According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, 80 percent of individuals consume less than the recommended amounts of fruit. One reason may be that some consumers think fruit is an expensive food item. USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) calculated average consumer prices paid in 2022 for 62 fresh and processed fruits measured in cup equivalents.
A cup equivalent is the edible portion that will generally fit in a 1-cup measuring cup for most fruits, or one-half cup for raisins and other dried fruits. The recommended amount of fruit a person should eat per day depends on age, sex, and level of activity. For a 2,000-calorie diet, 2 cup equivalents of fruits per day is recommended. Fresh watermelon at 24 cents per cup equivalent and apple juice (made from concentrate) at 30 cents were the lowest priced fruits, while fresh blackberries ($2.25), fresh raspberries ($2.58), and canned cherries ($3.56) were the priciest. Thirty out of 62 fruits cost less than $1 per cup equivalent in 2022. The data in this chart are from the ERS Fruit and Vegetable Prices data product updated May 23, 2024.
Source: ers.usda.gov