Have we Conformed to Cheap Food?

"If we had similar ratios to expenses today, ground beef would cost more than $25 a pound.  That, by the way, would re-create historical normalcy in pricing.  In 1980, Americans spent 18 percent of their income on food.  Today it's 9 percent.  In 1960 it was 25 percent.  Here again, the ratios work out to about 3X:  if ground beef right now is $8, 3X would be $24 and as 4X (1960) would be $32. You can play around with the numbers all day, but they point to similar conclusions.  When a culture worships a cheap food policy in order to accumulate stuff and entertainment, their food turns to junk and their relationships turn to mush.  Only when we restore farmers--good farmers--to a place of prominence do other societal ills begin healing." - Joel Salatin - The Lunatic Farmer

In today’s America, we live in a culture obsessed with cheap and convenient food, even when it comes at the cost of our long-term health. The modern food system has conditioned us to believe that low prices and fast service are the ultimate priorities, but the truth is far more complicated. Cheap food carries hidden costs, and most of us feel those costs in our bodies, our families, and our healthcare bills.

Over the past several decades, the race to produce cheaper food has pushed farming practices toward shortcuts that ultimately compromise the land, the animals, and our own well-being. Highly processed products, factory-farmed meats, artificial additives, and calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foods dominate grocery stores because they’re inexpensive to make and highly profitable. They look appealing with colorful packaging and clever marketing, but nutritionally, they fall short of what real food is supposed to provide.

When you compare that to real, slow-grown, Grass-Fed, pasture-raised, Omega-3–rich foods, the price difference can make quality food seem “expensive.” But the question we need to ask is: what are the hidden costs of cheap food? And more importantly, are we truly saving anything at all?

Let’s look at healthcare spending as one of the clearest examples.

In 1960, Americans spent roughly 1/20th of their income on healthcare. Today, that number is closer to 1/5th of their income, a steep increase that reflects the rise of chronic disease, inflammation-related conditions, metabolic disorders, and lifestyle-driven illnesses.

If Americans are paying close to 4X the percentage of their income toward healthcare today than they did in 1960, can we honestly say that eating cheaper food has saved us any money?

The reality is that cheap, low-quality food has shifted the cost burden from the grocery store to the doctor’s office. It is being paid, just not on the price tag. Many Americans are paying for it through higher rates of chronic disease, through more prescriptions, through decreased energy, through declining vitality, and through a broken food culture that prioritizes convenience over nourishment. Real, nutrient-dense food works in the opposite direction. Grass-Fed meats, Omega-3 enriched products, and regenerative farming practices don’t just offer better flavor, they support metabolic health, lower inflammation, improve brain and heart function, and provide nutrient density the human body is designed for. They represent the true cost of producing healthy food in a healthy environment. When we invest in real food, we invest in better long-term health, support real farmers, support soil health, biodiversity, animal welfare, and stronger communities. When we choose quality over convenience, we choose long-term savings over short-term illusions.

Cheap food ultimately costs us more financially, physically, and culturally. At the end of the day, the question isn’t “Why is Grass-Fed food more expensive?”
The real question is:
What is the cost of not eating it?

To read more information on our products and recipes check out our website: https://www.texasgrassfedbeef.com/pages/new-blog-page

https://www.thelunaticfarmer.com/blog/12/8/2025/beef-prices

Bryce Cunningham and The Slankers Family

Slankers Grass Fed Meats – Connecting Families Through Nutritious Flavor