Don't eat that, or this, or this .... GAWHHH!

When I was 186 pounds, I ate whatever I wanted.  I am 5'4" people, I was a pretty big gal.

In an effort to lose those pounds, I started moving (walking at first, then running), and I started paying attention to food labels.  I lost 50 of those pounds.

But I seriously had to buy a freaking book to help me understand what to eat and not eat. That book told me to shop the parimeter of the store, never even walk the isles.  Ok really, what world do you live in that you can realistically do that?  Not mine.  Try it sometime - not just once, try it for a few weeks.  I don't know how it's even possible to do for the long term.   

An article posted by a friend on Facebook made me think of this today, so I just gotta vent about it. The article was about unhealthy ingredients, which is not really the point to this post - that is a whole different post that I'll have to talk about another time, but.... 

Can I just get some damn bread that isn't killing me from the inside out or one that doesn't weigh in at 150 calories a slice?? Is that too much to ask?!  Reading food labels and knowing what to put in your cart is exhausting.

You think you're doing good by eating a snack pack of fruit - then you realize the freaking thing has added sugar and is filled with crap.  You take your kid to Sonic and pass on the cheeseburger, get an 'all fruit' smoothie because surely that is better than a cheeseburger .... then see that the damn thing has ice cream & canned fruit swimming in syrup.  You would have been better off just having the cheeseburger.  That just pisses me off.

Ok. Relax..... deep breath....

So!  Finally the point of the post.  Just last night my bf and I went to the grocery store to get a few things.  Several times I noticed in our effort to make the better choice, there was a substantial price point difference.  And not for the better my friends. 

It's way more expensive to eat healthy.  There. I said it.  I'm not saying it isn't worth it, IT IS.  But dang, it's way more.

If someone tells you different, well, they must not be on my grocery budget.  We walked out of the store with 3 small bags, $37.00.  It was banana Tuesday however, which is a total score of 29 cents per pound.  So that bag doesn't even really count.

This is just frustrating to me, and here are a few examples:

A teeny tiny baby container of fresh blueberries (enough for one, maybe two smoothies), $4.99.

Good for you cereal, $5.49.  Bad for you cereal, $1.99.

Sugar free fudge bars, $4.99.  Bad for you fudge bars, $1.49.

Greek yogurt, $1.39.  Bad for you yogurt, 49 cents.

Good for you bread, $3.59.  Bad for you bread, $1.00

Free range organic eggs, $3.49.  Regular 'ol white eggs, $1.00.

And for the love of pete don't even get me STARTED on milk.  Organic milk is well over twice the price of the hormone filled stuff.

Want to know what my choices were?  I opted for frozen blueberries, good for you cereal, skipped the fudge bars completely, and bought the free range eggs.  My boyfriend says they taste 'happier' and he's right!

So we basically spent twice as much as we could have.  Want to know why the country is so overweight?  Go to the grocery store. 

Can I get a Hallelujah!

(I am stepping off of my box now and going to clip coupons)

By the way, here's that article - it's worth a read, but still frustrated the hells bells out of me. 
http://www.shape.com/blogs/shape-your-life/13-banned-foods-still-allowed-us

Happy Tuesday!