During the week, it can be difficult to plan out meals, do the grocery shopping and come home to do all the cooking. Instead, easy and inexpensive trips through the drive-through may seem much more appealing. While a fast food meal is ok every so often, it turns out eating unhealthy food will cost you more in the long run – both in terms of your health and your finances.

The major cost of a diet that consists mostly of unhealthy food is weight gain. Weight gain leads to obesity and obesity can put you at risk for many health conditions. These health conditions include, but are not limited to, type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, depression and more. Any of these conditions are much costlier, (financially, physically and emotionally) than the cost of a healthy diet.

What exactly IS the cost of healthy eating? While fresh veggies, fruits and lean meats will ring up a higher charge at checkout than a basket full of processed, sugary or boxed foods, an article published in Time magazine states that the cost difference per day is really very minimal. It states, “The smart people at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have crunched the numbers and it’s official: the healthiest diets cost just $1.50 more than unhealthy diets.”

So next time you’re debating the drive-through for burgers and fries for your family, remember you can make a healthier choice at the grocery store for an average of $1.50 more.