Cheap and healthy fish?

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  • journey_man
    journey_man Posts: 110 Member
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    I too have been big on tilapia lately, but then have been hearing some disturbing news regarding the ones from china. But it'll have to do until I can afford something else. Right now, half of my meals include tuna or tilapia. I love it but I also badly want to try other kinds of fish but cost is a big factor.
  • DWW529
    DWW529 Posts: 42 Member
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    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).

    Not a big catfish fan unless it's in a spicy corn breading and deep fried... Yummy, but not healthy.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    bump
  • losingw8now
    losingw8now Posts: 105 Member
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    I like catfish - and it's cheap! But for some people it's too "earthy" tasting. However I like it with cajun seasoning - some light breading and pan fried.

    I also LOVE Swai - discovered that when looking at catfish at my fish counter at the grocery store. It was cheaper than many - and I just love it. Have made it pan fried like catfish - also make fish tacos with it (as someone else suggested with a different fish). It is better than catfish as it is thicker pcs and doesn't have that muddy taste. It is often cheap or on sale (at Giant) Haven't found it everywhere (never saw it at Shoppers Food Warehouse seafood section).

    Also Love Salmon - when it's on sale it's not bad price. And so yummy - I eat with Hollandaise sauce (if not worrying about cals/fats) or a great yogurt based cilantro and chive dip sold at Trader Joes if I am trying to watch calories. Can also make a mustard sauce for it. Good with just lemon pepper seasoning too.

    Also if you can shop at Aldi's - shrimp is cheap there. It is all frozen, but I heat or put in recipes such as wtih pasta, veggies, or just will eat cold with cocktail sauce and eat with crackers and cheese or fresh veggies on the side. .
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
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    We get sole filets most often. Super economical and mild-tasting so they can be prepared tons of different ways.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    Fish is something I will splurge on - I try to buy what's on special, but get the best quality I can. I go for fresh, wild caught over farmed. The only frozen fish I buy is wild Canadian red salmon - other salmon available in Aus is farmed as far as I know.

    I eat fresh once a week usually, but eat tinned salmon about 3 times a week.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    Frozen Swai from Walmart!

    Swai is great, I prefer it to tilapia.
  • GhostriderMav
    GhostriderMav Posts: 308 Member
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    I think cod is a great cheap fish. I buy it at the local grocery store. mahi mahi is in season now and cheap. Swai is a good alternative.
  • proudjmmom
    proudjmmom Posts: 145 Member
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    I usually cook with Arctic Char (similar to Salmon) thats freshly caught by my husband. We also do Cod when we can get it.
  • MistressPi
    MistressPi Posts: 514 Member
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    You've got to weigh the various pros and cons of different fish. Wild Salmon is incredibly expensive - fresh (in the Pacific Northwest!) I've seen it go for almost $25/lb! Wild Salmon is also a very strong flavored fish. Given the choice between it, and the Icelandic-farmed salmon sometimes available at Whole Foods, I would go with the latter. It's incredibly buttery and has a lovely mouthfeel, and its source is guaranteed by Whole Foods to be compliant with Marine Stewardship standards, good aquaculture and environmental practices.

    Whoever mentioned that tilapia in some fish farms are used to clean up poo: thanks a lot, pal. I didn't know this. Also, apparently there are many, many different species of fish that are called "tilapia" - some kosher and some not, if anyone is interested in the distinction. See the database here, and do a search for "tilapia":

    http://www.fishbase.org

    Here are a couple of resources:

    Marine Stewardship Council's recommendations on which fish to eat:

    http://www.msc.org/cook-eat-enjoy/fish-to-eat

    Also, as someone else pointed out, you eat according to your budget, and be glad that you can afford that!

    Why has no one mentioned trout? It's always available (in the stores I go to, anyway), is a lovely, mild-tasting fish, is easy to prepare, and it's inexpensive!

    HTH
  • SapiensPisces
    SapiensPisces Posts: 1,001 Member
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    You've got to weigh the various pros and cons of different fish. Wild Salmon is incredibly expensive - fresh (in the Pacific Northwest!) I've seen it go for almost $25/lb! Wild Salmon is also a very strong flavored fish. Given the choice between it, and the Icelandic-farmed salmon sometimes available at Whole Foods, I would go with the latter. It's incredibly buttery and has a lovely mouthfeel, and its source is guaranteed by Whole Foods to be compliant with Marine Stewardship standards, good aquaculture and environmental practices.

    Whoever mentioned that tilapia in some fish farms are used to clean up poo: thanks a lot, pal. I didn't know this. Also, apparently there are many, many different species of fish that are called "tilapia" - some kosher and some not, if anyone is interested in the distinction. See the database here, and do a search for "tilapia":

    http://www.fishbase.org

    Here are a couple of resources:

    Marine Stewardship Council's recommendations on which fish to eat:

    http://www.msc.org/cook-eat-enjoy/fish-to-eat

    Also, as someone else pointed out, you eat according to your budget, and be glad that you can afford that!

    Why has no one mentioned trout? It's always available (in the stores I go to, anyway), is a lovely, mild-tasting fish, is easy to prepare, and it's inexpensive!

    HTH

    This is a great post.

    Just to add Monterey Bay Aquarium also provides a really easy to use pocket guide to sustainable fish choices. You can find a link here. They will send pocket-size one for free if you contact them also.

    http://www.seafoodwatch.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

    ETA: They also have a free app for iPhone and Android users.
  • tigerlily886
    tigerlily886 Posts: 74 Member
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    Thank you so much! I would have responded back sooner, but I can't use message boards on my phone.
  • MistressPi
    MistressPi Posts: 514 Member
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    TYVM.

    I also like the Monterey Bay Aquarium site info. I may just download the app. :)
  • Dugleik
    Dugleik Posts: 125
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    I buy frozen fish with good dates when they are on sale, usually they keep for 6 months after slaughter date. Longer then that and the taste goes bad.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    There is no 'unhealthy' fish that I can think of. If you want cheap, go for farmed fish, preferably local to you.

    Here, catfish and anything from the Gulf is a good pick.
  • MistressPi
    MistressPi Posts: 514 Member
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    There is no 'unhealthy' fish that I can think of. If you want cheap, go for farmed fish, preferably local to you.

    Here, catfish and anything from the Gulf is a good pick.

    Actually, ever since the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, I refuse to eat any seafood caught or farmed in the Gulf of Mexico. Four point nine million barrels of oil were spilled into the water there, and a lot of that oil (plus the agent (s) used to coagulate the oil) are still there. The residual effects of all those petrochemicals are still being felt in the environment. I won't risk eating seafood from this area.
    .

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