Money is tight and people are watching their budgets, but is it getting too expensive to eat healthy? In a recent article by the NY Times, it is reported that even middle-class people are struggling to put healthful food on the table. Eating junk food is just cheaper.

A study by the Center of Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington, compared the prices of 370 foods sold at supermarkets in the Seattle area. The study showed that "energy dense" junk foods, which pack on the calories and fewest nutrients per gram, were less expensive than healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. The prices of the most healthful foods surged 19.5% over a two year period, while junk food prices dropped 1.8%.

This is bad news for working families -- especially with small children. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the building blocks for good health, but they can be expensive. In a time where the daily food-stamp allowance is typically just a few dollars per person, the average American eats $7 worth of food per day.

A new study reported in USA Today finds that "kids meals" at chain and fast food restaurants are too high in calories for a single meal. According to the analysis from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, some meals contain more than 1,000 calories, which is the typical daily calorie count per DAY for elementary school children. Considering that the average child, under 18, eats 167 restaurant meals in a year, that is a lot of calories.

This does not surprise me. All you have to do is look around. When I was a kid, we were all skinny. It was unusual to see a heavy-set kid in the class. Now I go to my daughter's swim class and the majority of the kids are overweight. Granted, kids may be sitting more, but I vote that the eating habits are more of the problem.

Years and years and years ago, way past the statute of limitations, I found myself walking to a Hardee's restaurant with my then girlfriend. We were both...um...impaired. Actually, to be completely honest, it was 1:00 A.M., we were...impaired...out of our minds, and desperate for food. Thinking about the grease-laden Hardee's menu, we'd already decided which items we were going to get. I'd more or less settled on the whole right-hand column, which, for some reason, I was able to remember with photographic clarity.

We were in a hurry, so we'd just put on our pajamas. Actually, I was wearing pajamas and she was wearing my bathrobe and a pair of pajama bottoms. As we neared the eatery, I decided to get ready. I didn't want to be slowed down by the trouble of reaching for my wallet, disentangling my keys, or any other difficulties. We were going to go in, get fed, and get out.

My pockets were empty. So were my girlfriend's. Just to be sure, we double, triple, quadruple-checked everything. No dice: we were out of luck. Sadly, hungrily, we returned home.

Recently, I found myself giggling at a similar story. Apparently, Wade Churchward, a resident of Careton, New Zealand, found himself in the same situation, but decided to pursue an alternate form of payment. Stoned, hungry, and out of cash, he attempted to convince a convenience-store clerk to accept 21 grams of marijuana in exchange for a bag of potato chips and two packs of M&Ms. (ed- According to estimates in the High Times, a gram of pot sells for around $12 in the U.S., or $252 for 21 grams. Very pricey muchies.) Given that the next person in line was a policeman, the clerk turned Mr. Churchward down.

While I am sure that justice was done, I weep for the death of the barter economy!

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. He's tried to barter, but his landlord refuses to accept delicious homemade preserves as payment. Fool.

My wife and I are thinking about moving. As we've been looking at various apartments, we've had to consider the standard questions: how close is it to the subway, what is the nearest hospital, do the drug dealers seem friendly, what's the homicide rate, how many pairs of shoes are dangling from the nearby power lines...

You know, the standard Bronx questions.

One issue that we've never considered is the distance between our home and the nearest McDonald's. However, a recent study has revealed that our proximity to fast-food restaurants and convenience stores might be among the most important considerations when we choose our next home.

Gosh DANG, the pusher man.

In general, it's best to avoid developing addictive relationships with junk food. The Unwritten Law of the Marketing Universe seems to dictate that as soon as a product develops a cult-like following, the company making the product ceases production.

The companies will tell you it's because of low demand. That's of little succor to the many thousands of people who buy and consume the beloved product. Call it the twisted troll logic of supply and demand. In a market of multi-millions, a few hundred thousand fans don't add up to economies of scale.