The main barrier that holds a lot of fast food junkies back from eating more healthier is the claim that healthy, nutritious food is too expensive. But is it really? What store can you shop at to get healthy , nutritious food? And what is United States guidelines when it comes to eating ?

We live in a country where obesity is a growing epidemic . The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention states that obesity affected 93.3 million US adults in the year 2015-2016. Being overweight can cause heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and even different types of cancer. You can prevent an unhealthy lifestyle. Aldi’s is well-known for selling fruits, vegetables , grains, and dairy at a discount.

USDA Food Guidelines

The USDA is our country’s department of agriculture and it focuses on nutrition and food services. They have admitted that many chronic diseases in the U.S have increased because of poor quality diet and physical inactivity. It is being encouraged that if you want to live a long life, you must follow a healthy eating pattern consistently. Your nutrients should have density, variety, and at least a handful for each portion within calorie limits. You should only eat a low amount of added sugars, saturated fats and sodium. Change your beverage choices to a more healthier choice. And promote healthy eating patterns in your community by setting a good example in your home, school, and place of employment.

Aldi’s Shopping List Idea 

So an ideal meal would be to have one serving of dairy, fruit, meat, vegetables, and grains. Here’s a shopping list that can feed 1 person for a week and get you all that for $25 :

This week Sept. 22-28,2019 Aldi’s is selling grapes for sale. 1 pound is 89 cents. A pound of grapes is a equivalent to 2 cups. So if you brought 5 pounds of grapes and ate a cup of grapes every morning, you will only have spent $4.45 and still have grapes left over.

For dairy , a gallon of milk at Aldi’s is 1.79. So you can have a cup of dairy with every meal for your week for less than 2 dollars. Don’t want to drink milk with every meal? Drink water.

A loaf of sliced bread is a dollar, you can get a bag of pre-made salad for 2.49, and you can buy any choice of meats for around $5. So lets get a final calculation:

Five pounds of grapes : $4.45

One gallon of milk:       $1.79

Two Loafs of Bread:    $2.00

Two Bags of Salad Kits:$5.00

Choice of Meats:            $5.00

TOTAL:                           $18.24!

That still leaves you with $6.76 to buy snacks, (yogurt cups are only about .50 cents each), condiments (which are only around $2 each) , or desserts ( a box of sugar free popsicles is only around $3.99). And that grocery list includes your USDA recommended serving of dairy, meat,fruits,vegetables,and grains!

Cool, right?

I know driving through a fast food drive-thru seems more enticing , but keep in mind the long-term consequences: obesity, heart issues, diabetes, and even different forms of cancer. So keep in mind that eating healthier will increase your chances of living a good long life, it will help you have more energy, and your arteries will be clean. Also, you can be a good example to your family and friends.