How Much Is Our Diet Costing Us?

STEP 1: Fill in your section of the table (if you were not in class, fill in the entire table independently).

Group A items are plant foods and Group B items are animal foods.

Group A: Determine the cost per ounce of rice, dried beans, and rolled oats. Use the information from column B to fill in column D.

Determine the number of calories per ounce of each food. Use the information from column C to fill in column E.

Determine the cost per calorie of each food. Answer from column D divided by answer from column E.

Group B: Determine the cost per ounce of beef, chicken, and pork. Use the information from column B to fill in column D.

Determine the number of calories per ounce of each food. Use the information from column C to fill in column E.

Determine the cost per calorie of each food. Answer from column D divided by answer from column E.

Remember there are 16 oz in 1 lb.

STEP 2: Share your results and complete the table (again, if you were not in class, complete independently).

STEP 3: Answer the questions.

According to your calculations, which foods tend to be cheaper, plant or animal foods?

Could we have more food for more people by eating higher or lower on the food chain? Explain your answer.