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Fresh fruits and vegetabls are a better deal than you think, a new study says.
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Many people assume that fresh fruits and vegetables are more expensive than processed food, and some studies have even found that to be the case. But looking at the data through a different lens, some researchers have found that it's not necessarily the case. The new research is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
THE DETAILS: Researchers from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, collected data, including price, weight, calories, serving size, and total number of servings from processed snack foods and fresh fruits and vegetables listed on an online supermarket. Their report points out mathematical problems with other studies that implied processed foods are cheaper. In the latest study, researchers found that energy cost—cost per calorie of the food—was indeed higher for produce than for snacks, as previous research claims. However, they also compared of cost per unit, or per gram of food. Which is closer to the way most of us shop; we don't tend to buy x calories of apples, but we might deliberate between one banana and one candy bar. And looking at it that way, the researchers found that fresh produce turned out to be a better bargain.
WHAT IT MEANS: If the often-repeated axiom that fresh food costs more keeps you from spending much time in the produce aisle, putting fresh fruits and veggies in your cart may be easier on your budget than you think. In fact, a United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service analysis found that fresh fruits and vegetables cost an average of 12 to 18 cents per serving, which means the daily recommended three servings of fruit and four servings of vegetables could be bought for as little as 84 cents. Unfortunately, the current dysfunctional food system favors food that makes us fat and sick. Part of that is because the government subsidizes crops like corn (much of which is genetically modified and poses other health and environmental risks), which is turned into ingredients likehigh-fructose corn syrup that are used in many processed food items. Some nutrition and economy experts are pushing for a sugar tax, saying it will drive down calorie consumption and slash obesity rates.
For tips on eating well without spending tons of money, read our Guide to Eating Healthy on the Cheap. Once you have your healthy, whole produce in hand, visit the Rodale Recipe Finder for healthy meal ideas.
Finally!
I've always wondered why in our society of obesity (even in the poorer population), all the data has been done on a caloric scale. Finally someone compiled the data realistically--by how we shop and how we eat. Per serving, fresh fruits and veggies ARE cheaper than processed. I've tried to argue this many times only to be labeled calous and out of touch. All I know is we spend a lot less on groceries by buying mostly whole, unprocessed foods. And we buy mostly organic.
And with refrigeration, fresh fruits and veggies last at least a week if not more for some items. No need to shop daily.
Fresh fruits and veggies!!!!
We receive a box of fresh organic produce from a local farm through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. We get a large amount of produce every two weeks for $30 a box. The CSA program has been great and has really increased our fresh fruit and vegetable intake and has introduced us to fruits and veggies we had never tried. We receive an email in advance listing what the box will contain and we tailor our meals and shopping trips around that. Check to see if there is a CSA program and/or Farmer's Market in your area. If not, choosing local, in-season fruits and vegetables is always the best choice for your health and pocketbook. Buying peaches from Chile in the middle of winter is expensive. If a recipe calls for something that is not season, use frozen. Frozen will likely have more nutrients than canned. There is also some buzz these days about canned foods containing BPA. There is no need to go to the store everyday when purchasing fresh produce. Most things will store nicely in the fridge or open air (We have a basket on our kitchen counter for things like potatoes and squash). We do our shopping on a weekly basis and the produce we purchase on those trips keeps fine. We do try to use it as quickly as possible though because it does lose nutrients if it's kept too long.
You can eat smart and cheap
It takes some discipline (which I don't have enough of--luckily I can afford to buy specialty products), but it is certainly possible to eat in a way that is both healthy and cheap. Remember that frozen fruits and vegetables have more nutrition than fresh foods that have been sitting around too long in the refrigerator. Also frozen vegetables are cheaper than out-of-season fresh ones that have been flown in from South America. So when you go to the store once a week (or once a month, for that matter), buy fresh what you know you will eat in a reasonable time, buy frozen for the rest. And the frozen stuff is already washed and cut up for you! Learn how to make smoothies, fruit cobblers, and soups. They aren't so time consuming once you know how. Bulk up on cheaper calories by buying bulk grains (rice, bulgar, oatmeal, whole grain pasta, etc.), beans of all kinds, and vegetable starches like carrots and new potatoes, rather than buying that bag of potato chips. Then you can afford to buy good quality healthy oils (olive oil, coconut oil), peanut butter, spices, etc, and make really healthy and delicious meals that way. Those who are short on cash are usually also short on time (working two shifts, perhaps), so a crock pot comes in very handy. And luckily the healthiest drinks (water, tea) are also the cheapest. Healthy recipes are also free on the internet. Good luck in your efforts!
Fresh fruit is expensive!
Fresh fruit and vegatables are expensive. I try to eat healthy, but I should not have to empty my bank acocunt to do so. The more the media talks about eating healthy the higher the prices go and you wpnder why so many people are obese.
Cheap food
Do they consider the cost of going to the store daily to buy the fresh produce as opposed to being able to shop on a weekly or even monthly basis as some of us do. Some people live several miles from the nearest store so daily shopping is not possible.