You want to eat healthier, you really do. It sounds so good in theory, right? Too bad it’s not usually that easy in practice - especially if you’re on a budget.
I mean, let’s face it, we have it ingrained in our heads that it’s cheaper to eat unhealthy foods.
And we didn’t used to be totally wrong in thinking that. In fact, an article from Harvard.edu says it actually costs around an extra $1.50 per day to eat healthy. That’s $45 per month! AKA 5.63 Netflix subscriptions.
But eating healthy doesn’t have to be more expensive. You just have to know which foods are both healthy AND cheap.
In fact, there are certain ingredients that are good for you (or at the very least they’re not necessarily “bad” for you that can actually save you money on your grocery bill.
So before you use the stat above to justify another greasy artery-clogging dollar menu cheeseburger, take a look at this list and make smarter, healthier food choices.
Here are 7 foods that are both heart-friendly and wallet-friendly, so you can still eat healthy even when you’re on a tight budget.
Dave Ramsey has this thing he says to people when they call in to his radio show asking for advice on how to get out of debt. He says they’re going to have to eat “beans and rice, rice and beans”, and there’s a reason he says that.
Rice is packed with fiber and it’s cheap - around $0.04/oz for uncooked brown rice and around $0.15/oz for the instant variety where I live.
Considering there’s over 200 healthy calories in around 7 ounces of most rice, that’s the better part of a meal for somewhere in the neighborhood of $0.30 - $1.00. That’s hard to beat anywhere.
(Get rice for even cheaper with coupons from Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, or Publix.)
Beans are high in protein and fiber, as well as other antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They’re also inexpensive, which puts them at the top of this list.
Depending on how you buy them, black beans run in the neighborhood of $0.04 - $0.10/oz. 7 ounces should do the trick as a side item at over 200 calories, which puts your per-meal investment at somewhere around $0.28 - $0.75.
(Get beans for even less with coupons from Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, or Publix.)
If you’re more into Italian food, there’s great news: Pasta is super-cheap and can be very healthy when you buy the whole grain or wheat kind - which is high in fiber and protein, among other things.
Whole grain (or multigrain) pasta will usually run around $0.15/oz in my local area. With a serving size of around 5 oz, you can typically expect close to 200 calories of goodness for around $0.75.
Mix in some pasta sauce or marinara, and you’ve got yourself a cheap-o meal made for kings.
(Get deals on whole grain or wheat pasta with coupons from Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, or Publix.)
A conversation about healthy food wouldn’t be much without talking about vegetables. The problem with fresh vegetables is, they’re not always cheap and they go bad.
One solution to that problem is to go for the frozen vegetables. Are they as good as the fresh ones? Probably not. But I assure you they’re better than Burger King.
Prices will likely vary depending on where you’re at, so shop the frozen versus fresh vegetables to make sure you’re getting a deal.
(Get frozen vegetables for less with coupons from Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, or Publix.)
Canned tuna has long been a favorite of both bargain shoppers and bodybuilders for it’s cheap yet nutritious nature.
Canned tuna (and really tuna of any kind) is really high in protein, as well as omega-3 and other important vitamins. It’s also low in saturated fat.
At $0.20 - $0.30/oz, canned tuna is a go-to if you’re on a budget. In one serving, you’ll get somewhere around 200 calories and 30-40g of protein for between $1 and $1.50.
Many people just mix things with canned tuna, like olive oil, salt, pepper, hard boiled eggs, etc., and put it on crackers or bread. Doing that makes for a cheap and filling meal.
And if tuna just isn’t your thing, try canned chicken.
(Save on canned tuna or chicken with coupons from Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, or Publix.)
Oatmeal is one of my favorites on this list. It’s a great source of fiber, protein, iron, and other nutrients. Plus it’s tasty, and you can add different things (like cinnamon, bananas, peanut butter, etc.) to oatmeal so it tastes different each time you eat it.
If you get the big thing of Quaker Oats, it’s run you around $0.10/oz, but the individual packets of instant flavored oatmeal is more expensive at closer to $0.20/oz.
One serving will get you around 300 calories and cost you around $0.30 for plain oats, or $0.60 for the instant flavored variety. Either way, that’s not bad.
(Oatmeal’s pretty cheap, but get it for even less with coupons from Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, or Publix.)
Bananas might be the cheapest fruit on the planet, although that’s 100% speculation. Either way, they’re extremely cheap.
I think in my local supermarket, they cost around $0.80/pound. That should equate to somewhere around $0.25 per banana. They have all kinds of fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients, and they tend to be filling. Plus you can take them anywhere and they’re easy to eat as a snack.
(Make sure you grab coupons from Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, or Publix before buying your bananas.)
Mike is a husband and father of 2 who studies the art of never paying full price for anything.
