According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, 80 percent of people consume less than the recommended amount of fruit. One reason for this may be that some consumers think fruit is an expensive food. The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) calculated average consumer prices in 2022 for 62 fresh and processed fruits, measured in cup equivalents.

A cup equivalent is the edible portion that fits in a 1-cup measuring cup for most fruits and 1/2 cup for raisins and other dried fruits. The recommended amount of fruit a person should eat per day depends on age, sex, and activity level. For a 2,000-calorie diet, 2 cup equivalents of fruit per day is recommended. Fresh watermelon, at 24 cents per cup equivalent, and apple juice (from concentrate) at 30 cents were the least expensive fruits, while fresh blackberries ($2.25), fresh raspberries ($2.58), and canned cherries ($3.56) were the most expensive. 30 of 62 fruits cost less than $1 per cup equivalent in 2022. Data in this table are from the ERS Fruit and Vegetable Prices data product, updated May 23, 2024.

Source: usda.gov