Eating a recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day can cost less than 50p, according to new research by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).
Rising food prices has led to growing concerns that many hard-pressed families will be deterred from eating healthily.
However, the WCRF has found that five portions of fruit and vegetables from leading supermarkets can be bought for just 42p.
The charity carried out the research “to illustrate the point that if people shop smartly then eating enough fruits and vegetables does not have to mean putting a strain on your finances “.
The five portions list included Tesco red cabbage (64p for 650g or 8p per portion); Sainsburys Basics carrots (50p for 1k, or 4p per portion); Sainsbury’s Basics tomatoes (72p for 450g or 13p per portion); Asda bananas (7p per portion) and Asda Smart Price apples (10p per portion).
Kate Mendoza, head of education for the WCRF, said: “We understand that rising food prices mean many people feel they have little option but to buy fewer fruits and vegetables. But while some fruits and vegetables are very expensive, our review shows that this is not the case across the board.”
“Even if you were to only buy fresh produce, there are many where a portion is available for under 10p. This means that with a bit of planning it is possible to buy plenty of fruits and vegetables on even the tightest of budgets.”
She added: “We hope our list of five portions does inspire people to think about creative ways they can eat fruits and vegetables less expensively. One way is to buy produce that is in season and that is seen as less exotic than fruits and vegetables that may cost much more but are no better for your health .”
“Other ways to shop more economically are to opt for tinned and frozen fruits and vegetables . These count towards your 5 A DAY and they also tend to be less expensive and keep for longer.”
