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(4 min read) When I was growing up my family bought the cheapest food available. Especially in my teens after my mom died, we mostly ate ramen and cereal. I completely understand the importance of food cost being affordable for many families. I also appreciate the mass food production systems we have that allow less people on this planet to go hungry.
B U T
The reality is, cheap food is typically unhealthy food. This same line of thought goes for things like laundry detergent, body products like shampoo, toothpaste, sunscreen, etc. and even home textiles (anyone else looking into organic mattresses?)
As smart and high achieving moms, the more we know about these things, the more we try to prioritize healthy choices which are COSTLY. Therefore, I declare: Being a smart mom is expensive!!!
What's more annoying is that many of these costly choices don't show immediate results. Eating an organic vs. non-organic apple may not make a big difference in your actual morning but the consistent decision to stay away from consuming pesticides will benefit one over the long term. So not only are these decisions expensive but the benefits are incremental and not always totally evident. Sometimes we may even second guess ourselves on these choices particularly when the grocery bill seems absurdly high.
I want to empower you in knowing that your choices will not go unnoticed. When your child is an adult and their health is in good standing, their mind is clear and their mental health is stable you will see the benefits of your current efforts!
If you're still working on making these choices and researching what is best for your family, I invite you to consider how to make room for the costly but healthier choices. Here are 3 of the sacrifices I make in order to be able to prioritize health over cost:
- I've omitted frivolous expenses (you will rarely see me at Starbucks, HomeGoods and more recently even Target)
- I prioritize getting organized in my home (i.e. meal planning, cleaning) so that I minimize costs associated with outsourcing (i.e. eating out, buying high chemical cleaning products)
- I teach my kids about sugar and how we consume sugar as a treat. We don't have candy, juice or other sugary products in our home. Infrequently we spend a little extra to get "better sugar options" at Whole Foods or Trader Joes.
My email newsletters are meant to validate that you're not alone. Being a mom is hard. Being a high achieving mom is harder. We are in this together and my priority is the health of my and your children. There is no judgement or shame here because I know from the bottom of my heart that you are doing the absolute best for what your family needs right now.
Honor your importance and safeguard your mind. All our kids depend on it. See you in next Sunday's e-newsletter.
XO, Naomi
mom, founder, certified life + business coach
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