The World's Cheapest Healthiest Food

When discussing nutrition and eating better with patients, a statement that comes up frequently is:

"Healthy food is too expensive. It costs too much to eat healthy."

Have you said this? If you did,
you're wrong.

The healthiest food in the world is also the cheapest food in the world. So stop making excuses and start eating healthy.

Are you still confused? The world's healthiest food is what's growing in your back yard (or if you're like Dr. Aaron, it's what's growing in your front yard and side yard and back yard.)

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Spread Some Seed

Be your own Johnny Appleseed and start planting. But just stick to your yard unless you have the neighbors' approval.


Plant a variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs. You can even plant some nut trees or shrubs.


Don't forget about seasons other than summer. Even in Ohio, we can grow vegetables during most of the year. Greens and root vegetables tend to be more frost tolerant than others.

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No Excuses

• I don't have much space - stick some seeds in a pot or plant them with your flowers. you don't need a big garden patch
• It's too shady - some vegetables will grow in as little as 3 hours of direct sun or dappled sun all day. Try lettuce, greens, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beets, radishes, beans

7 Reasons to Plant a Garden

1. Save money - seeds are dirt cheap, and plants don't cost much more
   
2. Fresh from the vine - you can't compare veggies or fruit taken straight from the garden to produce trucked and shipped from around the world. Taste the difference for yourself.
   
3. Avoid chemicals - avoid the chemical cocktail and waxy coating of produce from the store. Where else can you get organic food so cheap?
   
4. More nutrients - produce that is allowed to ripen and then eaten contains more of the nutrients than produce picked early and shipped
   
5. Healthier you - healthier foods = healthier you
   
6. Better mood - gardening provides good stress relief. Research has also found that getting our hands dirty gets us in contact with bacteria that improves our mood
7. Exercise - gardening can be a full body workout and you can control the intensity
   

Even Cheaper Solutions

Gardeners often plant more than they can eat. Enjoy the bounty of your family and friends when they offer you their extra produce.

Collect seed each year to plant next year. Some plants will reseed themselves if you allow them (cilantro). Others are hardy enough to return each year (asparagus, fruits, rhubarb, herbs, sunchokes).

5 Easy Vegetables to Grow

1. Lettuce & Greens (Kale, Mustard, Chard, Spinach, etc.)
2. Tomatoes
3. Cucumbers
4. Squash
5. Green Beans

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Still not grabbing a hoe? Then buy the good stuff from local farmers' markets or straight from local farms.