For the last 7 years, couponing has been hailed as the solution to cutting your food budget. Most Americans spend upwards of $800 each month. It’s inevitable, they say… eating healthy is just out of reach for most — or is it?
It might be easy for some to just jump for the savings – it would be even more easy to believe the advertising and not really think about what you are actually eating if you eat processed foods.
It would be easy too… in a time when grocery prices seem to be rising, to just shop with a coupon – after all, it appears to be less expensive. If you don’t, then you are crazy for not saving.
But…. wait.
The manufacturers of these items don’t tell us that as much as 75% of the foods on grocery store shelves contain ingredients that are genetically modified – in addition to pesticides, chemicals and more. They don’t tell us that some of these foods have questionable ingredients. They don’t even tell us that some of the items on the shelves have dangerous additives OR side effects – you have to find that out on your own.
Fresh produce really isn’t much better – at least if you are picking up at the grocery store. It’s better than processed food, but unless you know where it came from or, how it was grown, that produce is just as risky. Strawberries for $.87? One of the most heavily laden pesticide foods. Grapes cheap this week? Those too – both are important to buy from a local farmer or at least organic (still uses Organic pesticides but are far better than non-Organic).
The next time you grab your coupons, and it’s for a processed food.. then read the label before you buy the product. If you are unsure of the ingredients, then look them up. If the item has Soy, then that should be a red flag immediately – Soy is NOT a healthy food. Processed Milk is clearly far from a healthy choice. Almond Milk isn’t much better either, unless you like sugared down water.
Next time to grab your items for toothpaste or body wash, ask yourself if you really know all those ingredients on the label of the toothpaste. Do you realize it’s cheaper and just as effective to make your own toothpaste? Save yourself a trip to the store and just make it at home.
“But That’s Why I Stick with Household or Personal Care Items..”
They aren’t much better. Really – – they aren’t. All the chemicals in cleaners and body wash, soap products – use Vinegar and Baking Soda to make your own cleaners, it’s cheaper in the long run. Those health and beauty products stocking your cabinets are full of chemicals too – and the products you put on your skin are sometimes more dangerous than the ones you put in your body.
Shopping with coupons has been touted on TLC’s Extreme Couponing as the way to save. If you aren’t a coupon queen hauling in cart loads of food for pennies, you aren’t considered to be as effective at saving as someone who claims that they may not coupon.
In fact, if you mention you don’t, you are often seen as someone who is missing obvious savings – you’d be a fool not to take advantage of.
I recently read an article that most americans spend 90% of their food budget on processed food – which explains why a large majority of coupons are for processed type products. But why worry? Are these additives really that much of a concern?i
Sodium Nitrate is found in hot dogs and sandwich meat – popular brands of deli meat, and even sausage. Even if your deli meat is nitrate free, it’s likely not hormone or antibiotic free.
Artificial colors including food dyes are linked to allergy reactions and hyperactivity in children.
Potassium Bromate is commonly used in flour – and is linked to the nervous system, thyroid, and intestinal discomfort.
Sodium Benzoate is found in your salad dressings, pickles, and even condiments you consume every day – this is also linked to hyperactivity.
Natural Flavors and Artificial Flavors including propylene glycol – are solvents, and are added to most of your foods.
The list goes on… all of these items can affect your nervous system, which controls your cells, organis and tissues in your body. For most, these are unavoidable – after all, the food police is just over the top with continuous lists of what you can’t eat or shouldn’t eat.
In the end, they are largely avoidable if you eliminate purchasing these processed foods.On the outside, it seems like a novel idea – saving money on groceries? I’m all in. Who doesn’t like items for FREE?