In lean economic times, families faced with the choice of buying foods that are less expensive versus foods that are more nutritious but bear a higher price tag will usually opt for the lower priced alternative. It’s not easy to tell which foods are nutritionally worth the extra cost, however, a new food rating system devised by a researcher from the University of Washington analyzes both nutrition and cost value of food, making it easier for people to find budget-friendly, nutritious foods.

“In today’s economy, more people are making food choices based solely on cost, so it’s important to guide them on ways to get nutritious options without hurting their wallets,” said Adam Drewnowski, PhD, professor at the University of Washington. “It is important to identify a wide range of affordable, nutritious choices that can help people build a balanced diet that fits their lifestyle and budget.”

The Affordable Nutrition Index (ANI) was introduced at the American Dietetic Association’s October Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo and was billed as the first and only tool that assesses food’s nutritional profile and cost value to create a nutrition-value-per-dollar score. It was shaped by recommendations in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and calculates a food score based on nine essential nutrients to encourage (protein, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, C and E) and three nutrients to limit (saturated fat, added sugars and sodium).

Nearly 300 commonly eaten foods, including fresh vegetables, fruits, grains from an independent food intake frequency questionnaire, as well as various convenience foods, including a variety of Campbell’s soups, were assessed in the study. Results showed that dark-colored vegetables, certain fruits and vegetable soups were among the most affordable, nutritious foods.

Topping the veggie scale were carrots, sweet potatoes and broccoli. Oranges and bananas were the top-scoring fruits. Other fresh or cooked vegetables (peas, string beans, squash, lettuce) and fresh fruits (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes, nectarines, apples) also ranked highly.

Dr. Drewnowski said he was inspired to create the ANI to fill an obvious gap. “None of the existing food scoring systems ever took food prices into account. And yet, many of the most nutrient-rich foods, including some fresh produce, tend to be more expensive on a per calorie basis than other options,” he said. “The goal of ANI was to identify those foods that provide most nutrients per calorie and maximum nutrition per dollar. And by the way, vegetable soups, juices, carrots and broccoli had few rivals when it came to delivering nutritional value.”

When it came to branded food products, Campbell’s Healthy Request Condensed Vegetable soups ranked among the top affordable, nutritious food options. In fact, 25 Campbell’s soups ranked high on the ANI scale, particularly condensed vegetable soup varieties that were lower in sodium. Campbell’s Healthy Request Condensed Vegetable soups are American Heart Association “heart-healthy” certified. In addition, the company’s tomato soup recently underwent a 32% reduction in sodium and is one of the top-selling soups in the U.S.

Soup, Dr. Drewnowski said, has added value and appeal because its wide variety of flavors are readily found in grocery stores, is easy to prepare and is a satisfying meal.

So far, he said, the best reaction to the ANI has come from consumers. “You should see the blogs,” he said. “Food prices are something that consumers do care about. This was a concrete way to show that milk, eggs, beans, potatoes and orange juice are among basic low cost nutrition staples.”

Dr. Drewnowski said he is committed to helping identify affordable nutritious foods and putting them within the reach of every consumer, because it’s “the best way to improve the quality of the American diet.”

But it will take some time before the ANI debuts commercially. “This idea needs a commercial partner—and there are many that could be interested, from commodity groups to food manufacturers to supermarkets,” he said. “Depending on promotion and sales, one item or another could provide the best nutritional value for money today. I see interactive websites, kiosks or iPhone applications that could carry updated pricing information for the best buys in your area. The technology does exist and it could be used to promote public health.”

He added that the ANI tool is just the beginning. “First we had nutrient-rich foods. Now we have affordable nutrient-rich foods. Next I want to identify affordable nutrient-rich foods that are tasty and appealing,” he said. “What foods give you the most nutrition and most pleasure units per dollar? One hint—you may be eating them already.”