I agree with the various people who direct you away from the big grocery stores and towards smaller produce stores / Chinese groceries / Atwater Market as a source of cheaper produce. It is also true that a lot of the super-hyped organic omega-3 cruelty-free etc. food is going to cost you a great deal if that's your thing. And of course the traditional student diet of takeout pizza and Chinese 3-5 times a week minimum is ridiculously expensive and unhealthy to boot. Finally, healthy rice and pasta dishes are dirt cheap and easy to cook.

Having said all that, a $1.00 box of Kraft Dinner plus $0.40 for two wieners to add some protein can provide lunch for two adults and one hungry toddler. $1.40 will not ever provide enough fresh produce for a similar healthy meal, and if you want real non-processed meat to add to that, good luck! Not to mention that if you're working long hours and only have yourself to feed, the effort to put together such a meal is considerable for the end result. Despite all those points in the first paragraph I think you're completely right that it is *not* cheap to eat well on a regular basis.