Rising food prices are making healthy eating increasingly unaffordable, a nutritionist has warned.
Mersey News Live compared the same basket of everyday food in Aldi, Lidl and Tesco.
The shop included apples, bananas, grapes, berries, chicken, mince, yogurt, milk, cheese, peppers, onions, potatoes, carrots and bread.
The total came to £31.63 at Aldi, £32.23 at Lidl and £35.05 at Tesco.
Dr Graeme Close, a nutrition expert at Liverpool John Moores University, said fruit and vegetables are important for anyone trying to eat well.
“Many people fail to get enough fibre into their diet and this is one way to do it, it also helps with appetite control,” he said.
As the cost of fresh produce rises, Close warned against judging people for what might appear to be unhealthy diets.
“This is certainly a challenge and why it is important not to judge what can be seen as poor diets. Healthy food must be affordable and we should help people make it taste good,” he said.
“Let’s be honest, over boiled vegetables are not a culinary delight, so it is crucial that we help people with skills and keep it affordable.”
When budgets are tight, shoppers often choose food that is quicker and easier to prepare with Close saying convenience matters.
“I do not think cheaper foods are always more processed, but they can be quicker and easier to cook than cooking from scratch,” he said.
“You could do a great vegetable stir fry and rice for not loads of money, but do people know how to do this?”
He also highlighted that healthy eating is becoming harder to maintain as food prices continue to rise, particularly for people on lower incomes.
People in Merseyside agreed, telling MNL they cannot afford to eat healthily and think prices of fruit and veg in supermarkets are too high.
Frank, 25, said: “It’s expensive but I think that is just how prices are nowadays anyway.”
Eun, 20, said: “It needs to be lower, people can’t afford food. It’s hard to get a full meal.”
Charlie, 21: shared her frustration about how this affects people on low incomes.
She said: “It’s very expensive, it’s ridiculous. I can’t afford it. Poor people can’t get all the nutrients they need then it’s hard because I feel like I can’t give to them because I can’t afford it because being a uni student is tough.”
When asked about the ban on unhealthy foods before 9pm to lower childhood obesity rates, Ben, 24, said: “There needs to be more focus on getting veg prices lower to encourage healthy eating because it’s easier to buy rubbish food and eat rubbish.”
@merseynewslive Is food and veg a luxury
