Don't Miss

Hide this

10 Super Cheap but Super Healthy Foods

Cabbage on wooden table on nature background

Photo credit: bigstock

Everybody knows someone who always says they want to eat healthy but they claim it’s too expensive. That’s not an excuse, that’s reality. Nutritious foods actually are more expensive than junk foods but that doesn’t mean you have to give up eating healthy, you just need to find the right foods.

So here are our top 10 picks, all of which are healthy but cost less than a dollar per serving. Now this is an average price, but some of these might be higher in your area, for example, it’s not a surprise that oranges would cost less in Florida than in Montana. So although the actual price of these might vary a bit from store to store and state to state, they are all healthy foods that are inexpensive and still full of nutrition.

1. Cabbage

Although it doesn’t get as much attention as other salad greens, cabbage is very nutritious.

It’s a great source of fiber, potassium, as well as vitamin C. It also has the same cancer and disease fighting properties as other members in the cruciferous group, such as broccoli.

Average Cost Per Serving: 11 cents

Photo credit: bigstock

2. Dried Beans

Beans, beans the magical fruit…

Ok, we all know where that’s going; but seriously, beans, any variety of beans, are full of fiber and protein. There is as much protein in one half cup of beans as there is in one ounce of meat.

So add more beans to your diet, get your protein and save big bucks.

Average Cost Per Serving: 18 cents (per cooked half cup)

Photo credit: bigstock

3. Canned Tuna

Right up there with other canned fish such as salmon or sardines, tuna is a great, inexpensive source of protein, iron, as well as healthy fats which can help prevent heart disease and increase your brain matter.

Look for light or white chunk tuna that is canned in water.

It is a source of Vitamin D; a series of diseases are caused from a lack of Vitamin D.

Average Cost Per Serving: 46 cents

Photo credit: bigstock

4. Oats

What a great way to start your day!

A bowl filled with magnesium rich, cholesterol reducing oatmeal!

Oats are a great source of fiber, too. Quick cooking oats are just as healthy as the steel cut oats, however, avoid those sugary little single serving flavored packages.

Average Cost Per Serving: 62 cents

Photo credit: bigstock

5. Brown Rice

A great source of fiber, brown rice can help fill you up without filling you out!

Brown rice has been shown in studies to lower the risk of diabetes, and lower blood pressure, in those who switched over from white rice.

Average Cost Per Serving: 10 cents

Photo credit: bigstock

6. Potatoes

Potatoes are very healthy foods. What makes them unhealthy is that we generally fry them or smother them in bad things like sour cream or cheese.

When eaten with their skin, potatoes are one of the best foods ever! Full of vitamin B, C, and fiber, they have more potassium than a banana. So buy a bagful and eat up!

Find out how to unclog your nose with potatoes.

Average Cost Per Medium Size Serving: 25 cents

Photo credit: bigstock

7. Eggs

Just one egg has 6 grams of protein.

This is super protein, also, as every bit of it can be used by your body.

Don’t just eat the whites; the yolk is one of the best ways to get your B vitamins that are essential for your brain function.

Average Cost Per Egg: 16 cents.

Photo credit: bigstock

8. Lentils

Like beans, lentils are full of both fiber and protein, so they are good for your heart.

One of the good things about lentils is in their preparation.

Lentils only take 20 or 30 minutes and don’t need to be soaked overnight.

Average Cost Per Serving: 15 cents (per cooked cup)

Photo credit: bigstock

9. Kale

The undisputed super food!

Just one cup has 10 times the daily requirement of vitamin K, which helps your bones.

It also has three times the amount of vitamin A, as well as being high in lutein. And if that were not enough, it’s super tasty to boot!

Average Cost Per Serving: 60 cents

Photo credit: bigstock

10. Peanut Butter

Peanut butter has gotten some bad press lately, but don’t knock it. It has many of the same healthy benefits as more expensive nuts while being versatile and delicious. Peanut butter has healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats, along with vitamin E, and zinc.

To avoid the bad things peanut butter can contain, read the labels and check for one that says all natural, just peanuts and salt.

This way you avoid the sugars and partially hydrogenated oils.

Average Cost Per Serving: 21cents (two tablespoons)

Sources:

Eatingwell.com

Prev Next