Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? – Nutrition and Food Safety (2024)

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive?

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? – Nutrition and Food Safety (1)

A recent report from the USDA Economic Research Service challenges the assumption that healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables are too expensive.This offers evidence that most individuals should be able to meet food recommendations for about $5 per day!

The most interesting piece of this report, in my opinion, focuses on the cost of meeting food recommendations. This is based on an individual eating 2,000 calories per day and following the MyPlate eating recommendations. I simplified the results in the following graph (based on the prices of foods in the 50th percentile for each group):

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? – Nutrition and Food Safety (2)

You can see it is the least expensive to meet recommendations for the grain group. This is followed by the dairy group, then fruit. The most expensive groups to meet recommendations for are the protein group and the vegetable group. The rankings change slightly if we look at the food items in the extremes (very cheap or very expensive) of each group, but this look at the 50th percentile is probably a good representation of the ‘average’ food for each food group.

Interestingly, the cost is less than $1.50 per day for each food group, with a total of just about $5 per day to meet recommendations for all the food groups.

Digging Deeper

By taking this one step further, we can also project what percentage of our food budget should be spent on each food group to meet the MyPlate recommendations. The following pie chart (on the left) illustrates this concept:

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? – Nutrition and Food Safety (3)

You can see that I also pasted the MyPlate recommendations on the right side – visually, they seem to match up pretty well! Fruits and vegetables, which should take up about half our plate, also came in at just under half of our food budget. Unfortunately, the reality is that less than 25% of our Americans’ food budgets are currently allocated toward fruits and vegetables—what percentage of your food budget is spent in the produce section?

How are we doing?

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? – Nutrition and Food Safety (4)

Only 13% of individuals in Wyoming are meeting the MyPlate recommendations for fruits and vegetables. Cost is a commonly cited barrier, but research like this challenges that reasoning. If we base our shopping decisions on MyPlate and dedicate just under half of our food budget to fruits and vegetables, it appears that food recommendations for most can be met at a reasonable cost.

Sources:

Reviewed: January 17, 2024

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? – Nutrition and Food Safety (5)

Contact Our Expert!

Email: nfs@uwyo.edu

Extension Educator:
Vicki Hayman – (307) 746-3531

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? – Nutrition and Food Safety (6)

Feedback Form

Follow UW Nutrition and Food Safety

Feel free to use and share this content, but please do so under the conditions of our Rules of Use. Thank You.

For more information, contact a University of Wyoming Nutrition and Food Safety Educator at nfs@uwyo.edu or Ask an Expert.

Appetite for Knowledge - Read!

Have a Question?

Contact Our Expert!

Email: nfs@uwyo.edu

Extension Educator:
Vicki Hayman – (307) 746-3531

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? – Nutrition and Food Safety (18)

Subscribe to UW Nutrition and Food Safety Newletters

Issued in furtherance of extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kelly Crane, Director, University of Wyoming Extension, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming Extension, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071.

The University of Wyoming is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? – Nutrition and Food Safety (2024)
Top Articles
Using Automated Investing on Lending Club for Passive Income
10 Largecap Mutual Funds offered maximum returns in 5 years
2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited All New for sale - Portland, OR - craigslist
Skamania Lodge Groupon
How To Do A Springboard Attack In Wwe 2K22
Southeast Iowa Buy Sell Trade
Displays settings on Mac
Elden Ring Dex/Int Build
New Day Usa Blonde Spokeswoman 2022
Which aspects are important in sales |#1 Prospection
Tugboat Information
Aries Auhsd
Stream UFC Videos on Watch ESPN - ESPN
Progressbook Brunswick
Myunlb
Inside California's brutal underground market for puppies: Neglected dogs, deceived owners, big profits
Nioh 2: Divine Gear [Hands-on Experience]
WWE-Heldin Nikki A.S.H. verzückt Fans und Kollegen
Conan Exiles Thrall Master Build: Best Attributes, Armor, Skills, More
10-Day Weather Forecast for Florence, AL - The Weather Channel | weather.com
Mani Pedi Walk Ins Near Me
Nissan Rogue Tire Size
Aldi Süd Prospekt ᐅ Aktuelle Angebote online blättern
Hellraiser III [1996] [R] - 5.8.6 | Parents' Guide & Review | Kids-In-Mind.com
Bing Chilling Words Romanized
Ge-Tracker Bond
Webcentral Cuny
Kaitlyn Katsaros Forum
Winco Employee Handbook 2022
E32 Ultipro Desktop Version
Macu Heloc Rate
Apparent assassination attempt | Suspect never had Trump in sight, did not get off shot: Officials
How Do Netspend Cards Work?
Dubois County Barter Page
Chicago Pd Rotten Tomatoes
Phone number detective
Nicole Wallace Mother Of Pearl Necklace
KM to M (Kilometer to Meter) Converter, 1 km is 1000 m
Hebrew Bible: Torah, Prophets and Writings | My Jewish Learning
Philadelphia Inquirer Obituaries This Week
10 Rarest and Most Valuable Milk Glass Pieces: Value Guide
Homeloanserv Account Login
Garland County Mugshots Today
Ehc Workspace Login
705 Us 74 Bus Rockingham Nc
Accident On 40 East Today
Learn4Good Job Posting
The Pretty Kitty Tanglewood
40X100 Barndominium Floor Plans With Shop
Sml Wikia
De Donde Es El Area +63
Denys Davydov - Wikitia
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Reed Wilderman

Last Updated:

Views: 6198

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (72 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Reed Wilderman

Birthday: 1992-06-14

Address: 998 Estell Village, Lake Oscarberg, SD 48713-6877

Phone: +21813267449721

Job: Technology Engineer

Hobby: Swimming, Do it yourself, Beekeeping, Lapidary, Cosplaying, Hiking, Graffiti

Introduction: My name is Reed Wilderman, I am a faithful, bright, lucky, adventurous, lively, rich, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.