Better pay the butcher than the doctor.

The proverb favors paying for nourishing food over paying to treat illness. Its contrast presents food as a worthwhile expense when it helps people stay well.

More broadly, it urges people not to begrudge spending on everyday necessities that may help prevent a costlier problem later.

Use it when someone hesitates to spend money on food but is willing to pay for treatment after becoming ill. It frames the food purchase as a preventive expense, not as a substitute for medical care.