Fruits, Vegetables Cheaper Than Unhealthy Snacks

WASHINGTONFruits and vegetables not only provide a more healthful option when choosing something to snack on, but they are often more affordable than packaged snacks and side dishes, according to a new report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Health-conscious consumers are looking for more nutritious foods to snack on, and new research indicates these healthy foods do not have to break the bank. Researchers analyzed 20 popular snack and 19 side dish items, half of them fruits or vegetables. The average price per serving of the fruit or vegetable snacks was $0.34, while the unhealthy packaged snacks cost about twice as much at $0.67.  Healthy vegetable side dishes cost $0.27 per serving, and less healthy packaged side dishes cost $0.31 per serving.

While a half-cup serving of apple costs $0.26, one Fruit by the Foot roll costs $0.45. A half-cup of grapes cost $0.46 (50 calories), while a package of M&Ms costs $0.75 (230 calories). For side dishes, a 150-calorie serving of Stovetop Stuffing costs $0.38, while a 110-calorie serving of sweet potato costs $0.31. An ounce of Lays Potato Chipsabout 15 chips and 160 caloriescosts $0.27, while a half-cup of sliced cucumber costs just $0.14 and contains five calories.

The notion that healthy fruits and vegetables are expensive and that packaged snacks are cheaper is an urban myth that deserves to be put out to pasture once and for all," said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.  Very few Americans are actually eating recommended amounts of fruits and vegetablesand most of us would do well to consume fewer packaged convenience foods and snacks, which are often higher in calories, salt and sugars."

The fruit and vegetable snacks had fewer calories when compared to packaged snacks, and the same was found for the vegetable side dishes compared to packaged side dishes. For a 2,000 calorie diet, government guidelines recommend that the average person eats two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables per day.

 This may seem tough to some people, but it is probably easier than you think," Wootan said. "Eating a half-cup of blueberries with yogurt and a half-cup of orange juice at breakfast, a large apple as a snack, a half-cup of baby carrots with lunch, and a large sweet potato and a cup of broccoli at dinner will get you there."

Eating healthy can be much more affordable than people think. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that people can purchase the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables for $2.00 to $2.50 a day. Even when dining out, research shows healthy options on the menu cost much less than expected.