Many students find it difficult to eat healthy, not because they don’t want to but because of the exorbitant prices of foods that are good for them.

Between busy schedules and having to pay for their own food, fast food becomes a staple in most high schoolers’ lives.

When fast food places have a laundry list of unhealthy options on the dollar menu compared to a salad that costs close to $10, it’s an easy choice for most students.

Teens are also frequently starving and need a substantial amount of food to calm their growling stomachs. It’s much easier to get full on five $1 hamburgers than try to purchase something healthy that is equally filling.

Going to the grocery store for meal prep isn’t much better as produce is far more expensive than a bag of chips or other snack foods. 

When the priority is to make sure you eat and feel full while also being able to afford a meal each day, junk food wins out over healthy alternatives that break the bank.

The option to cheaply supersize food makes it even more challenging for teens to be health-conscious.

It is easy for teens to say at the beginning of a meal they will finish it later, but because the food is present, they eat it anyway.

Sometimes a larger portion may seem like a better deal for your wallet, but it may not be the best deal for your stomach or your eating habits. 

Because keeping a healthy diet can be more expensive, fast food and other junk foods provide a much cheaper and easier option, especially for students. 

As a society, we need to change to make healthier options more easily obtainable to the masses.