Most of us have heard the excuse that eating healthy or organic is "too expensive". Those same people are usually the first ones to drop $1000 on the new iPhone or another expensive gadget that won't actually do much to improve their quality of life.
Their statement might appear true at a glance when perusing the closest upscale grocery store. The processed organic items in the middle of the store are undoubtedly higher priced than their non-organic counterparts. For those that don't already know about store layout, the less processed foods stay on the outer perimeter of the store. All of the processed junk is contained in the middle since food companies know you're likely to spend more time in there.
These processed foods are cheap to produce and don't contain much in the way of nutrition.
It doesn't matter how organic or healthy a food is, any processing procedures often make a previously acceptable food less nutrient dense or easier to overeat.
Our bodies do much better avoiding processed foods, and running mostly on whole-food sources. Complete foods are more easily digested and assimilated because they have all of the nutrients that are expected to come together, not just one or two. Evolution set us up for this. Having large amounts of a single nutrient throws us off balance. It's like the difference between eating an orange and drinking a large soda. The Orange has fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and a small amount of sugar. The soda is mostly pure sugar and some artificial flavorings. Taking it in from such a concentrated source causes a huge blood sugar spike, fat storage and inflammation.
Think of the difference in satiety produced by a nice steak, or a burger made from ground meat. You could probably eat 3 or 4 burgers without much effort (minus the bread). Try eating 3 or 4 steaks.
So how do we avoid processed food and overpriced vegetables from a high end grocery store? Some of us may choose to grow our own food, raise animals, or even hunt. Obviously doing that full time isn't an option for everyone, though I would highly recommend having at least 1 or 2 potted plants. Kale is the most nutrient dense leafy green, doesnt take much work and grows easily, even in the winter.
A better option for most people would be to seek out a local farmers market. Its not hard to find a listing online. Often there are public programs which encourage people to buy from farmers markets, and many even take food stamps. If there are farms in your area that can be even more convenient and cheaper. I scored this haul from a farm not 2 miles up the road from me for $13. While they are not certified organic, it is a chemical-free farm that uses no GMOs.
So take a few minutes to search your area online, you may be surprised what you find. Not only is local food way more fresh, cheaper and environmentally friendly than buying from large industrial farms. You're also supporting small businesses and reducing your environmental footprint by avoiding stale food transported on trucks from thousands of miles away.
So eat fresh, buy local and thank a farmer.