What are YOUR #1 cheap, healthy foods?

angelicasmommy
angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am trying to cut the food budget a bit but still eat healthy foods. I made a list of healthy foods that are also cheap, but I am looking for more suggestions. I think it would also help to remind people that it really doesn't always cost more to eat healthy. Yes, it costs more for some things in different places, for example rice. I pay 7 dollars a box for brown rice, which from what I have read is a lot more than other people pay, but it will last me 2-3 weeks of eating it probably daily. So yea, it may seem like it costs a lot but if you think about how much it is per serving, it's probably only a few cents.

So here is my list:

Bananas
Apples
Carrots
Rice
Beans
hamburger
Frozen veggies
Peanut butter
Oats
Eggs
Nuts
Potatoes

Unfortunately, most veggies here are too expensive (except frozen) so carrots are really the only ones that are affordable when you are watching your budget.
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Replies

  • denezy
    denezy Posts: 573 Member
    Cottage cheese.
    Eggs.
  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 797 Member
    zuchinni is SUPER cheap here.

    I also eat a lot of talapia, but's usually very cheap per serving also.
  • kali31337
    kali31337 Posts: 1,048 Member
    spinach
    fresh fruit (depends on the place)
    nuts
  • aaronrlindemann
    aaronrlindemann Posts: 25 Member
    Beans are a great healthy low cost food.
  • bga008
    bga008 Posts: 90
    Potatoes, Bread, Beans, Corn, Peas, Baked Beans, Salad, Rice
  • tracymat
    tracymat Posts: 296 Member
    When watching my budget, my menu is based on what is on sale that week. Build your menus that way.
  • samlankford
    samlankford Posts: 334
    carrots are really good for you so if you spot something that is on sale then pick it up, can always freeze and use at a later time right!! I do that with tomatoes, zuchinni, yellow squash and things like that...
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Cabbage is pretty cheap.
  • ilovemaisy
    ilovemaisy Posts: 54
    I buy:

    Plain non-fat Greek yogurt (whatever is on sale and has the most protein)-- I purchase many at a time because they have a long expiration window and I eat some every single day.

    ground turkey- freeze and buy in bulk. Most times we cook a lot of it right away and then freeze it, seasoned & ready for turkey chili, turkey tacos, etc.

    No prep staple: Soup for workday lunches (low sodium/low cal- whatever is on sale)
  • SuperSexyDork
    SuperSexyDork Posts: 1,669 Member
    Bulk containers of Greek yogurt
    Individually frozen seafood packs
    Bulk bags of brown rice from the international aisle
    Chicken when it's on sale (99 cents a pound)
    Peanut butter
    Nature's Own double fiber whole wheat bread
    Fat-free cottage cheese
    Roma tomatoes
    Cucumbers
    Bagged spinach
  • LittleMissSunshine418
    LittleMissSunshine418 Posts: 55 Member
    Bump!
  • Strongisthenewskny
    Strongisthenewskny Posts: 23 Member
    Green, red, and yellow bell peppers!! Which you can do PLENTY with and are delicious! For me, I think any produce and fresh fruit are cheap! I don't know if you shop at WalMart, but their Great Value brand of the boneless, skinless, chicken breasts are awesome! The chicken comes in a bag and its resealable. We use it A LOT at my house! I hope this helps!!
  • tubbyelmo
    tubbyelmo Posts: 415 Member
    I look at offers in the supermarket, our local Aldi has 5 different veg/fruit for 39p each week, this week I got cabbage, carrots and broccoli for only 39p each. I like eggs, and always have wholemeal bread, oh, and I love making a big pot of lentil & veg soup.
  • Fairysoul
    Fairysoul Posts: 1,361 Member
    When watching my pennies, I go for just meats, fruits, veggies and nuts. Works everytime!
  • Silver_Star
    Silver_Star Posts: 1,351 Member
    I get my spices at the Indian store....SO MUCH CHEAPER!!! and better quality too.

    I also try to shop at international stores..or the local ethnic stores..the ambiance is not posh or very clean...but you can get really cheap and fresh veggies...and other dried foods. i also go to Aldi's a lot.. things are so much cheaper there.

    My list of cheapies would be:

    buying Whole chickens and cutting them up...cheaper than buying specific cuts.
    Store brand dried beans
    canned pumpkin
    Peanut butter
    frozen veggies
    frozen bagged seafood, poultry or meat
    i buy bread at the cheaper places which are day old ( nothing wrong with them!) and i freeze those . i have a lot of friends who drop by for no reason and so a sandwich is so easy to make when you have lots of bread on hand. sadly...i dont eat any of it.
    i get beef on sale and cook it all and section it out and freeze the extras.
    Oatmeal
    Eggs
    Dry nonfat Milk
    frozen fruit..cheaper and good for desserts and smoothies.
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
    Great thread!

    I can do a lot with fish so salmon and tuna, white fish, etc.

    Almonds, I can get at Sam's great price.

    Basmati rice, beans

    Spinach, broc, green beans all by the ton from Sams also

    I like almond butter, the one I likes price reduced.

    I can get turkey, ground, really cheap from food depot, as well a wealth of produce.

    Can tomatoes (sauce,m paste etc)

    Big cont of spring mix from Sam's or wally world.

    Oats, oat bran, oat flour I can do a lot with. And can make oat flour from oats.

    I personally like the no sugar added applesauce from sams, and the sugarless peaches.

    And turkey pep like a mad man. I love it.
  • lisaparks715
    lisaparks715 Posts: 12
    If you have an ALDI's near you, it is totally worth it for fresh fruits and veggies! They are so much less expensive than even the sale prices at a grocery store. And stay clear of Wal Mart for produce because their prices always seem high.

    I try to buy things like peppers, berries, squash, etc when they are on sale, and then clean and cut them up and freeze them. They last quite a while, and it makes meal prep easy too when you can just pull them out and thaw them or add to a recipie without the prep time. I also do this with deli lunch meat when it's on sale. It seems to save me a lot of money.
  • angelicasmommy
    angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
    Bell peppers are expensive here :/ A rainbow pack (only 3 peppers!) is usually about 6.99. Sometimes (not very often) It'll be on sale for 3.99. Sometimes green peppers go on sale for 99 cents a pound and I stock up, but usually I think it's around 2 dollars a pound, red, yellow or orange is 4 dollars a pound.
    Chicken is also CRAZY expensive, which sucks cuz I LOVE chicken lol.
    Also can't eat bread, gluten intolerant, but it's great for the kiddoes, they like PB sandwhiches, very cheap!
  • Vincentsz
    Vincentsz Posts: 407 Member
    Eggs

    whites only
  • newcs
    newcs Posts: 717 Member
    I go with whatever is on sale, especially if it's something that keeps so I can stock up. I like:

    Steel cut oats with brown sugar & raisins
    Frozen fruit (I put it in yogurt...not a smoothie fan)
    Coconut Chia Pudding (homemade at about $1 per serving)
    Cucumbers (I just peel and cut into spears)
    Natural breads (freeze them if they're on sale)
    Almonds (not necessarily cheap but if they're on sale, they're often a good deal)
  • jangaard
    jangaard Posts: 32 Member
    quinoa! raspberries! egg whites!
  • Rosa1213
    Rosa1213 Posts: 456 Member
    Everywhere I go, the produce seems quite expensive, but the store-brand rice cakes are pretty cheap.
    They make great snacks :)
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    When watching my budget, my menu is based on what is on sale that week. Build your menus that way.



    This
  • laura2270
    laura2270 Posts: 4
    Apples (always some variety that is on sale) and eat what is in season. You can normally find it on sale. I set aside 50% of my weekly food budget for fresh items that must be replaced regularly, and use the other 50% to buy what is on sale that I will eat (I buy a ton of beans and canned tomatoes and spaghetti sauce in the fall because it is usually really cheap).

    For grains, we eat regular brown rice (no instant, that costs twice as much) and wheat berries.
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,749 Member
    bump
  • barbiecollins
    barbiecollins Posts: 7
    eggs, quinoa, nutribiotic rice protein powder, avocado, blue berries
  • JennInMA
    JennInMA Posts: 33 Member
    Frozen bags of veggies
    Pre-Bagged Apples
    Light Wheat Bread/Oatmeal Bread
    Bagged baby carrots
    Fat Free Cottage Cheese
    Store Brand Non-Fat Yogurt
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    eggs
    zucchini
    yogurt when its on sale
    sweet potatoes
    quinoa
  • squirmmonster
    squirmmonster Posts: 98 Member
    >greens
    >too expensive

    Where the hell are you shopping, woman? Whole Payche--- I mean, Whole Foods?
  • Cat52169
    Cat52169 Posts: 277 Member
    coupons.com is a great source for free printable coupons. I too watch sale ads. I buy what I want. I just try not to batter and deep fry it or cover it in gravy :laugh:

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