Affordable and cheap healthy food

scentless_apprentice12

What are affordable healthy foods? My family doesn't eat healthy at all because of the high prices. So any tips?

een2016

If I have to pick one , it will definitely be plain greek yogurt. Its a nutritional powerhouse. Protein, Calcium and Probiotics, all packed in one.

freqzinbigd

Rice and beans are super cheap. Eggs are awesome. Frozen veggies aren't bad. Learn to cook cheaper cuts of meat well (learn to love the crockpot)

Habropoda843

You can download a cookbook called Good Cheap Eats for free from http://www.leannebrown.com/, she has dozens of recipes based on a $4 per person per day SNAP budget.

ginny92802

Buy frozen vegetables, especially when they are on sale.

ap9133a

Healthy food is very affordable. Get a big bag of brown rice, a big bag of dry beans, frozen veggies (I usually get a bag of frozen broccoli for $1 or less), and eggs. You can get all that for less than $10.

sullus

Can you clarify or give an example? Cooking from scratch is almost always going to be "healthier" and less expensive than buying packaged. Your question isn't really answerable without knowing what your definition of "healthy" is and what you're eating now.

mzjenn2u

buy in bulk and cook ahead of time....portion control will most likely help you save money as well....realizing what a portion is versus just loading up your plate....at least for myself and my family
also there is no reason to my name brand food items in my opinion....i buy alot of walmart brand stuff and have no problem using coupons as well to save money

greenfirearm

Lidl or Aldi?

jgnatca

Yes, cooking from scratch is healthier and cheaper. Dried beans and legumes are inexpensive. I made a white chili yesterday, very inexpensive, from chicken thighs and white beans. Even the stock was home-made, in the freezer from the Christmas turkey. It was a hit.

Buy your fruits and veggies very fresh on sale and in season and find recipes to work around them. Have frozen veggies around just in case.

DeWoSa

I buy my meats in large quantities (10 lbs of chicken, beef and pork) then put them in serving size Food Saver bags and freeze them. Sometimes I toss in a marinade to when it thaws, the meat gets marinaded.

Check Good Will for a Food Saver -- the last time I was there, they had about six of them.

Green_eyed_beauty

If you break it down by real actual servings sizes, healthy food is much more affordable. Oatmeal, sweet potatoes, chicken, rice, beans, canned/fresh/frozen veggies... they are just not a convenient as unhealthy food (fast food).

cwolfman13

Staples...

- dried beans (I prefer pinto)...I get them in bulk for $1.43 per pound
- Brown rice (in bulk less than $2/Lb)
- Potatoes
- Hardy fresh veggies that will keep like broccoli and cabbage
- frozen veggies (especially on sale)
- eggs
- cheese
- meat and poultry on sale
- whole chickens and chicken parts rather than breasts
- tougher cuts of meat than require longer cooking times

williams969

ap9133a wrote: »

Healthy food is very affordable. Get a big bag of brown rice, a big bag of dry beans, frozen veggies (I usually get a bag of frozen broccoli for $1 or less), and eggs. You can get all that for less than $10.

^^All of this. You can get very creative with this "core" of food staples. Healthy eating can actually be cheaper than all the convenience foods (Hamburger Helper, frozen family entrees, fast food--although I eat all of those too, just smaller portions of them).

But, keep your ingredients simple to make balanced meals. Here's an example of the things I make that are inexpensive, but well balanced and nutritious:

Pick a starch--pasta, potato, or rice
Pick a veggie--usually frozen during the winter here--mixed veggies/broccoli/etc. there's some quite interesting varieties in the frozen department
Pick a protein--beans, chicken (I buy fresh bulk packs of breasts for ~$2/lb), tofu, fish--all inexpensive and good protein sources (not and all inclusive list, of course)
Pick a seasoning--I'm non-creative, so I buy bottle marinades, Asian sauces, Mexican or Indian sauces or curries, etc. and use sparingly if it's a high calorie thing

Boom! Instant dinner for less than $2/serving.

kimny72

Raw chicken thighs and legs, eggs, greek yogurt, in season fruits and veggies, beans, rice, bulk oatmeal and some other grains, frozen veggies, canned tuna and salmon. You can sometimes find frozen fish fillets on sale. Buy lemons or oranges for citrus juice to dress veggies, chicken, and fish. Just some ideas!

liekewheeless

Cabbage, frozen veggies, canned veggies if you can't get frozen (any veggie is better than no veggie, rinse to get some of the salt off or buy the no added salt cans) Eggs (LOVE eggs). Dried beans, brown rice. Oat meal (the big cardboard tube of it). Carrots, they are just as cheap "fresh" as canned. Potatoes, Sweet potatoes.

The "healthy" is all in how you prepare it, and how big your servings are.

AmazonMayan

I'm spending less money buying vegetables, meats, beans, etc. and cooking it myself.

Dried beans are very cheap and one 1lb bag makes the equivalent to several cans. A 1 lb bag costs almost the same as one can of beans. Meat I buy on sale and stock up in bulk. Separate portions and freeze.


Sometimes, the frozen veggies and fruits are cheaper - not the "steam in bag" or ones with sauce, just plain veggies. They jack the prices on the specialty ones - I totally don't get the steam in bag thing. I wasn't aware steaming veggies in the microwave was so inconvenient before....and to pay twice as much for those just makes me shake my head.

Need2Exerc1se

scentless_apprentice12 wrote: »

What are affordable healthy foods? My family doesn't eat healthy at all because of the high prices. So any tips?

Frozen fruits and vegetables.
Dried beans
Rice
eggs
Buy fresh produce and meat when on sale
Stock up on anything that can be stored when on sale
If you have room, consider growing some of your own food
Check with local game processors to see if they sell unclaimed meat. You would be surprised how many people take deer to processors then don't have the money to pick up the meat, even though it usually is only about $2 - $3 per lb.

softblondechick

Onions, carrots, celery, potatoes. Those four ingredients cost less than $10.00 for enough veggies for four people for a week. Add eggs, chicken, and a pot roast, another $15.00 and a few cans of beans. You have ingredients for several healthy meals.

BrianHageman

I cook multiple proteins on Sunday afternoon (chicken breasts, chicken thighs, pork loin, etc...). Then I pair them with either fresh or frozen veg and pre-made brown rice or beans for meals during the week. Since the protein is already fully cooked, the meals take 10 minutes to prepare. I use a wide range of spice combinations (Middle Eastern, French, etc...) to vary the style of the food although I am using the same core ingredients.

Advanced tip: I use an immersion circulator to cook my proteins. It allows me to cook them to an exact temp, so I know they are a.) food safe b.) not over cooked, so browning or reheating them doesn't impact the quality.

MaternalCopulator

Whatever you can grow yourself. If there's a will, there's a way.

VBJONLY

I shop at Kroger, so what I do each week is go online and make me a grocery list of all the healthy item they have on sell that I like and purchase them and upload coupons. I also buy healthy item that has been marked down or discontined. You just have to look and bargain shop.

jgnatca

26 foods you should learn to cook in your 20's. I swear by the chicken thighs.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/361132463843521611/

hesn92

Chicken breast
Beans
Rice
Frozen veggies aren't too expensive
Popcorn
Fresh produce that is in season
Do you have an aldi? Their food is cheap. It's mostly just off-brand stuff but they have meat and produce, dairy, eggs, etc.

diannethegeek

Synderbella0611 wrote: »

I shop at Kroger, so what I do each week is go online and make me a grocery list of all the healthy item they have on sell that I like and purchase them and upload coupons. I also buy healthy item that has been marked down or discontined. You just have to look and bargain shop.

I love Kroger's online coupons. And with your plus card they track what you buy most and send you fun coupons. I hit Kroger sales for most of my food and then visit Aldi for produce and a few things I can get cheaper there (they have the best prices on string cheese!)

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AlisonH729

I told some family members recently that I feed my fiancé & myself for about $200 a month and they just stared at me. I cook at home most nights. Simple meals of protein & vegetables (a mix of frozen & fresh depending on what's on sale) and maybe a starch like quinoa or rice. I keep an eye out for less expensive cuts of meat, managers specials on seafood, and flip through the circular each week to see what produce is on sale.

We blew a pipe in our kitchen last week and it was partially out of commission so I was browsing the frozen prepared food aisle for something that I could stick in the oven. Everything was SO expensive, full of calories & sodium and frankly, not very appetizing to me at all.

Need2Exerc1se

diannethegeek wrote: »

Synderbella0611 wrote: »

I shop at Kroger, so what I do each week is go online and make me a grocery list of all the healthy item they have on sell that I like and purchase them and upload coupons. I also buy healthy item that has been marked down or discontined. You just have to look and bargain shop.

I love Kroger's online coupons. And with your plus card they track what you buy most and send you fun coupons. I hit Kroger sales for most of my food and then visit Aldi for produce and a few things I can get cheaper there (they have the best prices on string cheese!)

Yes! Kroger's coupons are awesome. They even send coupons for free eggs or $7 of anything in the meat or produce dept and non-brand specific things like that.

They will also order meat or fish selections if you ask. Not everything, but I've asked about things they've stopped carrying in my local store and they will order it.

Ideabaker

I'm in a remote rural area in a country that I've never seen a food coupon in... soooo wishing we had them!

Here's what I do to keep costs down:

-Eat the foods in season (they are generally much less expensive, particularly veggies)
-Buy meat/fish/poultry/cheese when it is on special, separate into smaller portions and freeze
-Look for store specials on staples (tinned tomatoes, tinned tuna, flour, spices) and stock up for later use
-During seasons when farmer's markets are open, snap up fresh fruits and veg from local growers who charge less than grocery prices
-Grow whatever food I can (I have limited space, so keep a few raised beds with lettuces tomatoes, peppers and herbs--simple to grow!)

Staples for me are similar to others on this thread:

-Bags of brown rice (I pre-cook a cup on Sundays that I use with meals throughout the week)
-Eggs (If you have eggs, you can make a meal!)
-Cabbage (you'd be surprised the number of things cabbage can be used for... lately I've been finely shredding, then steaming it; and I use it for a pasta substitute with my homemade pasta sauces)
-Bread on special... (I freeze half the loaf as I live alone and can never finish a whole loaf before it begins to go off)
-Oatmeal
-Onions and garlic (one or both of these go into almost every meal)
-Sweet Potatoes or Carrots (both add a sweetness to meals when baked/roasted)
-Greens (whatever is least expensive... great to bulk up meals and add nutrients without many cals... I also like to grab a lettuce to chop, wash and drain to make quick salads throughout the week)
-Beans/legumes-- dried lentils are easy to find here, but the tinned beans often go on special
-Zip top baggies for portioning meals (I do a lot of bulk cooking, then freeze the meal in individual portions for quick, homemade "frozen dinners")
-Seasonings; curry powder, cajun spice (Goya makes great inexpensive ones), etc.
-Small bags (from the cooking section) of nuts to throw into my oatmeal of into recipes
-Apples (two or three a week) to chop up into my oats or use in salads, or just to eat as snacks

One thing I do in general is avoid pre-made foods/frozen dinners in the shops as they have so much more sodium than when I make food fresh.

I also second those who recommend buying less expensive cuts of meat and using the Crock Pot to turn them into delectable dishes. The Crock Pot is my new best friend!

CenteredOne

I buy organic lentils, split peas, beans, quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal and popcorn in bulk. I make soups using the legumes and fresh organic veggies that are affordable such as onions, carrrots, cabbage, leafy greens such as big quantities of kale and spinach and freeze them in portion size plastic ziplock bags. I wash these bags and hang them dry to reuse whenever possible. I also do up a large quantity of brown rice, quinoa, and then freeze this in individual serving sizes. I also have an simple food processor and when peppers or basil are on sale I buy them and puree or chop them, as well as garlic, ginger and lemon/lime juice. I freeze all this and have easy, 'instant' meals with 'instant' seasoning.
Bulk organic oatmeal is inexpensive as you only need 1/2 cup uncooked. I buy it when it is on sale. Look for sales. I wait for when red bell peppers are 50 cents and buy ten of them. I got myself a good food dehydrator and dehydrate them or chop and freeze them. Look online or in newsletters etc for coupons too.
Check prices in the stores. Most times larger sizes means less per ounce. SOMETIMES though it is actually cheaper to by the SMALLER sizes.
Also, by sugar free juice and water this down so you have no more than 4 ounces of juice at a meal, with added water. Also, use lemon, mint, lime, an apple slice, a little bit of vanilla or orange oil to flavor water to even lower the sugar input.

Paul_Collyer

Porridge with Banana and milk. Sorted. Seriously!