Let's Be Healthy Latinas!

94. Feeling Guilty Spending Money on Fancy Food When There Are Bills to Pay

• Naihomy Jerez • Episode 94

Share episode

Send Naihomy encouraging words!💕

We discuss the guilt many Latinas feel when spending money on healthy foods and why investing in quality nutrition is actually a smart financial decision in the long run.

• The "expensive food vs. bills to pay" mindset often ignores the hidden costs of cheap food
• Spending on over-the-counter medications, doctor visits, and lost productivity from feeling unwell adds up
• Many of us maintain a double standard - happily spending on designer items but hesitating on quality food
• Cheap food now equals expensive health problems later
• We often fail to connect how food directly impacts our energy, mood, focus, and physical symptoms
• The money we "save" on cheaper foods is often spent on snacks, coffee, and treats between unsatisfying meals
• Food is not just survival fuel but the foundation of our health and wellbeing
• Investing in quality nutrition teaches children valuable lessons about health priorities
• Taking care of your health through food is not selfish - it's strategic for your entire family's wellbeing

If you're ready to break free from food guilt and create sustainable nutrition habits that honor both your health and your budget, book a consultation call with the link below or send me a DM on Instagram to chat.

Thank you so much for listening!


Speaker 1:

Hello friends, welcome back to the podcast. As always, thank you so much for being here, for listening every week, your support, the likes, the comments, the shares. We appreciate it to get the word out there that there's a podcast catering to Latinas who want to be healthy, this kind of information. Okay, let's be healthy Latinas together. Anyways, moving on, I I am really looking forward to this topic because it is one of the main things that holds us back in our wellness journey and is one of the main topics where I've gotten so much pushback on from a lot of loved ones, especially older generations and these beliefs might be kind of lingering in you as well and is holding you back, all right. So what I'm gonna talk about today is why we feel guilty spending money on quote, unquote, fancy foods, organic foods, when we got bills to pay. When we got those bills to pay and, trust me, I'm not being insensitive here I very well know, very accurately know, how expensive groceries are. Okay, I have two sons who are currently nine and 11 and they eat so much, so much, and it's kind of exhausting to be feeding these kids all the time. I get that. So I'm not over here preaching like spend all your coins on your groceries. Hello, buy all the fancy food and get all this. No, no, I get it. There needs to be a balance. You probably have a budget, or not, for groceries and food and it can become really expensive. However, there is this kind of give and take where we might not be realizing how much we're shortchanging ourselves with our food and how big of an impact and how much more expensive buying foods that are not aligned with your health and wellness journey, buying super cheap food, might be for us. Okay, I get all sides of the stories because sometimes I've been walking in the grocery store. I remember the other day I was in Costco and the Kiwis were like I don't know, almost $20. And I was like what? No, we are not getting Kiwis today because that price is out of control. We're just going to have to pick something else until they came back down in price because it was wild, wild.

Speaker 1:

Okay, I get it, but I'm not talking about just one food versus the other here. Okay, I'm talking about this notion that it feels so selfish when we spend any kind of money on ourselves, providing our own needs and prioritizing not providing prioritizing our own needs and prioritizing our health, and it is guilt stricken. And I get that because I myself and working on not shortchanging myself when it comes to so many things and I will happily spend my coins for buying my kids extra things or buying people gifts or spending money on XYZ and when it's purely for me and for me slash family, when it comes to food, I'm like, nah, what's the cheapest option? Nah, it's okay, I'll just bypass that, I'll be okay with this little bit over here. We need to let that go. We need to let that go because what we do not understand, especially when it comes to food, is how cheap food now equals expensive, later expensive cycles that actually cost you more in the longterm than just investing in quality nutrition upfront for yourself and, in turn, your family. Right, like kids, it takes a little while longer over here, but what we don't see with the children is that we're creating habits and beliefs and expectations for them the same way that they came to us from our older generations.

Speaker 1:

And let me tell you, the first time I presented a loved one with actual, real butter that wasn't margarine, whipped up, inflammatory oils. They looked at me like I had three heads because they were like how am I going to pay double the price for less than a third of the container. Because you know those margarine containers, the country crock and and the parkways and all that, you can fit your whole body in that container, you can wear that thing as a hat. And if you get a container of actual butter and I'm talking wholesale to wholesale here, like Costco margarine to Costco butter or BJ's margarine to BJ's butter, and they're like what I get four times the amount for less than half the price in this country crock container or in this parkway container, and I get it.

Speaker 1:

But what a lot of us fail to realize is how those kinds of things are making us feel. So we are buying the cheap stuff, the thing that gives us the most amount of bang for our buck, the thing that's on sale, just because right, Like, just because we're going to save a few cents on this and it's going to last us longer. But what we don't realize is that then we go spending so much money at the drugstore for Tums and Pepto-Bismol and Tylenol and Advil and Motrin and doctor's visits and all these things where we are feeling so insanely bad from the food choices that we're making. So again, the cheap food choices that we're making now really has a big impact on us later, not just on buying over-the-counter medication. What ends up happening as well is that we feel so unwell. Well, it kind of goes hand in hand, right. We're feeling so unwell, we buy these medications, but it affects our energy, it affects our quality of life, it affects how we show up, it affects how much our creativity right, our creativity, our spontaneity, our playfulness, like it really has an effect all around, and this is not just with groceries I'm talking about.

Speaker 1:

I'm talking about your choices when you're having takeout as well, like I've seen people spend tons and tons and tons of money on designer bags, on designer cars, on their outfits, on their makeup, on their accessories, and then they're out here eating the cheapest amount, like the cheapest food, fast food possible, and I'm not saying don't enjoy these things. Every once in a while you do, you right, you like. What you like, however, is having a double standard for ourselves, where we're like we don't have money, I don't want to have money to pay for this, but then again you have the most fabulous high-end handbag collection, and guess who's going to suffer in the longterm? You, not your handbags, right? So it's this double standard of, I don't have money to spend on these foods, or I have guilt to spend on these foods, but we will happily drop cash on that brunch. We'll happily drop cash on those extra accessories you don't need. We'll happily drop cash on every other thing.

Speaker 1:

And every single time, when it comes to feeding yourself, when it comes to the most important thing that you can do for yourself, we hesitate and we stand back. Because food should be cheap and it is a waste and we feel guilty. But where are you going? Where are you going to wear your bag to? Where are you going to drive your car to when you're sick in bed, when all you're doing is going to the doctor's office because you feel so insanely unwell?

Speaker 1:

And a lot of what we don't do is we fail to build a connection as to how what we eat makes us feel Not just now, right, like there's people who it's two hours later and they have a stomach ache, they have brain fog, they have no energy, they're lethargic, they have foggy brains, right, you can't think straight. And they never make the connection as to I ate XYZ, I had XYZ ingredients, okay, I had XYZ. Quality of food is always something else. Right Is always how tired they are, that they had a late night, that they're getting old, that and those things might contribute, but guess what also might contribute to help you feel actually so much better, even if you didn't sleep well, even if you are tired, even if you had a bad day at work or a very stressful day at work is the quality of the food that you are feeding yourself.

Speaker 1:

So it goes both ways, not just with groceries, but also the types of foods that you're choosing to buy in the streets, when the first thing you think about is how much is this going to cost me monetarily like my pockets, instead of how much is this going to cost me health-wise. What kind of impact is this going to have on myself and therefore my family? Because you might be thinking about the coins, right. However, you're not thinking about the impact that illness on you also has on your family, and I want to be very clear and reiterate that. If money's tight and you're budgeting and you have very specific spending limits for different things in your life, that are necessities, I get it, but there's always a choice you can make when it comes to food. Sometimes you might not know what it is, and that is the missing gap of information that you need. But sometimes you do or you realize it, but what we want to focus on is just the monetary piece, right, just the monetary piece, and not how our health is also going to be impacted by the stuff that we're eating and buying. And back to the point, because, honestly, I was like what. A lot of times the money is there and we want to spend it on other areas, or we choose to spend it on other areas and we just do not see the value of food.

Speaker 1:

I have had tons of people and loved ones say I just eat because I have to, I don't care to think about the quality of food that I'm having, okay. And then these are the same people with autoimmune conditions. These are the same people wondering autoimmune conditions. These are the same people wondering why they cannot build muscle. These are the same people struggling with certain aspects of their health. And again, they just see food as I have to eat to survive, I have to eat because I'm hungry, it's so annoying and fine, you can have those thoughts and that's okay. But what we also need to realize is how food is actually the source of our health and our life most of the time. Yes, there's stress right, we're not going to undermine those things, but we're really focusing on food, right? Yes, there's stress. Yes, there's sleep. Yes, there's hydration, which even that plays a role. Right, like the quality of your hydration. However, food is something we do multiple times a day that can really make or break how we are feeling.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so, buying the two for one deal like buying what you're used to getting right, like what your family used to get, and not questioning it. Always looking for the cheapest things in the supermarket and not really understanding what it is past the price point Okay, maybe you can get the cheapest thing. However, you want to be mindful of the ingredients. You want to be mindful of what your health goals are. You want to be mindful of exactly how these products are making you feel, and I can absolutely guarantee you that you can find a product within a similar price point. That is also honoring your health. That is also honoring your health. Okay, that is also honoring your health.

Speaker 1:

So I want you to start making the distinction of is the way I feel physically? Is the way I'm being impacted physically with all this digestion issues, with low energy, with maybe my hair falling out, with just being hangry all the time. Is that worth the money that you're saving, and how much money are you actually saving? And what kinds of examples are you sharing with your family? Right? What is it that you're doing? Because, again, I'll go back to this notion of I eat anything and being so proud of that, which I've been mentioning in my content here and there and again in the past. It served our parents, it served our grandparents. What they were eating was not similar to the stuff that's out here now. The way of life was a little bit different, you know. And now the way of life, the way things are and the crazy abundance of food that there is, or lack thereof, the way it's processed, the way it's portrayed, and all of that looks different, right, looks different.

Speaker 1:

So I want you to think about the broader consequences, aside from saving a dollar or two, that the food choices you're making is having on your overall health, and this goes for children as well, right, and how you prioritize getting them. Maybe the latest sneakers which, frankly, they outgrow within six months. Okay, and they're close, they're outgrowing within six months. I like getting my kids nice things, but I have a boundary baby because I'm like this is your budget for some sneakers, because, guess what? You are not going to fit into these sneakers in six months. So what I can do for you is get you food to allow you to grow well and to be well nourished for healthy growing, so that you can outgrow those damn sneakers. Okay, because it is what it is. So maybe if let's say you are a person who budgets or who takes money planning seriously and all that, how about is aligning additional values to that which is the health of yourself and your family, and seeing how you can adjust your budget to fit in items that are to the benefit of not just yourself but your whole family, because spending and investing money in your health is actually not selfish, is actually not a waste of money. It's strategic for the entire family's finances and wellbeing.

Speaker 1:

Because, again, illness is a real thing. The way that food affects us in healing or in getting sick is a real thing. So imagine the way we feel when either we are sick or our kids are sick. And let's not even talk about sick like oh my gosh, I'm in the doctor all the time or all of this. It's literally just feeling unwell day in and day out. That is miserable, just always being bloated, always getting a headache, always being so preoccupied with how unwell you feel. That takes up so much mental capacity that you don't even have. It takes up so much space that it really impacts your finances, because this is all you can think of you are consumed with. Oh my gosh, I'm hungry. Oh my gosh, I'm bloated. Oh my gosh, I have a headache. My joints hurt. I need to reach for another medication. I'm going to have to stop by the doctor because I can't get rid of this knee pain or back pain. I need to figure out why I'm always bloated. I need to figure out why I have such bad periods or acne or anything like that. So, again, all of those things I just mentioned really, really really do tie back to the foods that you're eating.

Speaker 1:

So, again, is this concept of what are we feeling guilty about when we are spending just a little bit more on the foods that are going to help us feel well, give us mental clarity, give us space for maybe generating more revenue for yourself? Maybe it allows you to perform better at work, maybe it allows you to bring a little bit more joy and a little less stress into your life because you are not feeling so unwell all the time. So it's really not a luxury for the most part. And, trust me, there are things that are a luxury when it comes to food Like we don't be needing all of these different fancy things out here that are mad expensive for no reason. Like nobody need no Khloe Kardashian popcorn, whatever is called cloud or whatever. We don't be needing all those things. So it's also a knowing of what is like a luxury item that it's literally mice, it's literally corn, that you can get other types of popcorn somewhere else and what is actually just a better option that might be in your price range. All of these things are accessible. All of these things are accessible.

Speaker 1:

Or what are the items that you get when they're just on sale? Right, you can budget around that, you can align yourself around that and, honestly, this is a lot of what I help my clients do, because this budgeting conversation comes up often when my clients are discussing it with their partners or when they are looking to spend just a specific amount, let's say, on supplements or on the foods that they're having, or when they're having takeout. But what often they come to realize is that even if they're spending a little bit extra on their actual meals or certain groceries. They're actually spending less on the long term because all of a sudden they don't need all these treats, they don't need all these snacks, they don't need all of these extra things that they were buying in between. Because what you don't realize is that you just look at your big grocery bill but you don't see all these little things in between that you're buying, like all the extra waters and all the extra coffees and all the extra chips or protein bars or nut snacks or whatever it is that you're getting on the side because your body actually needs food.

Speaker 1:

We don't count those into our budgeting. We just see the big grocery bill or we just see the one meal that we need to get that maybe is a dollar or two cheaper than whatever else, and we assume we have this assumption that, let's say, real food is always more expensive. And I have to say, yes, sometimes it is. It's cheaper to get two fast food burgers than a salad somewhere else. But again, how long are these burgers two for five or whatever burger is going to keep you full? And how long is an actual balanced meal that you're getting? How long is that going to keep you full, so you're probably buying more food on a more regular cadence shorter cadence, right?

Speaker 1:

Shorter timeframe every two hours every hour than buying an actual substantial meal and not having to buy food again for another four hours, not having to buy snacks again for another four hours, not needing the extra two cups of coffee to increase your energy, okay, so my clients and I work a lot on this and they actually realize how much more stable they feel, how much less they're spending on over-the-counter meds to allow them to feel better on trips to the doctor, on snacks in between their faux meals that they're having, and how it is of value to them to feel well in their body and that holds more value than the extra $5 that they're going to spend on a meal that they're actually saving somewhere else. And their priorities start to shift as to what actually holds importance to them in what they want to spend money on versus other things. Right, like that's totally open to you and you can actually explore that and see what holds value as you get older and in your life, because it just feels so much better to in your body, like to be well in your body when you put on those nice clothes or when you wear those bags or whatever. You don't want to be a walking zombie. You don't want to be a walking zombie when it comes to like, oh, I'm just going to spend money on these things and feel like absolute shit. And, trust me, there have been times where people say this out loud. They're like I feel so unwell. I feel so unwell, but look at my amazing outfit.

Speaker 1:

Okay. So I want you to know that taking care of your health through food is really not a luxury expense. It's a smart investment that saves you money on healthcare costs, it increases your energy to earn and provide more, and it teaches your family that wellness is a priority worth budgeting for. You are worth it and you don't need to bypass every single time that you're feeling unwell just to get the bag. That term irks the crap out of me. Let's get the bag, let's get the bag, let's be a girl boss and do all these things, and then we're literally on zombie mode. Why can't we work on getting both Okay?

Speaker 1:

So let me tell you this inside my one-on-one coaching, I help you feel well while also being smart on how you're buying food. Okay, because a lot of times, what's missing is this knowledge piece of what to actually get and it becomes a lot less scary to buy what you want and to buy what you need. That's the benefit of it. You have the knowledge, you have the skills, you know what to look for, you feel powerful, you feel confident and all of a sudden you really get to go and get the bag while you're actually feeling well. It doesn't have to be one or the other. We're not self sacrificing here, right. We're just almost really letting go of limiting beliefs that has not allowed you to feel like your best self, because we are overriding our systems and not connecting to it, because we've been. I know, for me, I grew up with getting the cheapest things. Or is it really worth paying money for a smaller container where you can get a bigger one? But what we're filling in the blank here is, when it comes to our health and wellness, how is having this option different in our body over the other option, and what benefits does that hold?

Speaker 1:

So with my clients again, I don't leave my clients to figure this out by themselves. This is exactly what I'm here for, because all my clients are busy, they're high achieving, they really understand, they're in high, demanding careers and they start to understand, like man, I don't feel good, I'm not eating, I'm not nourishing myself and I don't know how to do that. And this is exactly where I support them, because I help them build a strategy based on their needs. I help them build the habits, I arm them with knowledge and I also give them food products straight to our WhatsApp and straight to our notes, because you do have direct access to me over WhatsApp in between our client calls, so therefore you're not breaking your head trying to go through every single food label while you're a busy person Like these are things I give you inside the program as we work together.

Speaker 1:

So if you're wishing and you're thinking to yourself like man, I know that I want to have more energy. I know that I want to nourish and feed my body better. I know that doing these things because I've tried them before Is gonna allow me to show up more like myself, is going to allow me to feel better in my clothes, is going to give me the energy to show up and work out, is going to give me the energy to show up and work out, is going to give me the energy and the groundedness to be a better parent or a better partner, then that's exactly what I support you with. If you're thinking this is what you want, I can help you bridge those gaps that might be, that are hard to fill in, or you don't know what you don't know, or you don't want to spend so long trying to figure it out, or if there are different strategies, I support you in filling in those gaps in a culturally relevant way, in a way that fits what you like, your schedule, your lifestyle, your family, so that you're not left flailing in the middle of your stress of the supermarket, of takeout menus, trying to figure out what's the best option for you, and you'll start to realize what foods you need to get to allow you to feel better in the longterm.

Speaker 1:

And in the longterm I mean that same day, that same week, because sometimes it takes us a while to like bounce back from feeling so unwell. So, getting over this thought or not getting over it, right, because it's very real I just want to say I know it's very real, like these money wounds run deep, these guilt wounds run deep. So I don't want to minimize it and it's like get over it, get over yourself. That's very insensitive. However, working on them and knowing that these are many roadblocks to get where you want to be is worth it, okay, and that's something that we can do together inside one-on-one food and hormone health coaching. So if you're ready to get started and work on these thoughts and make decisions that are actually going to serve your health and your pockets, I invite you to book a consultation call with the link in the show notes, or feel free to just send me a DM and we can chat. Okay, I hope this was helpful and I'll see y'all on the next episode. Bye.