The first official day of summer is just around the corner. With the blooming flowers and warm nights of summer closely approaching, it brings the feeling of change. I decided to go along with this feeling and transition to a healthier lifestyle. I am not going completely vegan or going to the ultimate extreme but instead cutting out fast food and setting up a gym schedule.

I cleaned out my refrigerator of everything processed, with the hopes of replacing it all with fresh fruit, vegetables and everything low-calorie. As I walk down the aisles of the grocery store and take visits to the farmers market, I start to realize that eating healthy is one word: expensive.

It is not a secret that one of the top problems in America is obesity. We are encouraged to eat right and be active, but how is that possible when it is not affordable? When driving down the street, it is easier to see $4 meals for Checkers and Wendy’s, but a healthy salad is around $8. USA Today reports the price of a healthy diet has increased 38 percent since 2003. So, in perspective, eating healthy is not in a college student’s budget – we have a hard enough time scrounging money together for a pizza.

If the cost of healthier food was actually cheaper than junk food, more Americans would probably choose those choices instead of the over-processed, cheesy alternatives. I am pretty sure there are economic reasons that are beyond my scope but I do believe that there ,can be a solution to every problem. With this belief, even though I was facing this complex situation, I could have easily reverted back to my late-night Domino’s and McDonald’s dollar menu diet. Instead, I decided to find a way to eat healthy on a budget.

The first step in saving and spending money that I have learned is to set a budget and stick to it. In the grocery store, the cheapest and healthiest foods are grains, like bread and oatmeal. Also on the fruit and vegetable side, there are the cheap ones and the expensive ones. Mainly the fruits and vegetables are common, like strawberries and tomatoes, and are cheaper than avocados and mangos.

It’s hard to get around the cost of protein like meat and fish, so it is best just to try to stay within your set budget at the grocery store. I usually pick between chicken and fish and just alternate. Also, I have discovered the value of coupons – they are not just for stay-at-home moms anymore; I actually use them for things that are needed.

Making the choice to eat healthy will have great benefits in the long run, but to get America on this healthier page, the prices must work with their wallets. Fast food and junk food are not only appealing because they taste so good, but they are good and cheap.

Amber Patterson is a junior majoring in public relations.