Money is a sensitive topic. Even without directly discussing finances, those of us who advocate for Real Food often get labeled as elitist right away.

I get it. For some people, finding and affording fresh food can be difficult or even impossible, and that's heartbreaking. But I don't think that should make the entire subject off limits.

Food is a multifaceted topic that touches on health, economics, culture, human rights, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. We make food decisions multiple times a day just to survive.

When deciding what to purchase for myself and my family, I take all of these aspects into account. I've experienced firsthand the tradeoffs involved in choosing what to eat as my priorities and financial situation have changed over the years.

Here, I'll walk you through my thought process when making food decisions, including how I've adapted to both lower and higher income levels.

Of course, none of this is meant to judge or condemn anyone else's choices. Everyone's values are personal and equally valid, and it's important to do what works best for you and your family.

My goal is to shed light on a challenging subject and hopefully provide some clarity for those navigating these issues.

But first, a bit about me

For context, it's important to know that I come from a modest background, and even calling my family middle class is a bit of a stretch. While I grew up in a decent suburban neighborhood, there were times when my family needed assistance from our church to put food on the table. My dad spent his entire adult life without owning a bank account, let alone a savings account. We did our best, but often had to sell things just to make rent.

When I got to college (funded by cobbling together scholarships, student loans, and a few jobs), money was extremely tight. My dad would send me fifty bucks when he could, but there was never a safety net. It wasn't uncommon for me to survive on eggs and canned tuna during the last week of the month. As someone conscious about dieting, this was only a minor inconvenience for me.

During that time, my main focus when shopping for food was finding the lowest prices. I shopped at Costco and Trader Joe's and thought organic food was just a gimmick to extract money from overly health-conscious people (I know, right? LOL). I ate a lot of cheap takeout, which in Berkeley was still decent, if not the healthiest option.

Things changed significantly when I entered grad school. I started learning about Real Food, became more conscious about my food choices, and discovered the local farmers' market. I was fortunate to receive a fancy NSF graduate fellowship grant, which provided me with a luxurious salary of $30,000/year. However, living in San Francisco meant I was still spending over 30% of my income on rent.

Despite the financial challenges, I was eating pretty well. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in SF is one of the best in the US, if not the world. While many consider it expensive, I found it to be a treasure trove of affordable, high-quality produce.

Yes, you could pay $4.50 for a peach, but it would be the best peach you've ever tasted. More importantly, I could fill a bag with kale, radishes, squash, onions, carrots, herbs, and other seasonal produce for just $30. Fruit, especially ripe seasonal fruit, can be pricey, but vegetables are more affordable. During this period, I actually saved money by cooking more at home and reducing my meat consumption. I also felt fantastic and lost 12 pounds.

After graduation, writing Foodist, and getting married, my financial situation improved significantly. Suddenly, I could afford steak and dine at sit-down restaurants whenever I wanted. However, my priorities had shifted by then.

Before having disposable income, I didn't worry much about the ethics of food. I mostly bought produce from local organic farmers, a convenience that came with living in the right area. I knew industrial meat and dairy production were harmful to the environment and cruel to animals, but it was out of my price range anyway. My splurges were occasional fancy cheeses and wild Alaskan smoked salmon.

Now that more animal products were back on the menu for me, I wanted to make responsible choices.

The truth is, ethical food comes at a higher cost.

Conventionally produced food is cheaper because large industrial farms often exploit workers (sometimes as literal slave laborers) and harm the environment with cheap petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides. On the other hand, smaller organic farmers invest time and energy into maintaining healthy soil, diversifying their fields to prevent pests, and adhering to organic certifications. These practices require more resources and time, resulting in higher prices.

Fruits from farmers' markets taste better because they are grown seasonally and picked when ripe, which makes them more susceptible to bruising. Additionally, organic certifications are costly, further contributing to the price difference.

Grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry, and eggs require more land, better feed, and humane living conditions. Farmers also face challenges and higher costs in processing these products due to lack of economies of scale. Once again, these factors add to the higher prices.

When I was a broke grad student, I cared about these issues but opting out was easy because I couldn't afford it. Now that I can afford higher-quality, ethically produced products, I'm happy to pay extra to support farmers who prioritize the best crops and ensure animals live decent lives.

I'm also willing to spend more time sourcing these products, even though they're not always easy to find.

San Francisco made it easy for me to eat well, but I've found it more challenging to maintain those standards in New York City. While there are restaurants and stores that source sustainable, ethically raised food, it's not as prevalent as it is in the Bay Area. Often, I have to go out of my way to find what I want, even though I live in the trendy Williamsburg area.

In NYC, I find myself cooking at home more often than I did in SF, mainly because I'm uncertain about where restaurants source their ingredients and it's evident they're not always top-notch. Many times, I end up opting for vegetarian meals to avoid the uncertainty.

These experiences have led me to develop a mental hierarchy for my food priorities. It's not perfect, and I make exceptions, but it helps me navigate these decisions since I eat quite frequently.

My food priorities:

Health

My energy and overall well-being are closely tied to what I eat. If I don't consume a variety of vegetables, legumes, grains, and seafood/meats, I feel sluggish and foggy, and I'm more prone to getting sick.

While I try to prioritize local/seasonal/organic/sustainable options, there are times when I may not have access. In those cases, I do the best I can with what's available.

Sometimes, I'm willing to pay higher prices, like when I end up buying pricey room service salads because greens have been hard to find.

Quality

Quality is almost as important as health because they often go hand in hand. If I prioritize health to the point of ensuring my daily nutrition is balanced, quality often determines the specific meal I choose.

By quality, I mean food crafted with care from real ingredients, rather than mass-produced in a factory. However, quality doesn't always mean the healthiest option.

For example, if I'm in Texas and have the choice between an artisan brisket sandwich from a family-owned restaurant or a salad from Starbucks, I'll likely choose the sandwich for its quality, even if it's not the healthiest.

Ethics/Sustainability

I believe in supporting farmers and producers who prioritize fair wages for workers and humane treatment of animals. It's an honor, not a luxury, to support their work.

While it's not always practical to demand this standard for all my food, I encourage those who can afford it to consider supporting ethical and sustainable practices.

My hope is that sustainable food becomes more accessible and affordable in the future.

Price

I don't want low-quality, unhealthy, or unsustainable food, even at a low price. As long as pricing seems fair, I'm willing to pay for food that aligns with my values.

I don't consider stores like Whole Foods a rip-off, as they offer transparency and support my values.

It's unfortunate that many of us have to make tough decisions when it comes to feeding ourselves and our families. Ultimately, we can only do our best.

What factors do you consider when deciding where to spend your food dollars?