ROB MCCLENDON: WELL ACCORDING TO THE U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, THE PRICE OF FRESH PRODUCE INCREASED BY 40% SINCE
1980; WHILE THE PRICE OF SODAS AND PROCESSED FOODS HAVE ACTUALLY DECLINED
BETWEEN 10% TO 30%.
BUT A NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT WHILE WE MAY BE PAYING MORE FOR HEALTHIER FOOD,
WE ARE AT THE SAME TIME, GETTING A BETTER BARGAIN WHEN COMPARED TO BUYING
JUNK FOOD; WITH MORE, HERE'S OUR DELEAH DAVIS.
DELEAH DAVIS: NO ONE WILL ARGUE THAT JUNK FOOD IS BETTER FOR YOU; SO WHEN
YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND YOU'RE TRYING TO STAY ON A BUDGET, YOU
MIGHT WANT TO PUT DOWN THE TWINKIES AND PICK UP A BANANA BECAUSE IT'S ALSO
BETTER FOR YOUR BUDGET.
SHOPPING FOR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES CAN GET EXPENSIVE, BUT NEW
RESEARCH SHOWS THEY MAY BE THE BEST BARGAIN IN THE GROCERY STORE.
ANDREA CARLSON: IF YOU MEASURE BY EDIBLE GRAM, OR BY THE AVERAGE AMOUNT
EATEN, OR THE AVERAGE PORTION SIZE, THAT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE LESS
EXPENSIVE THAN THE LESS-HEALTHY FOODS.
THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE OF US TRYING TO EAT A HEALTHY DIET, ESPECIALLY
THOSE OF US TRYING TO EAT A HEALTHY DIET ON A LIMITED FOOD BUDGET.
DELEAH: ANDREA CARLSON IS AN ECONOMIC RESEARCHER AT USDA AND SAYS WHILE FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES CAN BE MORE EXPENSIVE, THAT WHEN EATEN, THEY ACTUALLY CAN
MAKE YOU FEEL FULLER THAN JUNK FOOD.
CARLSON: TAKE A CHOCOLATE COVERED DOUGHNUT, IT'S QUITE TASTY, BUT IT'S 240
CALORIES.
YOU CAN EASILY EAT AT LEAST ONE, TWO, PROBABLY EVEN THREE OF THOSE
WITHOUT FEELING VERY FULL HOWEVER, IF YOU CHOOSE A MEDIUM-SIZE BANANA, YOU
ARE LIKELY TO FEEL FULLER AND THAT'S ONLY 105 CALORIES.
IF YOU'RE REALLY HUNGRY YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO EAT TWO OF THOSE.
DELEAH: SO ACTUALLY, FEELING FULLER, WHILE EATING FEWER CALORIES.
THE DIRECTOR OF USDA'S CENTER OF NUTRITION POLICY SAYS FILLING OUR STOMACHS
WITH EMPTY JUNK FOOD CALORIES CAN ACTUALLY EMPTY OUR POCKETS AS WELL.
ROBERT POST: ON THE AVERAGE, CONSUMERS TODAY ARE SPENDING ABOUT A $180
A MONTH FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR TO CONSUME A NOT SO NUTRITIOUS DIET.
AND IN FACT, ACCORDING TO OUR LOW COST FOOD PLAN, THEY CAN IN FACT, CONSUME
A DIET THAT MEETS ALL OF OUR DIETARY NEEDS ON A BUDGET FOR ABOUT A $175 A
MONTH.
AND THAT'S FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.
SO FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND DAIRY FOODS AND PROTEIN FOODS, AS WELL AS,
WHOLE GRAINS, ALL FIT WITHIN A DIETARY STRUCTURE WITHIN, ALSO, THE
BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS.
DELEAH: GOOD NEWS FOR ANYONE WATCHING THEIR POCKETBOOK, AS WELL AS,
THEIR WAISTLINES.
AND RESEARCHERS SAY JUNK FOOD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF THE CALORIES MOST
KIDS EAT; WHICH MAY BE THE REASON WHY 35 OF EVERY 100 KIDS IN THE
U.S. IS CONSIDERED OVERWEIGHT.
