Ok everyone, a quick quiz. Are burgers, fries and sodas suitable for cats and dogs? Would you feed your pet a bag of Doritos and a can of Coke?If you heard that Dunkley’s was feeding its cows Pop Tarts for breakfast, would you approve? No, no, no obviously! But then why do we eat all this ourselves?Earlier this week, the effervescent Reid Robinson asked this to the audience of his ‘Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well’ series. It’s a question I’ve asked you all before too. If we wouldn’t feed junk food to our pets or other animals, why do we eat it? Reid gave the example of a US couple whose dogs were taken away after it was discovered they were feeding them junk and giving them soda to drink. This was deemed an act of cruelty. And yet ironically enough, no one took away the children. So is the health of our animals more important?But let’s rein this in a little. Are humans better equipped to deal with the additives, sugars and fats in these products than our pets? Maybe. Arguably on a short-term basis.Some animals do have a more complex digestive process that would breakdown immediately if they ate or drank “junk”. But in reality, we are much more similar than we might think, and Reid makes a very valid point that by ignoring our biological similarities (and the laws of nature), we are making a very dangerous mistake.Ultimately, whether short-term or long-term, junk food will make us sick, regardless of how we feel immediately after eating it.The problem is that during an economy, people often reduce their grocery spend by switching to junk.Whilst I will stand by my argument that healthy snacks can be cheaper than unhealthy snacks (an apple is cheaper than a candy bar after all), I do agree that pulling everything together for a home-cooked healthy meal can be more expensive than a processed, instant option. There are however, ways around this and we’ll discuss them below but we also need to consider the bigger picture.We all know that junk food contains more salt, more saturated fat and more sugar. It also contains less fibre, vitamins and minerals. And what does this mean?The sad reality is that more of the bad stuff and less of the good stuff means more heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer.With recent studies suggesting that over 70 percent of chronic diseases are associated with diet and lifestyle, we have never been so forewarned about the implications of our choices and yet, we have also never been so careless.But how does this relate to your budget? I guess the point I’m making is that there is no point saving a few dollars here and there if you then have to burden the cost of living for years and years with a debilitating disease.Most of us are fortunate enough to have health insurance, but that coverage varies and could never compensate for living a long and healthy life.With the consequences of our most chronic diseases including amputation, impotence and mental degeneration, making healthy choices should be a no-brainer. But unfortunately, the deadly combination of salt, fat and sugar in junk food is addictive and many of us are just not willing to pull our heads out of the sand.We should also bear in mind that Bermuda’s current expenditure on health care is becoming dangerously unsustainable. According to the National Health Plan 2011 (from the Bermuda Health Council) in the fiscal year 2008/9, our health system cost $557,739,445. That’s a 47.5 percent increase from the cost in 2004.Further, the plan states that the continuation of the 8.1 percent average compounded rate of growth would see our health system spend grow to just over $1 billion by 2017. Do we really think that we can afford that?Ultimately, if we continue to spend the majority of our money on preventable diseases, there may come a point where health insurance becomes unaffordable. We will then be stuck in a disastrous catch-22 unable to afford health insurance, and unable to afford NOT to have it.So it’s important to consider your grocery budget within the wider scheme of things.What you may save in one hand in terms of grocery savings, could be taken from the other hand in increased health care spend. Perspective is important too. If you think you can’t afford fruit and veg, but have a maximum cable package or park for work in City Hall rather than Bulls Head, it’s time to rethink your priorities.But please don’t think I’m being dismissive of the reality facing many low-income families. Whilst I think many of us write-off fresh produce as too expensive too easily, there are many for whom healthy eating is a considered struggle. Despite Bermuda being relatively wealthy, there are of course many families that live without any luxuries at all and still can’t afford to put fresh food on the table. As every cent counts these days for everyone, here are some of my tips for reducing the cost of your grocery bill whilst keeping it healthy. If you have other tips, share by posting a comment on the website!n Firstly, the obvious! Take advantage of five percent discount days.n There are certainly some instances where cost renders healthy options unaffordable. But whilst it’s easy to get distracted by more exotic options, remember that your standard apples/oranges/pears/bananas are much cheaper.n Melons/pineapples can seem expensive but tend to stretch a long way.n It’s easy to overspend on protein and under-spend on vegetables. A serving of meat, poultry or fish should take up approximately one-quarter of your plate and be about the size of your palm.n Vegetarian sources of protein will often save you money. Vegetable omelets are super cheap to make. Also, combine brown rice with any bean or lentil to get a good source of complex carb and protein combined. So a mixed bean chili with brown rice and a salad will cover your nutritional bases and is relatively inexpensive.n I know I encourage you to buy organic meat/poultry (to avoid antibiotic and hormone residues), and yes there is no doubt this is more expensive. However, make this more affordable by having less meat/poultry, and having several vegetarian meals a week too. Vegetarian sources of protein are cheaper and will off-set the cost. Go to www.vegetariantimes.com for some great recipes and inspiration. You’ll want to choose recipes like black bean chili with dark ale if you want the husband’s buy-in, rather than raw kale salad with root vegetables!n Keep an eye out for specials but don’t waste your time buying cheap, wilted fruit or veg. If the produce is wilted, it’s safe to assume much of the nutrient content has been depleted. Instead buy some frozen veg, which as it’s packed soon after picking, will have a good nutritional value. Don’t over-boil though! The longer you cook it, the more you will deplete the nutrients. Steaming frozen veg is a great option.n However, don’t assume that frozen is always cheaper than fresh. At each store I went to, frozen broccoli was approximately the same price as fresh. Frozen peas, corn and carrots however are usually inexpensive.n Frozen fruit can also be more expensive than fresh certainly the case for mangoes and pineapple. However, frozen berries are a bargain and make a good add-in to plain yoghurt or smoothies. Also, though they are expensive, note that one tablespoon of blueberries contains just as many antioxidants as ten tablespoons of broccoli, so a little go a long way!n Be prepared to put in some effort. Someone pointed out to me that it’s cheaper to buy a bag of fries than it is to buy salad leaves. This can sometimes be the case, but it’s cheaper still to buy a bag of whole potatoes, which are especially wholesome when served as whole baked potatoes or wedges. Don’t use expensive lettuce as an excuse to turn on the deep-fat fryer.n Tinned may seem like the cheapest option, but although half the cost of frozen, you usually get half the quantity. Remember to compare drained weight.n Tinned fruit and vegetables usually have added salt and sugar. The nutrient content is also often poor for instance, compare the colour of tinned green beans to fresh or frozen. Avoid tinned where possible, except for tinned tomatoes and beans/lentils.n Above all, keep it simple. Home cooked meals don’t have to have lots of expensive ingredients. Try left-over roast chicken with a baked sweet potato and salad, salmon with a tomato sauce, brown rice and broccoli, or a vegetable omelet followed by some fruit.The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. She can be contacted at nourishbda[AT]gmail.com