Teaching others to live frugally is my expertise, and there is nothing better than finding a deal in the grocery store on food, as I tell many of my students. I love to save money, and I love to buy food, so combining the two, is a winning combination in our household. Did you know that some of the most healthy foods you can eat are available for $1 or less in your local supermarket? Here are a few of my favorites:
Potatoes – It always makes me cringe, because many assume that eating potatoes in whatever form, constitutes getting a dose of a vegetable. Not so if they are fried. However, enjoying some healthy oven baked potato skins or simply a loaded baked potato, both with the skin on, you will be getting almost a half a day’s worth of Vitamin C. Potatoes are also a really good source of potassium. Looking for a little extra beta carotene? Try some sweet potatoes or yams instead.
Apples – Need I seriously say more? Remember the old saying, “an apple a day…” well – it can certainly help. And apples are inexpensive, an absolutely perfect snack both in portion size and calories and since they come in such large mixed bags, you can enjoy them well into the second week.
Oats – I love that for about a $1 I easily get a weeks worth of oats and create wonderful breakfast recipes, muffins, cookies and more! Oats are really high in fiber and in complex carbohydrates . They also boast right on the package that they have been shown to lower cholesterol too.
Watermelon – Oh, how I love a great big watermelon. And no, I will admit I have yet to find an entire large watermelon that is $1, however when you compare the size of the enormous fruit, to portion and then cost, it is one of the most inexpensive fruits out there. It is the perfect summer fruit to keep hydrated, and gives you Vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene.
Eggs – a half dozen cost less than $1 and last nearly a whole week if you eat one a day. They are also a great source of protein,and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which our bodies need to help ward off eye problems and other ailments.
Bananas – Still one of my favorite fruits, even though I consumed so many of them during the exclusive banana diet. These little buggers are one of the best fruits out there and can be found for as low as .10-.20/banana. This allows at least a banana a day for more than a week on nothing more than a buck. Can’t beat that!
Spinach – Don’t you roll your eyes at me. Spinach is absolutely one of the best green leafy veggies out there and can be added to so many different recipes. You can also add it to a traditional salad and nobody is any the wiser. My kids get at least one healthy dose of spinach in their salad every single week, and I add it to all kind of recipes by chopping it.
Broccoli – This was a hard one for me to add as a favorite, because I have never really been a fan. However, I have shopped around and found some really delicious broccoli oriented recipes and now I am definitely a fan. Broccoli is an inexpensive vegetable and can be prepared or added to dishes in a variety of ways.
and now for my #1 favorite item that is less than $1 per serving….
Coffee – It has been boasted that coffee has stood up to the tests of time, and is now considered a way to help ward off heart disease and cancer. If this is the case, I might never suffer from either ailment because I certainly drink a lot! It certainly is not an edible food, and is typically consumed in its liquid form, coffee served with your breakfast can actually help you eat less or smaller portions, and help even speed up/boost metabolism a little. Just remember that if you are actively seeking a healthier lifestyle and trying to perhaps lose some weight, the addition of the various creamers out there, might not lend itself quite as nicely to your plan.
and to throw one more in for good measure….
Tea – Working much the way that coffee does, only to a lesser degree, tea in inexpensive and packed with a variety of cancer fighting goodness. Plus there is such a wide variety of styles, strengths and flavors available, you simply cannot go wrong.
written by Nicole Humphrey, originally posted at www.dailydishrecipes.com
