Food

Price per edible portion*

Time to prepare (minutes)

Waste (grams)

Total cost per edible portion* (TCEP)

Cost per gram of protein*

Cost per gram of fiber*

Cost per mg of potassium*

Cost per mg vitamin C

Cost per mcg of folate*

Cost per IU vitamin A
Pinto beans                    
canned 0.36 6.00 0 1.08 0.09 0.12 0.00 -- 0.03 --
dried 0.47 145.50 0 18.05 1.29 1.29 0.03 -- 0.07 --
Green beans                    

canned

 0.27 8.0 0 1.24 -- 0.41 0.01 0.35 0.03 --
fresh 0.36 8.5 65 1.96 -- 0.49 0.01 0.16 0.05 --
frozen 0.78 18.0 0 2.95 -- 0.74 0.01 0.49 0.09 --
Corn                    
canned 0.41 7.5 0 1.32 -- 0.44 0.01 0.44 0.02 0.02
fresh 0.16 13.5 422 2.45 -- 0.61 0.01 0.27 0.06 0.01
frozen 0.79 9.5 0 1.93 -- 0.48 0.01 0.32 0.03 0.01
Mushrooms                    
canned 1.48 7.0 0 2.32 -- 0.58 0.01 3.00 0.12 --
fresh 1.09 22.0 0 3.75 -- 0.94 0.01 0.63 0.13 --
jarred 2.16 7.0 0 3.01 -- 0.75 -- 0.00 -- --
dried 32.95 27.0 0 36.21 -- 2.01 0.02 6.03 0.14 --
Peas                    
canned 0.38 7.5 0 1.28 -- 0.18 0.00 0.09 0.02 --
fresh 1.57 9.5 0 2.72 -- 0.68 0.01 0.04 0.06 --
frozen 0.85 8.3 0 1.86 -- 0.21 0.01 0.12 0.02 --
dried 9.58 75.0 0 18.65 -- 1.10 -- 0.28 -- --
Pumpkin                    
canned 0.79 6.0 0 1.52 -- 0.19 0.00 0.14 0.05 0.00
fresh 2.46 23.0 1012 16.31 -- 6.52 0.03 1.48 0.82 0.00
Spinach                    
canned 0.49 8.0 0 1.45 -- 0.36 0.00 0.06 0.01 0.00
fresh 0.75 8.0 120 2.21 -- 0.55 0.00 0.13 0.01 0.00
frozen 1.20 8.0 0 2.16 -- 0.36 0.00 0.54 0.01 0.00
Tomatoes                    
canned 0.43 8.0 0 1.40 -- 0.71 0.00 0.07 0.05 0.00
fresh 0.51 10.5 2 1.79 -- 1.19 0.00 0.04 0.06 0.00
Peaches                    
canned 0.54 0.5 0 0.72 -- 0.72 0.00 0.14 0.05 0.00
fresh 0.93 13.5 95 2.97 -- 0.99 0.01 0.21 0.37 0.00
frozen 1.64 18.0 0 3.82 -- 0.95 0.01 0.02 0.64 0.01
dried 8.06 45.0 0 13.50 -- -- 0.02 1.69 4.50 0.03
Pears                    
canned 0.74 0.5 0 0.80 -- 0.27 0.01 0.40 0.13 --
fresh 0.62 14.0 122 2.67 -- 0.38 0.01 0.30 0.18 0.05
Tuna                    
canned 0.26 1.5 0 0.44 0.01 -- -- -- 0.15 0.02
fresh 0.72 8.0 0 1.68 0.19 -- -- -- 1.68 0.08
frozen 0.37 14.0 0 2.07 0.26 -- -- -- 2.07 0.11
*Total cost per edible portion (TCEP) = average price per edible portion + cost of waste + cost value of preparation time. Cost per nutrient = total cost per edible portion/ amount of nutrient available in that portion. Anything less than one cent is listed as zero.
-- indicates that this nutrient is found in either negligible amounts or there was no data available.
Table 1: Nutrient per cost comparison of beans, vegetables, fruit and tuna fish (in US dollars)