An interesting way to think about food

I found this interesting blog post recently about how much money 200 calories of various foods costs. The foods range from healthy greens and vegetables to junk food like potato chips and soda. I found this particularly interesting because I've been making an effort to eat healthier for a while, but particularly in the last several months. Now that I'm back at school and in a bind as far as money goes, it was fascinating to see exactly how much I'd have to spend in order to eat the way I need to in order to stay healthy.

While perusing the different foods listed, it's important to consider a few things about the foods. Obviously, certain foods can fill you up with 200 calories more than other foods can. For example, 200 calories of beans -- already a fibrous food -- will be more satisfying than, say, jelly beans, and it will cost less.

Interestingly (but not surprisingly), the foods in the most expensive category were almost entirely healthy foods -- lots of vegetables, fruits, fiber and protein -- while the cheapest category was comprised mostly of carbs. However, the higher the price per 200 calories is, the greater the serving size is. While a bowl of carrots, a couple apples, or some turkey may not be a savory to you as a small handful of Doritos, they'll fill you up more and seriously improve your health.

The point is this: eating right may seem more expensive than eating the cheap-o garbage that's on sale every week, but because fruits, vegetables, and fibrous foods provide a greater serving for their price and thus can fill your stomach with less food, it pretty much balances out. All that's left is exercising moderation in your food consumption so you don't find yourself making the trek back to the supermarket every other day.

Another similar article I found talks about buying healthy foods for under $1 a pound. I really like the writer's mantra of only ever buying food that costs $1 per pound or less. If done right, it sounds like a foolproof way to stay healthy and save money.