11/21/2008

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Chow Line: A healthful diet can be affordable (for 11/30/08)

Writer:

Martha Filipic
filipic.3@cfaes.osu.edu
(614) 292-9833

Source:

Julie Shertzer, Human Nutrition

I laugh every time I hear how many fruits and vegetables we’re supposed to eat every day. Who can afford it?

This is a question that’s been bandied about for years: Does the cost of fruits and vegetables and other healthful foods prevent some consumers from being able to afford a healthy diet?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently examined this question. In the November 2008 issue of Amber Waves, published by the USDA’s Economic Research Service, analysts examined data from several recent studies to answer just that question, especially as it concerns low-income Americans. The authors concluded that even low-income Americans, particularly those who receive the maximum benefit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (the new name for the Food Stamp Program) can indeed afford a healthful diet. It may mean spending more time on food preparation, and low-income Americans often spend a higher proportion of their budget on food than higher-income households. But it can be done.

One of the studies cited in the report was conducted at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Researchers assisted families with overweight children to base their diets on low-calorie, high-nutrient foods. Families tended to replace unhealthy snack foods with fruits and vegetables and make other changes in their diet. In the end, family members were not only healthier, but the families spent less on food than they had previously.

Still, the belief that healthful foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, are too expensive is a common one. In a 2004 survey, nearly four in 10 Americans indicated that the cost of a healthy diet limited what they ate.

The Dietary Guidelines say that a person who consumes 2,000 calories a day should eat 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables every day (with 2 cups of leafy greens counting as 1 cup). The Economic Research Service looked at national average costs of apples, bananas, lettuce, tomatoes and carrots, and found per-cup costs ranged from 16 cents a cup (for the lettuce) to 70 cents a cup (for tomatoes), with the average for these five items at 39 cents per cup. The key is to shop around:

• Buy smaller apples or other fruits in 3-pound bags rather than the larger ones you bag yourself.
• Look at the produce that’s on sale first, then decide what to purchase.
• Don’t forget fruits and vegetables in the canned and frozen food aisles. They can be convenient and inexpensive choices if you shop smart.

For ideas on healthy recipes that don’t cost a lot, check the USDA’s Recipe Finder at http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/. The service is now also available in Spanish.

Chow Line is a service of Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Send questions to Chow Line, c/o Martha Filipic, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH, 43210-1044, or filipic.3@cfaes.osu.edu.

Editor: This column was reviewed by Julie Shertzer, registered dietitian and program specialist for Ohio State University Extension in the Department of Human Nutrition, in the College of Education and Human Ecology.