02/11/05

Eating Healthy - and Affordably? American Dietetic Association Translates Food Costs into Dollars and Good Sense

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 11, 2005

Media contact: Lori Ferme
800/877-1600, ext. 4802
media@eatright.org

CHICAGO - Many people want to buy healthy foods, but does it seem that “healthy” and “inexpensive” are often mutually exclusive terms?

“There is a big misconception that eating healthy—including lots of fruits, vegetables whole grains, lean meat and low-fat dairy products—is beyond people's budgets,” says registered dietitian Dawn Blatner, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

“If you price out the cost of eating for one day, it is truly less expensive than most people probably think it is. For a 2,000-calorie meal plan, it costs approximately $6.69 per day. If you're a vegetarian, it is slightly less at approximately $6.33.

“What most people may not realize is that there is a wide variety of choices in each group of foods, so you never have to be bored by limiting yourself to one type of food,” Blatner says.

“As long as you aren't eating more than the recommended serving amount, your cost per day to eat healthfully should be no more than $7.”

Blatner offers healthy yet inexpensive examples of food choices:

FRUITS (fresh, frozen or canned in light juice) - berries, an orange or juice, grapefruit, banana, apple, peaches or mixed fruit, watermelon, plum, melon, pear raisins or other dried fruits

VEGETABLES (fresh, frozen or canned with no salt added) - fresh spinach, tomato, broccoli, bell pepper, canned string beans, frozen broccoli, cauliflower, collards, romaine lettuce, carrots, sweet potato, peas, squash, turnip greens, onions, okra, kale

GRAINS - oatmeal, cold whole-grain breakfast cereal, whole-wheat or whole-grain bread and crackers, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, popcorn

PROTEIN - beef, chicken, pork, turkey, fresh or frozen fish such as cod, tuna, salmon, catfish and eggs

ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN - tofu, black, garbanzo, pinto or kidney beans, black-eyed peas, hummus, nuts, seeds, peanut butter

DAIRY - low-fat or no-fat milk, yogurt, low-fat cheese; mozzarella, Swiss, American, provolone, cheddar, ricotta, Parmesan

NON-DAIRY - soy milk, soy yogurt, soy cheese

“It's great to know that the food choices for healthy eating are endless, as are the health benefits of enjoying a variety of foods all in moderation,” Blatner says.

The American Dietetic Association is the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. With nearly 70,000 members, the Chicago-based ADA serves the public by promoting optimal health and well-being for all people.

American Dietetic Association

Average Daily Costs to Eat
According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

 

approx. cost per serving

approx. total

4 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables

  

 

2 cups fruit =

 

 

½ cup canned peaches

$0.25

 

½ cup strawberries

$0.28

 

1 small banana (½ -cup equivalent)

$0.17

 

½ cup frozen blueberries

$0.45

 

$1.15

2 ½ cups vegetables =

 

 

1 cup cooked spinach

$0.42

 

1 cup romaine lettuce (½ -cup equivalent)

$0.15

 

½ cup carrots

$0.15

 

½ cup frozen broccoli/cauliflower

$0.25

 

$0.97

6 ounces of grains =

 

 

1 cup cooked oatmeal (2-ounce equivalent)

$0.16

 

1 cup brown rice (2-ounce equivalent)

$0.40

 

2 slices whole wheat bread (2-ounce equivalent)

$0.32

 

$0.88

3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent =

 

 

1 cup yogurt

$0.83

 

1 cup fat-free milk

$0.24

 

1 ½ ounces of cheese

$0.53

 

$1.60

or alternative calcium source =

 

 

3 cups calcium fortified soy milk

$1.59

 

$1.59

5 ½ ounces of protein =

 

 

3 ½ ounces cooked lean beef, chicken, pork or ground turkey

$1.05

 

1 egg (1-ounce equivalent)

$0.09

 

1 ounce fresh fish

$0.58

 

$1.72

or alternative protein source =

 

 

½ cup tofu (2-ounce equivalent)

$0.76

 

½ cup beans (2-ounce equivalent)

$0.26

 

¾ ounce nuts (1½-ounce equivalent)

$0.35

 

$1.37

6 teaspoons of fats =

 

 

2 tsp olive oil

$0.10

 

2 tsp vegetable oil

$0.02

 

2 Tbsp light salad dressing (1-tsp equivalent)

$0.18

 

1 Tbsp low-fat mayo (1-tsp equivalent)

$0.07

 

$0.37

For meat and dairy, one person's approximate total cost per day on average would be $6.69. For meat and dairy alternative, the approximate average cost per day on average would be $6.33 per person.

Average costs per item by serving size are based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet for an average person. Costs vary by geographic location, store purchased or brand-specific. The USDA report How Much Do Americans Pay for Fruits and Vegetables? was used for approximate cost for fruits and vegetables.