ORLANDO, Fla. — More than a third of Florida families say they are buying less fresh produce as grocery prices continue to strain household budgets, according to a new survey.
Advance America said it surveyed 3,004 households and found that 35% of Florida families are buying fewer fruits and vegetables on each shopping trip.
That is slightly above the national average of 34%, according to the survey.
The survey also found that 51% of Florida families said their overall diet is less healthy than it was two to three years ago because of grocery prices.
Families that have not cut back on produce said they are still feeling the cost. According to the survey, Florida families are spending an average of $28.60 more per month on fruits and vegetables compared with the same time last year.
The survey found that families are making several changes to reduce produce costs.
Advance America said 20% of respondents reported buying more frozen fruits or vegetables, while 13% said they visited multiple stores to compare prices.
The survey also found that 9% stopped buying certain fruits entirely, 9% bought more canned produce, 6% chose cheaper processed foods and 3% skipped produce for themselves while still buying it for their children.
Nearly one in three families said healthy eating now feels financially out of reach.
According to the survey, 28% of respondents said healthy eating is becoming financially unrealistic, while 30% said they still try to eat healthy but compromise more often.
The survey also found that 64% of families worry at least occasionally that their diet is less healthy because of grocery costs.
Advance America said 48% of respondents reported eating more processed foods because they are cheaper than fresh produce.
“Fresh fruit and vegetables should feel like basic groceries, not premium add-ons,” Laura McCutcheon, vice president of marketing at Advance America, said in a news release. “When parents are skipping produce for themselves to keep buying it for their kids, that tells you everything about the kind of quiet sacrifices families are making right now.”
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