Top Ten Healthy and Cheap Eats!

I have heard the excuse “well, I want to eat well, it’s just SOO much more expensive” WAY too often.  And, the fact is, that is ALL it is – an excuse.  First off, if you want to talk immediate pricing, it’s not true.  There are plenty of foods that are healthy for you than are inexpensive.  Secondly, if you want to discuss long term costs, being healthy now and eating well will certainly cut down on your medical bills, your prescription bills and will make your quality of life down the road MUCH better.  So, here is a list of my top ten healthy, cheap eats!

1- Spinach: Delicious. Nutritious. And you can generally buy a bag of fresh spinach for    $3.00.

2- Beans: Did you know that you can get up to half of your USDA recommended value of daily protein from beans?  Plus, they are amazingly filling.  They can be a side dish, or even the main event and it costs less than a dollar for a can!  Personally I would go for the black or kidney bean, but that choice is yours!

3- Chicken breast: To me, this is the easiest thing to buy.  The easiest thing to make.  And, the easiest way to really add good, healthy protein to your meal.  You can generally buy it for $2-4/lb.

4- Eggs: An amazing and quick breakfast OR, even better in my book, hard boil them and have them as a snack or part of your lunch.  You can generally get a dozen for under $3.00

5- Canned tuna packed in water: You can eat it alone, make a mayo-free tuna salad or add it to a dish of your choosing. For under a $1.00 a can, this should be a no brainer.

6. Brown rice:Use this whole grain rice as a side dish, you can add it to a stew or throw it in a stir fry.  Make sure you get more protein and veggies than rice, but it is an excellent plate and tummy filler and you can buy a bag for only a few bucks.

7. Bananas: One of my personal favorite snacks.  I’ll toss a little peanut or almond butter on it and turn it into breakfast or a pre-workout meal.  Or, just grab a banana when you’re feeling a bit hungry.  For $0.75 or less a pound this delish fruit can become a staple

8. Sweet Potatoes: Bake up a sweet potato and you will have some incredible nutrients sitting at your table.  Sweet potatoes contain calcium, fiber, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. And make sure you eat the skin, too- it’s loaded with antioxidants. I can have a salad and a half a sweet potato as a full mean and feel perfectly satiated.  You can generally get them for less than a buck a pop.

9. Frozen Vegetables: Fresh produce, especially when not in season, can be a hefty expense.  But, grabbing a few bags of frozen vegetables will ensure you get those wonderful nutrients in your diet for only a couple of dollars a bag.

10. Cottage Cheese: An incredible source of protein.  You can add some berries and make this a perfect breakfast for less than a dollar or two (the cost of the package will run you around $2.99 for a 16oz container).

Those are just ten healthy and cheap ways to get healthy… there are plenty more.  Take a look around the grocery store and tweet me some ideas!

xx

Julia

#ourfitjourney