COST REALITIES OF HEALTHY FOODS

COST REALITIES OF HEALTHY FOODS

CONTENTS

PREFACE

Chapter 1 ARE HEALTHY FOODS REALLY MORE EXPENSIVE? IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU MEASURE THE PRICE

ABSTRACT

SUMMARY

What Is the Issue?

What Were the Major Findings?

How Was the Study Conducted?

BACKGROUND

METRICS FOR FOOD PRICE COMPARISONS

Price of Food Energy, or Price per Calorie ($/calorie)

Price of Edible Weight ($/100 Edible Grams)

Price of an Average-Size Portion ($/portion)

Cost of Meeting Dietary Recommendations

DATA AND METHODS

Data

Methods

FINDINGS

Food Energy Price

Edible Weight Price

Average-Portion Price

Comparing the Metrics

Cost of Meeting Daily Food Group Recommendations

CONCLUSION

APPENDIX—DEFINING AVERAGE-PORTION GROUPINGS

Food-Grouping Description

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

REFERENCES

End Notes

Chapter 2 PRICE TRENDS ARE SIMILAR FOR FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND SNACK FOODS

ABSTRACT

SUMMARY

What Is the Issue?

What Did the Study Find?

How Was the Study Conducted?

INTRODUCTION

WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO SAY WHETHER RELATIVE PRICES HAVE CHANGED?

Changing Produce Quality: Fruits and Vegetables Are More Convenient to Eat

Changing Produce Quality: Fruits and Vegetables Come in Greater Year-Round Variety

PRICE INDICES MAY NOT ADEQUATELY ACCOUNT FOR QUALITY CHANGE

HOLDING QUALITY CONSTANT: WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT HOW RELATIVE PRICES HAVE CHANGED?

Price Trends for Dessert and Snack Foods

Price Trends for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

CONCLUSION

APPENDIX: CPI OVERSTATES THE RATE OF INCREASE IN FOOD PRICES, ESPECIALLY FOR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABL

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

REFERENCES

End Notes

Chapter 3 GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES IN THE RELATIVE PRICE OF HEALTHY FOODS

ABSTRACT

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

SUMMARY

What Did the Study Find?

How Was the Study Conducted?

INTRODUCTION

DATA AND METHODS

GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES IN THE RELATIVE PRICE OF HEALTHY FOODS

Grains: Whole Versus Refined

Fruits and Vegetables

Nutrient-Dense Dark Green and Orange Vegetables versus Starchy Vegetables

Whole Fruit versus Sweet and Salty Commercially Prepared Snacks

Beverages

Low-Fat Milk versus Whole and 2% Milk

Low-Fat Milk versus Carbonated Nonalcoholic

Carbonated Nonalcoholic Beverages versus Water

Fruit Juice versus Fruit Drinks

DISCUSSION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

REFERENCES

End Notes

INDEX

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