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"  You&amp;#039;ve probably suspected that healthy eating is pricier than pigging out on processed foods. A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health confirms this, but the price difference is a bit easier to stomach than you&amp;#039;d think: The healthiest diets cost just $550 more a year ($1.50 a day) than those full of junk food. What proved to be the most expensive foods? Meats and other proteins. The researchers analyzed 27 existing studies from 10 high-income countries (the study was limited by not being able to look at low- and middle-income countries), looking at factors like differences in prices per serving, per 200 calories, and per day for overall diet patterns. They adjusted for inflation and converted prices to dollars. While it&amp;#039;s not a drop in the bucket, the $550 difference pays off when it comes to health benefits. &amp;quot;This would represent a real burden for some families, and we need policies to help offset these costs,&amp;quot; Dariush Mozaffarian, the study&amp;#039;s senior author and associate professor at HSPH and Harvard Medical School, says in a press statement. &amp;quot;On the other hand, this price difference is very small in comparison to the economic costs of diet-related chronic diseases, which would be dramatically reduced by healthy diets.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;While the cost of healthy food can be a burden for many families, so too is the cost of facing diseases, like diabetes and heart disease, associated with a poor diet,&amp;quot; says Samantha Cassetty, M.S., R.D., nutrition director at Good Housekeeping. Looking to keep your family eating healthy without spending a bundle? Sam suggests:  Looking at your grocery store circular to spot sales Buying what&amp;#039;s in season (&amp;quot;the abundance of seasonal produce brings the cost down&amp;quot;) Heading to the freezer aisle for frozen fruits and vegetables. &amp;quot;I always have frozen cauliflower and spinach in my freezer along with tons of frozen fruit. The steamed cauliflower whips up into low-cal &amp;#039;potatoes&amp;#039; and thawed, drained spinach is great in frittatas. I whirl fruit into smoothies or thaw it to use as a topping for yogurt.&amp;quot; Not overlooking lower-sodium canned veggies. &amp;quot;Canned corn is terrific in salads and tacos, and canned beans provide lots of plant nutrients as well as protein.&amp;quot; Since meat makes the highest difference in price, use meat sparingly and fill up on foods like whole grains and low-fat dairy.  For more ideas on how to eat better, be sure to check out our tips on maximizing your food&amp;#039;s nutrients. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a13924/eating-healthy-saving-money/>