A healthy diet is increasingly mentioned as one of the key factors of a healthy life, but also as something that many in Bosnia and Herzegovina consider a luxury.
While in theory it is often repeated that “a healthy diet does not have to be expensive”, the reality of many households shows that the issue of price, income and availability of food is becoming more and more important. So, how much does it really cost to eat healthy in BiH – and who can afford it today?
Healthy eating in Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have to be a luxury, but it is not a simple matter of choice either. It requires planning, knowledge, and what many lack, a stable budget.
While the prices of basic foods are increasing, and incomes are slowly following this growth, there are more and more people who want to be healthy, but cannot always afford it.
According to certain researches, food accounts for 45 percent of the total costs of the consumer basket in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a large number of citizens eat fruits (83%) and vegetables (87%) on a daily basis.
It’s not a luxury, but it becomes a challenge
According to public health experts, a healthy diet means a balanced use of seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, meat, legumes and as little processed products as possible. However, these foods have been among the most expensive in the consumer basket in recent years.
Food prices in Bosnia and Herzegovina are continuously rising, and food is one of the biggest expenses in family budgets. For many citizens, maintaining a balanced and quality diet is increasingly difficult to reconcile with limited income.
Although it is often heard that “healthy eating does not have to be a luxury”, for many it becomes a financial challenge. Those with higher and stable incomes plan their purchases more easily and choose better quality foods, while families with smaller budgets often rely on processed and cheaper food.
Nutritionists and experts remind that a healthy diet does not have to mean expensive “organic” products with a label. On the contrary, the basis should be homemade, seasonal and as simple as possible food.
This is exactly the message from a series of campaigns and programs, such as the UNICEF project “Eat healthy, grow healthy”, which promotes a return to simple meals and education of parents and children about proper eating habits.
As experts explain, healthy does not mean complicated: beans, eggs, oatmeal, seasonal vegetables and homemade soup are far more nutritionally beneficial than ready-made meals and processed foods, and often cheaper. The problem arises when healthy living is equated with “modern” trends – protein powders, “superfoods” and imported supplements, which can significantly increase costs.
In BiH, there is a clear difference between those who can choose and those who have to improvise.
Health starts with knowledge and access
Families with regular incomes and stable employment can more easily afford a healthy diet, especially if they have access to markets and local producers. Those who plan their shopping, cook at home and use seasonal ingredients can significantly reduce costs.
On the other hand, low-income families are often forced to choose cheaper options. Thus, healthy eating, instead of being a rule, turns into a privilege – especially in situations where the minimum wage barely covers basic expenses.
Apart from prices, habits are also an important factor. Experts warn that many citizens do not have enough knowledge about the nutritional values of food and ways to combine foods to make meals healthy and affordable. Education, they say, can make a big difference – because not all “cheap food” is bad, nor is all “expensive” healthy.
In this context, the issue of public policies is also important: support for domestic production, subsidies to local producers, educational programs in schools and clear consumer information can make healthy nutrition more accessible to everyone, he writes. Report.
