One of the BIGGEST reasons we stopped clipping lots of coupons a few years ago and transformed our eating habits in our family is because that bargain shopping led to food choices that were LESS than stellar.
The truth is, that although yes, you can sometimes get coupons on produce including organic items (through Ibotta, Shopmium and even BerryCart), in reality, the deals are FAR and few between. They definitely won’t make me RUN to the store, and they don’t provide thousands of dollars in savings that extreme couponers tout in their blog posts and on Facebook pictures.
It’s true that most of the coupons available for foods are for junk food and processed items – we have mentioned that these items are largely subsidized, and no – these manufacturers are NOT looking out for YOUR best interest but their pocketbook.
Our government is not looking out for your best interest, after all, pharmaceuticals and doctor visits are continued revenue streams for them – without sick or problematic Americans, people might discover more of a reliance on self care and that concept instills fear in the billion-dollar food and pharmaceutical industry.
Understandably that’s not what you may expect to hear from a blogger that does grocery store matchups and coupon deals – I agree. Blogging “food” in general for some bloggers can be lucrative. If you choose the lesser traveled path, it’s not popular, less popularity does not equate to revenue.
In fact, in the last 6 years of blogging I have yet to hear that from ANY blogger.. perhaps that open and honest candor worries them that they will lose revenue from visits (after all, it’s not popular to tell you to stay away from food that’s cheap or free… who does that? Are they crazy?)
Perhaps they worry that their coupon revenue from promoting poor purchases will decrease.
And perhaps … they don’t realize the importance – for us, we didn’t realize until we started to have problems ourselves.
The Perception
It’s HARD to change the way you think, the food you buy, the habits you have. After couponing for SO long, it’s a challenge for most. Does it yield favorability? No – When double coupons ended at Fry’s & Safeway I think many of us noticed that prices weren’t as low.
I struggled … because many of the deals we had before we just not deals in my eyes. And even more now, I can’t tell you to *RUN* and pick up that box of pop tarts knowing that it’s just truly a horrible deal. The expense of papers, for food that is {largely} isn’t GREAT for you, for sales that are lackluster, is not a motivator!
And considering I have 4 kids and my time is limited, it doesn’t make it any easier to spend valuable time running for those deals. Do we still clip? A little, if I see a coupon for something I might use (far & few between), I might – but we don’t spend much more now… it’s condensed in specific places… and a monthly trip to Costco has replaced our constant “running” to the grocery store – and saved us MUCH more.
We are aware that people are on a budget – money is tight – and I agree that money is tight for US too. But when you buy that stuff all the time instead of healthier foods, your health may take a backseat to saving money at the grocery store.
And in the end, the cost of that choice might be more than the money you haved saved through the years of couponing.
How does Food Impact your Health
Food allows our body to function properly. To function daily. The right food gives our body the right information to do it’s job – if we eat too much food, or eat the wrong foods, it can lead to health problems like heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and even obesity.
They always say.. you are what you eat.
And granted we can’t eat perfect all the time, there is NO better time to consider the food you eat as a type of medicine FOR your body. It’s essential for good health.
Our food contains nutrients that are necessary for bodily functions – it’s incredibly hard at times to see past convenience food and pick better choices. When faced with a strapping budget, it might be hard to look past eating better for foods that you can afford – which might not always be the BEST foods for you.
As Mother Nature Network says:
Why is there such an abundance of sugar in our diets? The continuous addition of sugar into our foods over several decades is the consequence of government policies, the scientific formulation of food to manipulate our brains, and food companies that want to sell more food so they successfully block legislation that would set standards for sugar intake.
The overwhelming science shows how added sugars in a diet cause metabolic diseases. Seventy-five percent of healthcare dollars go to the treatment of these illnesses, making it not just a public health crisis but also an economic crisis that is only going to get worse unless something is done.
80% of our immune system is contained in the gastrointestinal system (Source), which essentially means that a person issues with immunity could be related to faulty digestion. Probiotics are great, but don’t rely on them to replace what your diet should be.
Just last week we mentioned differences between Organic & Non-GMO – how does that relate to your gut?
At least 88% of the items listed above are Genetically Modified (GMO) … Roundup is 1 of 3 Types of GMO’s… within Roundup is Glyphosate.
And we mentioned last week:
Glyphosate is NOT permitted on Organic Crops. Roundup is an herbicide that is sprayed on crops – the crops are engineered to withstand Roundup, but everything around it (including the soil) dies – even the GOOD bacteria dies.
Unfortunately, Non-GMO Crops (such as wheat) can be pre-harvested with glyphosate. The real reason wheat is toxic is far from being the Gluten. There is concern that the widespread use of this herbicide can accumulate and lead to the escalating incidence of autoimmune disorders.
The reason why many people may have trouble digesting Wheat may not be Gluten– at least for MOST people.
From The Healthy Home Economist:
The chart {above} of skyrocketing applications of glyphosate to US wheat crops since 1990 and the incidence of celiac disease is from a December 2013 study published in the Journal Interdisciplinary Toxicology examining glyphosate pathways to autoimmune disease.
Why Should you Care?
The role of food plays a larger role than what many might even realize.
I will be honest & say we didn’t always care about what we ate. In fact, we didn’t even realize what we were eating was directly tied to our health until we started to find ways to improve my husband’s health 2 years ago when we started to look deeper into why his anxiety was getting worse – why he was having so many problems with his gut, and why he was constantly tired.
Since then, watching friends suffer from a myriad of health problems suddenly wake up to realize their diet was sabotaging their health. They had their physical and they found out they were diabetic. Some were diagnosed with more prescriptions, some are routinely sick – hospitalized, the list goes on and on.
We slowly got rid of prescription after prescription – it was not easy to do. We changed our diet. We modified our purchases. We did self research, and even more, we tried to shut out those things that influence us to make bad decisions, even if that meant saying no to friends that wanted to eat out with us at various places.
Some of these people were family to us – so it was a wake up call to our OWN selves, that even we aren’t absent to the effects of food. Food is more powerful than many people may even realize.
The type of food your body intakes, and processes can have such a huge affect on the functions of your brain. Your brain is happier when your stomach is well – your gut can influence chronic health issues like headaches, ADHD, Diabetes & more.. I had frequent headaches up until we started making dietary changes. I haven’t’ suffered from headaches now in at least 4-5 months – as much as I’d like to think stress had some part, diet may have played a part, too.
How you feel both physically and emotionally can rest on your gut – healthy food choices are essential for ensuring better chances at your health long term.
However… the average American diet is filled with sugary, processed food (most of what is advertised in grocery ads IS processed) – over time, you damage your gut, and your body becomes less functional. Bad bacteria in your gut will lead to frequent headaches, depression and even more health issues.
SO What do you Do?
It can be SO hard to know WHERE to start…and sometimes daunting trying to figure out how to make changes.
What worked for us… was making small changes over time – Better Food Choices can’t always be immediate.. but your attempts to make better choices can.
We recently mentioned 8 ways to find healthy, sustainable food.
For us, staying OUT of the grocery store is the most beneficial. Start by growing a garden. Take part in a local CSA. Learn how to cook a wider variety of food. Start paying attention to the labels on your boxes in the store.
Try to refrain from buying packaged food and eat more produce/vegetables with less reliance on meat (THIS post is a GREAT place to start!)
Only eat fresh foods, that are not packaged, and limit those you buy in a box or that are frozen ready to eat meals. Try to eat out LESS, and invest in items that will help you prepare healthier meals at home (such as an Instant Pot).
- Get out of the supermarket and shop at your Farmers Market, where you can buy more fresh produce
- Look for Organic produce (hence why a CSA or Farmers Market can be a better place) – if you can’t afford that, at least do it for the Dirty Dozen (I would also add Papaya and Corn to the list!)
- Be disciplined enough to look past the GREAT deals, and only for those that you know will benefit your family
- Read our last post on 6 ways to Avoid the Temptation of Buying Unhealthy Food
Most importantly – self educate. Some of these documentaries are a GREAT place to start: