Even Kelly Clarkson Thinks It’s Expensive To Feed Her Family Healthy Food

One of the most common complaints about eating healthy is how much it costs to do so. I often hear people say things like, “Well, I would eat healthier if it didn’t cost so much money,” or “Why does eating organically have to be so much pricier than eating junk food?” They make a good point, and science backs them up: research has found that eating healthier does indeed cost more. So it’s not very surprising to hear that even celebrities complain about it. Recently, Kelly Clarkson spoke up about how expensive it is to feed her family healthy food, and it’s super relatable.

Clarkson co-hosted the Today Show earlier this week with Hoda Kotb, during which she talked about her family, her health issues (she revealed that she’s been suffering from an auto-immune disease and thyroid problems since 2006), and her recent weight loss. She told Kotb that she lost weight after reading The Plant Paradox, a book she says is about “understanding food and understanding what we do to food” with antibiotics and hormones.

After reading the book, Clarkson switched up her diet to include healthier and more plant-based ingredients. She said, “Honestly, it’s the same stuff you eat, I just use different ingredients. I still have, like, cake. Like, literally, I still have everything the same as I did, even, like, fried chicken, but I use, like, casoid flour, tapioca, or almond flour. And I use, like, non-hormone chicken.”

While these aren’t huge changes, they do add up in the long run. Higher quality ingredients are, unfortunately, always going to be pricier than low-quality ones. Clarkson is the first to admit that, saying, “Honestly, I’m going to be real with you. It’s really expensive to do.” In fact, the singer wishes that the government would help out in some way, adding, “I was poor growing up, there’s no way my family could have afforded this.”

The fact that the price tag on healthy ingredients is a legitimate turn-off for many is a major bummer.

It’s not just about weight loss — eating healthier is better for you in general. Clarkson pointed this out, saying, “It helps out so much with health. Like I said, my auto-immune disease is, like, gone.” Of course, it has weight loss benefits as well, as the singer notes: “And I’m, like, 37 pounds lighter!”

It’s important to note that Clarkson isn’t focused on her weight loss. She said, “Here’s the best part, y’all. It’s not even the weight. I mean, I know the industry loves the weight gone, but for me it wasn’t really the weight, for me it was [that] I’m not on medicine anymore. My blood work came back and I haven’t been on my medicine since, like, February.” In other words, health is more important than that number on the scale.

You can watch the whole video to see more of what Clarkson had to say:

There you have it, in case you needed it: more proof that eating better is so important for your health. While buying healthy ingredients might be a little pricier, it could be totally worth it in the end — like it was for Clarkson. And again, it’s not about losing weight. It’s about feeling healthier and better in your own body.

Yummy Pro Tip:

If you’re looking for ways to save at the grocery store, check to see if your store of choice (or brand of choice!) has an app or website that generates coupons. You can also check out sites like SmartSource, CouponMom, and Coupons.com for printable coupons.