What costs more Money to eat Healthy or Not?

My clients Melissa and Diana brought up a great question at dinner... Is it more expensive to eat healthy or not? I am going to compare the diet in calories and cost, the results are interesting:

Lets take an average day of healthy food for an active 180lb man or 2500 calorie diet:

Apple $.50 & 50cals
Banana $.19 & 100cals
2 packets of oatmeal .75 & 200cals
1/4 cup of Nuts .50 & 100cals
1/4 cup Raisins .25 $ 100cals
10 Baby Carrots .50 & 25cals
Celery .25 & 10cals
1tbsp Peanut Butter .25 & 100cals
2 slices whole wheat bread .25 & 200cals
2oz Turkey 1.00 & 150cals
1oz cheese .25 & 75cals
1 Tomato .50 & 50cals
1 Granola Bar .25 & 100cals
1 cup chicken soup 1.00 & 100cals
1 cup brown rice .50 & 300cals
1 Bell Pepper 1.00 & 100cals
1/2 Onion .50 & 10cals
4oz Steak 1.00 & 250cals
1 cup spinach .50 & 50cals
1/4 cup walnuts .25 & 100cals
1/4 cup dried cranberries .25 & 25cals
2tbsp Olive Oil .25 & 200cals
8oz Milk .25 & 100cals

Total $10.50 & 2500 calories
*Great source of vitamins, minerals, high in potassium, fiber and healthy fats.
**This diet will give you energy throughout the day, increase focus, help to prevent sickness and disease (the list goes on).

VS

Now, Lets take the diet of a 300lb lethargic man eating 3000 calories/day:

1 McDonald's McFrappe $2.00 & 400calories
1 Diet Coke .50 & 0calories
1 Big Mac combo meal 6.50 & 1200cals
1 bag Doritos .75 & 150cals
1 Chicken Parmigiana Frozen Dinner 4.00 & 750cals
5 Oreos 1.00 & 250cals
3 beers 1.50 & 300cals

Total $16.25 & 3000 Calories
*Minimal vitamins, minerals, high amounts of trans fats, sugar/sodium and are low in potassium.
**A diet like this will increase your chances of sickness, disease and lethargy.

You can save $5/day or $35/week or $140/month in groceries if you eat closer to the first option. Plus, eating closer to the active mans 2500 calorie diet will save time and money going to the doctor, on medicine and will save you time from increasing your productivity.

To take this investigation even further... I will look at the time accumulated to prepare and eat meals for each person in the next blog!

Here are some tips for helping your kids or significant other pack a lunch:
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/menus/lunch-box-pictures1.htm