Can you afford to eat right? Its getting tougher. Prices of foods rich in nutrients rose at almost double the rate of junk food from 2004 to 2008. University of Washington researchers tracked the cost of the top 20% most nutrient-dense supermarket selections, such as vegetables and fortified wholegrain cereals, versus the cost of the least nutrient-dense foods, high in sugar, fat and refined grains. Prices of the healthy foods rose 29.2%, while the least-nutritious foods went up 16.1%. The most nutritious choices rang the cash register at $27.20 per 1,000 calories, compared to just $3.32 for 1,000 calories worth of junk food. The growing price disparity may pose a barrier to the adoption of healthier diets, researchers warned.TO LEARN MORE: Food Policy, online before print,dx. doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2010.06.004.