Can't afford to eat healthy food...

It depends which vegetables. Ten minutes in the supermarket veg section will show a vast range of prices, from loose carrots to pre-packaged asparagus tips, from loose white potatoes to little packs of sweetcorn, from onions to unfamiliar imported veg. It also depends on whether it is ready to cook or whether you will have to peel and chop it yourself.

Carrots, onions, cabbages various, frozen peas. Plenty cheap and perfectly adequate.

BUT,
Diversion:
I found a recipe for a sesame sauce to pour over Pak Choi recently and it made pak choi (which I'd previously found a bit limp in cabbage terms) for me.

MrBaggs put it like this: pak choi is quite subtle; cabbage can be a bit in your face.

Where next to with your soapbox 123coco ?

I can make at least three main meals for DH and me for the cost of going 'to the chippie' once.

I bought a tray of ready prepared veg reduced to 26p
Even if you can't get the last-minute bargains, there are always cheap deals on vegetables.
Buying what is on offer that particular week and varying the menu is a good idea.

0ur biggest health problem at present is Diabetes due to eating in a unhealthy manner.
It was always said that the diet people had when food was rationed in the war was healthier than what many people eat now.

I would like to see a good analysis of what sort of foods and meals people who find that food is very expensive actually eat.
(I am not trying to be judgemental about this I actually want to know what is eaten. )

Why shouldn’t you be judgemental Nellie, I am. My take is if these people want to eat their way to an early death, fine! But when their gluttony is crippling the NHS then that’s a different matter.

There are enough people whose illnesses are not self inflicted who need the money they are commandeering. And before anyone says not al type 2 diabetes is poor eating habits and lifestyle, yes, but about 90% is.

123coco I totally agree. I always argue against ageism online when people say that we are all right wing reactionaries but then get embarrassed by the harsh judgmental attitudes that are becoming more common on here.

It's a very complicated picture. And it is a class issue, unfortunately. People with more in their lives to give them pleasure are less likely to overeat. Whereas if you are limited to sitting watching tv it is easy to let the weight go on.
Also transport is an issue. If your only shop within walking distance is a convenience store that is where you have to buy your food.
As I had ulcers when I was young I developed a habit of eating little and often to keep the pain away. Even now I tend to snack.
Not good.
My DH has no idea what healthy food is. You might as well ask him to eat moon rocks. He is 74 and as fit as a flea.
Mind you he does work next door to an M&S food store.

I agree with you oldmeg. Overweight people are a burden the NHS just cannot cope with.

I get quite angry when people tell me I am "lucky" to be slim. Luck, has nothing to do with it. I have always eaten to fuel my body to the extent it needs. I ate more when running around after three under 5's, a bit less when I went back to work, and even less now that I am retired.

It is irresponsible to be overweight. Lots of people are going to remonstrate with me, but that is how I feel. Of course there are those who say they are overweight because of health issues - but often those issues are caused by the weight in the first place e.g. arthritis, diabetes, bad feet etc.

Finally, I do know, and have worked, with those who are overweight for a particular reason through no fault of their own, and my comments do not apply to them. But they are a very small minority. Will now duck to avoid all comments telling me I am prejudiced and uncaring.

I can't answer for anyone else, but I am not being judgmental about overweight people - with my weight I can't afford to be. However, I do object to the excuses given for people not being able to cook. If they have learnt how to drive a car, work a computer, and read a newspaper, then learning how to cook a meal for themselves and their family is child's play, and learning how to put up with the boredom of doing it every day for years is no worse than overcoming the boredom of going to work every day. It is life.

I think I said it before but it's worth saying again - instead of all the cookery competitions (or perhaps as well as) could we have a repeat or a new series of Delia's 'How to Cook'.

Some people complained that it was patronising as she started with 'how to boil an egg' as far as I remember - but perhaps learning the basics is what is needed.

I would welcome it too, as cooking an egg (boiled or fried) is not my strongest area of expertise!

It is not what we eat that determines health but how much in proportion to how active we are.
Excess salt and sugar are not the only problem. Just as great a threat to health, if not greater, is food additives and preservatives, pesticide residue on most fresh fruit and veg and meat from animals that have growth hormones added to their food.
Wholly organic food really is beyond the reach of many.
The last Labour govt promised to do more to regulate the food industry but I think did very little.