Eating Well on Little Money: What Food Prices Really Measure
Cost is one of the most commonly cited barriers to eating healthier. For anyone shopping on very little money, the problem is rarely abstract. Cheap staples aren’t always cheap locally, fresh produce goes off, and cooking from scratch takes time.
Much of the argument depends on how you measure it. Per calorie, healthier food usually does cost more. In French price data, 100 calories of fruit and vegetables cost a median of 0.82 euros, compared with 0.14 euros for refined starches and 0.06 euros for added fats.
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Per serving, the gap narrows sharply. A review of 27 studies from 10 countries found the healthiest diet patterns cost about $1.48 more per person per day than the least healthy, in 2011 international dollars. That compares the extremes. Per serving, healthier grains cost only $0.03 more.
Value often sits in ordinary places. Pulses, whole grains, milk, eggs, and canned sardines all score highly for nutritional quality relative to price. In one UK study, switching to own-label versions cut costs without affecting nutritional quality. However, a French study found national brands cost about 2.5 times as much and were higher quality.
There is also a limit. French modelling set the minimum cost of a nutritionally adequate diet at about 3.5 euros a day, but only with zero food waste, cooking skills, and no meals out. People using food aid in France had an estimated 2.5 euros. Even with better shopping, the line won’t close the gap.
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