There are also concerns over the nutritional value of pre-cut fruit and vegetables: Becki Douglas, Resident nutritionist for Champneys told FEMAIL that research has shown that the vitamin C content can be diminished by up to 90 per cent in ready prepared pre-cut fruit and vegetables compared to fresh produce.
'Pre-prepared fruit and vegetables may have travelled from afar extending the time between harvesting and consumption.
'As this period grows, nutrient loss increases, further accelerated by the processing techniques employed.'
Pineapple pieces by Sainsbury's
Great for snacking, a 400g tub of Sainsbury's Pineapple Pieces costs £1.50. That makes it 50p more expensive than a whole pineapple, which you can pick up from the store for just £1.00. The average pineapple weighs around 900g, meaning you'll pay £3.75 per kg for chopped pineapple, but just £1.11 for a fresh fruit.
ASDA Grower's selection carrot batons
Peeling and chopping carrots might seem like a task you'd like to avoid, but it is worth more than three times the price for?
At £1.00 a bag of carrot batons from ASDA might seem reasonably priced, but you'll be paying £1.67 per kg. The store's fresh carrots are just 45p per kg and when you take into account the potential nutrient deterioration it seems like less of a bargain as they're three-and-a-half times more expensive.
Sainsbury's ready prepared cougetti
If you don't want to splash out on a spiraliser, supermarkets like Sainsbury's are now offering a ready made alternative to pasta.
But what you'll save on calories and a new kitchen gadget in the short term, may add up over time. A £1.20 bag of courgetti works out at £4 a kg, whereas if you purchase the vegetable in its natural state you'll pay half the price at £2.
Tesco chopped watermelon
Your healthy snack might end up costing you in other ways, as a 380g pot of chopped watermelon is only 50p less than a whole fruit.
There are two servings per pot, meaning you're definitely getting a worse deal. A whole watermelon costs just £2.50 compared with buying it chopped for £2.00.
M&S Just Add Avocado
Opinion was divided when the retailer launched a peeled and de-stoned pot of avocado last month. Some customers commented online that it was the height of laziness, while others said it was no different to buying a prepared bag of salad. What might sway them however, is the cost.
You'll pay around £10 per kg for avocado at other supermarkets, but the M&S chopped variety will set you back an extra £2.50 at £12.50 per kg
