Cheap and healthy fish?

tigerlily886
tigerlily886 Posts: 74 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm getting tired of chicken and pasta, so I want to try to eat fish. I have no idea how much it costs. I need something that is cheap and healthy.
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Replies

  • fruttibiscotti
    fruttibiscotti Posts: 986 Member
    The canned variety can be cost effective (tuna, salmon, sardines).

    You can get frozen filets of wild caught fish, like halibut, haddock, sole, cod, salmon, Arctic char, etc. I would consider wild caught healthier than the farmed variety, and if they are wild caught you will see it stated on the package. Since the fish is frozen, try to take advantage when there is a sale. You can buy lots and store in your freezer.
  • hilarymcm
    hilarymcm Posts: 55 Member
    Sardines. Not only are they cheap, but they're environmentally sustainable as well, and high in Omega-3s. The flavor is a bit strong for some people, but it's worth a shot (the canned ones are a lot stronger than fresh, FYI). I marinate them in fresh lemon juice with parsley and garlic, and then throw them under the broiler for a few minutes. Then, squeeze more lemon juice over them and sprinkle with parsley. They're also good filleted and sauteed in a pan with olive oil, garlic, and a few chopped fresh tomatoes. The key is to cook them with something acidic, which will balance out the strong flavor and the fish's natural oiliness.

    If you don't like strong flavoured fish, try tilapia, which can be cooked like chicken cutlets, or haddock, which is mild and tastes great simply baked with lemon and parsley, and maybe some dill or capers. Good luck!
  • ucabucca
    ucabucca Posts: 606 Member
    Talapia is good and cheap i get it frozen at Wal Mart
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    I am partial to smoked fish, mackerel fillets being the cheapest. You have to be a bit careful of the sodium though
  • fanceegirl75
    fanceegirl75 Posts: 620 Member
    I buy the big$10 bag at Walmart of Tilapia. Love it. It's a light fish. I bake it, grill it, even put it in a skillet and cook it...break it up as it is cooking and use for fish tacos. (instead of the using a tortilla you can wrap in lettuce). Its very versatile.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    Talapia is good and cheap i get it frozen at Wal Mart

    yep about 7 bucks a bag and individually wrapped so you can thaw out what you want one or two at a time. Baked with some lemon or lemon pepper and lemon greek yogurt. Yummy :)
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    Talapia is good and cheap i get it frozen at Wal Mart

    you can do a lot with it as well since it's so mild.

    Fried it's as good as crappie if it was cleaned right IMO.
  • somefitsomefat
    somefitsomefat Posts: 445 Member
    Frozen Swai from Walmart!
  • SemperAnticus1643
    SemperAnticus1643 Posts: 703 Member
    STICKS!! lol jk :smile:

    Our family likes tilapia. We normally get the big bag at Sam's Club.
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
    I second sardines. Very cheap, environmentally sustainable, AND low in toxins like mercury etc. High in healthy omega 3s. Easy easy easy to work with. Eat 'em right out of the can, or mash them and put them on a high-fiber / low cal tortilla for a wrap, or toss them with with lemon juice and shallot a hot skillet for a minute or two.

    Canned salmon is also nice, can be a bit more expensive than sardines but can also be pretty reasonable too. For me, typically canned salmon gets the lemon and shallot treatment in the skillet too, but some people like it on salads.
  • Erica0718
    Erica0718 Posts: 469 Member
    Talapia is good and cheap i get it frozen at Wal Mart

    yep about 7 bucks a bag and individually wrapped so you can thaw out what you want one or two at a time. Baked with some lemon or lemon pepper and lemon greek yogurt. Yummy :)



    If you are looking for the ones at Walmart it will have "Product of China" on the bag :frown:
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
    Since you're new to fish cooking and others have already suggested Tilapia which is a great beginner fish you might like to know that Gorton's has grilled Tilapia which is very good and has cooking instructions right on the box and it's already seasoned. I buy the original flavor to have on hand when I forgot to prepare and need something quick.
    My personal favorite is fresh Maine Haddock having grown up in Maine. I would also suggest flounder, all white fish can be cooked with just lemon or any combo of seasonings you can think of but go easy on the amount of seasoning a little goes along way with fish.
    The old fashioned way of cooking white fish is to dredge it in flour seasoned with salt and pepper then bake in milk, yes milk.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    Talapia is good and cheap i get it frozen at Wal Mart

    yep about 7 bucks a bag and individually wrapped so you can thaw out what you want one or two at a time. Baked with some lemon or lemon pepper and lemon greek yogurt. Yummy :)



    If you are looking for the ones at Walmart it will have "Product of China" on the bag :frown:

    so a fish that cleans the poop out of ponds used to grow other fish is different in a different country?

    Tilapia are an amazingly awesome fish to be grown for food. VERY productive fish that grows fast anywhere the water's warm enough and almost always has a mild taste no matter what they are being fed.

    Not as "healthy" as wild caught cold water fish, but those are strong and run the risk of high mercury (which IMO the dangers of are a little exaggerated vs. the health benefits in most cases).
  • lmhbuss
    lmhbuss Posts: 282 Member
    The idea of using it in a lettuce wrapped Taco never would have occurred to me. Great idea!
  • steve_mfp
    steve_mfp Posts: 170 Member
    I eat quite a bit of fish. You need to be careful though due to mercury levels.

    Here is a good link that talks about levels of mercury and which fish have generally the lowest levels and where they are caught.

    http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

    Talapia is one of my go-to's since it is cheaper and low in mercury levels.

    Also be sure that you trim off any fat on the fish. Fat cells trap other toxins.

    Farm raised may or may not be safe from mercury depending on the location and environment but usually farm raised will run into issues with other harmful toxins.

    http://www.albany.edu/ihe/salmonstudy/

    I do not eat any 'meat' other than fish and sea bugs. I do eat eggs/egg whites and dairy so i do have those as high protein sources.

    I love seafood but unfortunately we have done a good job of poisoning the planet and our seas. Just be wary of the type of fish you eat and the frequency.
  • Frank_Just_Frank
    Frank_Just_Frank Posts: 454 Member
    You might like to try mussels. You just boil them until they open up, put them in a big bowl and dip them in hot sauce or vinegar.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    Talapia is good and cheap i get it frozen at Wal Mart

    you can do a lot with it as well since it's so mild.

    Fried it's as good as crappie if it was cleaned right IMO.

    this man right here is THE premiere source of all things fish-related.
    he stumbled on this site thinking MFP was "my fishing place" and stayed for the lulz.

    dont neglect shrimp either....loves me some shrimp cocktail.
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
    Tilapia is a good versitile cheap fish.

    But i found the stuff you can get at Walmart/sam's Club kind of tastes like pond water. Not suprising since it's a farmed fish from Asia (horrid fish farming practices there, and surface water quality). We almost gave up eating tilapia, but I found another brand that was slightly more $ from a different store (I think it was Safeway) and it was an American farmed fish.....didn't have the funky pond water taste. So that's what we buy now. Whish I could remember the brand.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    And why are you just eating chicken to begin with? Pork, beef, fish are all proteins that are just as good and just as healthy for you. And you can get cheaper cuts that you can learn to make so they aren't so tough (speaking about beef). Not to mention I just ate some amazing chicken sausage that is very low in calories.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    didn't have the funky pond water taste

    that's why everything in the land of racoon keysters is fried...
  • arghbowl
    arghbowl Posts: 1,179 Member
    Tilapia, Swai, and flounder.
  • DWW529
    DWW529 Posts: 42 Member
    As a New Englander transplanted to the Mid West, I've given up on a lot of "fresh seafood" and stick with frozen. I buy a lot of frozen salmon and tilapia.

    Easy prep for salmon, Brush on a mix of pepper, dijon and balsamic. Quite tasty, and of course you can't go wrong with lemon and pepper.

    Tilapia is really versitile, there's a very common recipe for "mango salsa". It's super yummy and my kids love it. Great for fish tacos or just as a topping.

    Go fish!!
  • RedHotRunner
    RedHotRunner Posts: 850 Member
    [/quote]
    [/quote]
    "so a fish that cleans the poop out of ponds used to grow other fish is different in a different country?"
    [/quote]
    Exactly why I don't eat tilapia. Ever see that episode of Dirty Jobs?
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    As a New Englander transplanted to the Mid West, I've given up on a lot of "fresh seafood" and stick with frozen. I buy a lot of frozen salmon and tilapia.

    Easy prep for salmon, Brush on a mix of pepper, dijon and balsamic. Quite tasty, and of course you can't loose with lemon and pepper.

    Tilapia is really versitile, there's a very common recipe for "mango salsa". It's super yummy and my kids love it. Great for fish tacos or just as a topping.

    Go fish!!

    surely there's some channel catfish farms around (though I think most comes out of southern mississippi for US sources).
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    Talapia is good and cheap i get it frozen at Wal Mart

    yep about 7 bucks a bag and individually wrapped so you can thaw out what you want one or two at a time. Baked with some lemon or lemon pepper and lemon greek yogurt. Yummy :)



    If you are looking for the ones at Walmart it will have "Product of China" on the bag :frown:

    Sometimes you eat what you can afford and be happy you can afford that :grumble:
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
    didn't have the funky pond water taste

    that's why everything in the land of racoon keysters is fried...


    I don't by any seafood product that says it's from Asia anymore. They ALL seem to have that weird taste, shrimp from there is really bad/funky tasting too.
  • kimmymayhall
    kimmymayhall Posts: 419 Member
    I buy fresh seafood a couple time a month but regularly eat canned fish because it's cheap and easy. Mashed sardines on avocado toast. Smoked clams with pasta and veggies. Smoked oysters on crackers with mustard. And any of them are good mixed into a veggie sauté on top of rice or something. Lots of options.
  • flab2fit_30
    flab2fit_30 Posts: 66
    i guess it all depends on where you live to what is cheap... In MD I can get a bag of frozen tilapia containing 8 4oz servings for $5.88 and I can get fresh tilapia for $3.99 per pound fresh.

    salmon runs between 6.99 and 10.99 per pound fresh- dont know about frozen prices because frozen salmon is IMO nasty.\

    shrimp can stretch a long way if you buy the right size... i buy medium shrimp for salads, larger shrimp for shrimp tacos, etc. those prices vary from 9.99 a bag to 27.99 sometimes.

    mussels seem to always be the same price 3.99per 2 lb bag.
  • Joannesmith2818
    Joannesmith2818 Posts: 438 Member
    Tinned pilchards in tomato sauce...cheap and very tasty ;)
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    I'm getting tired of chicken and pasta, so I want to try to eat fish. I have no idea how much it costs. I need something that is cheap and healthy.

    Chicken of the Sea.

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