why is organic food so expensive?

Every time I am brave enough to venture through my local WholeFoods market, My Organic Market or Trader Joes, I leave there with a ginourmous bill. I love the foods there a whole lot and feel good about feeding the kids stuff free of pesticides, herbicides and unnecessary hormones and other additives. BUT....MY word if it isn't expensive to be healthy in this country. Greasy, fried, overly-processed foods are cheap! No wonder there is a health crisis and a weight epidemic. Even if you wanted to be healthy, the economics of it doesn't support you. Even the subpar second rate fruits and veggies they sell in discount stores like Shopper's Food Wharehouse, Superfresh and Aldi's can be pricey. I've had one too many bruised apple, unsweet grape and moldy greens to ever go back to eating veggies/fruits from those places. So, what's a health conscious person who wants to eat well to do?

When I went to Africa last year, one thing I noticed and appreciated was that all the fruits and vegetables were fresh and wholesome. Fresh grown and picked. Nothing added. Just from the dirt, like nature intended. And they were sweet and juicy. yum.

Also, because there was/is scant electricity, refrigerators aren't unreliable which meant that meals are prepared fresh for that day's consumption. There is no such thing as leftovers. There's always someone around to polish off any uneaten foods. If not servants, neighbors or other people. What so called "third world" countries lack in development, they make up for in healthier eating and absence of diseases related to consumption of crap as we have in the "Western" world.

I suppose my solution may be to shop at farmer's markets as there are plenty of them around, but I so love my packaged organic and wholesome delicacies and can't wait until I can afford to indulge in them all the time.

Money may not be the root of happiness, but it sure can buy a whole lot of healthy eating and longevity! ha!