisines, soda, cookies) is so expensive. For me, the "cost" of eating healthy is my time - it certainly takes longer to cook every meal from scratch than to microwave a frozen entree or get food "to go" from McDonalds.
I shop around for my expensive healthy stuff - I can buy nuts, grains and dried fruit in bulk at the local health-food place, instead of getting those itty bitty grocery-store packages of nuts from the "baking" section for $3.79 each. I buy the huge canisters of oatmeal when they're on sale and stick to seasonal fruit and vegetables - raspberries are always expensive but they're extortionate in January when they're imported from Chile or wherever. I also found a local warehouse store with a decent butcher and seafood section for chicken, turkey and fish - I buy that in large amounts, divide it and freeze it.
Allison
I shop around for my expensive healthy stuff - I can buy nuts, grains and dried fruit in bulk at the local health-food place, instead of getting those itty bitty grocery-store packages of nuts from the "baking" section for $3.79 each. I buy the huge canisters of oatmeal when they're on sale and stick to seasonal fruit and vegetables - raspberries are always expensive but they're extortionate in January when they're imported from Chile or wherever. I also found a local warehouse store with a decent butcher and seafood section for chicken, turkey and fish - I buy that in large amounts, divide it and freeze it.
Allison
I'm totally with Allison on this one. I rarely buy pre-made foods and cook most meals from scratch from the “low on the food chain” ingredients, and have found that it's not expensive and not hard.
My area has a really terrific natural foods co-op with a large selection of organic and some non-organic fresh foods, tons of pantry items in bulk, local dairy products, locally raised meats, etc. The prices for the organic vs. non-organic fresh stuff is very competitive compared to the grocery store across the street. Being the cheapskate that I am, I do a LOT of comparison-shopping.
One thing I’ll say is that in my experience, the more proficient I became as a cook, the less expensive it has become to eat well – by “well” meaning healthy AND tasting good. My food has to taste good, life is too short to just eat dry, plain chicken breast.
My area has a really terrific natural foods co-op with a large selection of organic and some non-organic fresh foods, tons of pantry items in bulk, local dairy products, locally raised meats, etc. The prices for the organic vs. non-organic fresh stuff is very competitive compared to the grocery store across the street. Being the cheapskate that I am, I do a LOT of comparison-shopping.
One thing I’ll say is that in my experience, the more proficient I became as a cook, the less expensive it has become to eat well – by “well” meaning healthy AND tasting good. My food has to taste good, life is too short to just eat dry, plain chicken breast.
candi
Cathlete
Do you hear what you're saying Allison and Gayle? You seek out special places to buy your healthy food at reasonable prices. Not only that, you have to work to get to different places for these items. Most people ARE NOT gonna do this. That's my point. Most people's schedules and budget are not conducive to healthy eating unless they are really driven by a desire to do so.
I love eating healthy. I do not like fast food, except for Taco Bell every now and then. I prepare a most of my meals for the next week on the weekend so I have the time to eat healthy during the week. If I were into fast food, I'd be going out with my friends to MacDonalds or Burger King for lunch...and it would be cheaper!
I love eating healthy. I do not like fast food, except for Taco Bell every now and then. I prepare a most of my meals for the next week on the weekend so I have the time to eat healthy during the week. If I were into fast food, I'd be going out with my friends to MacDonalds or Burger King for lunch...and it would be cheaper!
We DO shop around for reasonable prices, but doesn't everyone, regardless of how they eat? Don't a lot of people go to Costco or Wal-Mart for groceries instead of their local chain supermarket because of the value? I do the same thing but I'm trying to shop healthy (though I'll admit those Pepperidge Farm cookies have a way of sneaking into my basket). The time factor for me for shopping at multiple stores is negligible - in addition to my regular grocery shop, I make one stop at the butcher and one at the health-food store maybe every six weeks (since I buy in bulk, I don't need to go often).
And even if they just want to do one-stop shopping, I do think most people could shop healthier at their regular grocery store or warehouse club, but it's not a priority for them. All those places carry meats, produce, breads, grains and dairy...but we're too tempted by the five-pound bags of Cheetos and family-size Tater Tots.
Allison
The time factor for me for shopping at multiple stores is negligible - in addition to my regular grocery shop, I make one stop at the butcher and one at the health-food store maybe every six weeks (since I buy in bulk, I don't need to go often).And even if they just want to do one-stop shopping, I do think most people could shop healthier at their regular grocery store or warehouse club, but it's not a priority for them. All those places carry meats, produce, breads, grains and dairy...but we're too tempted by the five-pound bags of Cheetos and family-size Tater Tots.
Allison
Actually, in my case, the co-op is smack dab in the middle of town, right across the street from the big chain supermarket - you can walk from one to the other. It also has a much greater variety of items available than the supermarket.
For example, the bulk section carries pastas made from not only your standard semolina, but also whole wheat (more than the SM), rice, quinoa, buckwheat, spinach, and artichoke to name a few. Not to mention all the varieties of whole grains, flours, beans, lentils, nuts, etc. Since they're sold in bulk, they're cheaper.
Shopping there is MUCH more convenient than the supermarket. Maybe I'm just lucky that this type of thing is important enough in the community that there's a market driven demand for it. I'm very happy to have that choice.
For example, the bulk section carries pastas made from not only your standard semolina, but also whole wheat (more than the SM), rice, quinoa, buckwheat, spinach, and artichoke to name a few. Not to mention all the varieties of whole grains, flours, beans, lentils, nuts, etc. Since they're sold in bulk, they're cheaper.
Shopping there is MUCH more convenient than the supermarket. Maybe I'm just lucky that this type of thing is important enough in the community that there's a market driven demand for it. I'm very happy to have that choice.