The 20 Healthiest Foods for Under $1


By: Brie Cadman
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Food
prices are climbing, and some might be looking to fast foods and
packaged foods for their cheap bites. But low cost doesn’t have to mean
low quality. In fact, some of the most inexpensive things you can buy
are the best things for you. At the grocery store, getting the most
nutrition for the least amount of money means hanging out on the
peripheries—near the fruits and veggies, the meat and dairy, and the
bulk grains—while avoiding the expensive packaged interior. By doing
so, not only will your kitchen be stocked with excellent foods, your
wallet won’t be empty.

1. Oats
High in fiber and complex carbohydrates, oats have also been shown to
lower cholesterol. And they sure are cheap—a dollar will buy you more
than a week’s worth of hearty breakfasts.

Serving suggestions: Sprinkle with nuts and fruit in the morning, make oatmeal cookies for dessert.

2. Eggs
You can get about a half dozen of eggs for a dollar, making them one of
the cheapest and most versatile sources of protein. They are also a
good source of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which may ward
off age-related eye problems.

Serving suggestions: Huevos rancheros for breakfast, egg salad sandwiches for lunch, and frittatas for dinner.

3. Kale
This dark, leafy green is loaded with vitamin C, carotenoids, and calcium. Like most greens, it is usually a dollar a bunch.

Serving suggestions: Chop up some kale and add to your favorite stir-fry; try German-Style Kale or traditional Irish Colcannon.

4. Potatoes
Because we often see potatoes at their unhealthiest—as fries or
chips—we don’t think of them as nutritious, but they definitely are.
Eaten with the skin on, potatoes contain almost half a day’s worth of
Vitamin C, and are a good source of potassium. If you opt for sweet
potatoes or yams, you’ll also get a good wallop of beta carotene. Plus,
they’re dirt cheap and have almost endless culinary possibilities.

Serving suggestions: In the a.m., try Easy Breakfast Potatoes; for lunch, make potato salad; for dinner, have them with sour cream and chives.

5. Apples
I’m fond of apples because they’re inexpensive, easy to find, come in
portion-controlled packaging, and taste good. They are a good source of
pectin—a fiber that may help reduce cholesterol—and they have the
antioxidant Vitamin C, which keeps your blood vessels healthy.

Serving suggestions: Plain; as applesauce; or in baked goods like Pumpkin-Apple Breakfast Bread.

6. Nuts
Though nuts have a high fat content, they’re packed with the
good-for-you fats—unsaturated and monounsaturated. They’re also good
sources of essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, and protein. And because
they’re so nutrient-dense, you only need to eat a little to get the
nutritional benefits. Although some nuts, like pecans and macadamias,
can be costly, peanuts, walnuts, and almonds, especially when bought in
the shell, are low in cost.

Serving suggestions: Raw; roasted and salted; sprinkled in salads.

7. Bananas
At a local Trader Joe’s, I found bananas for about 19¢ apiece; a dollar
gets you a banana a day for the workweek. High in potassium and fiber
(9 grams for one), bananas are a no-brainer when it comes to eating
your five a day quotient of fruits and veggies.

Serving suggestions: In smoothies, by themselves, in cereal and yogurt.

8. Garbanzo Beans
With beans, you’re getting your money’s worth and then some. Not only
are they a great source of protein and fiber, but ’bonzos are also high
in fiber, iron, folate, and manganese, and may help reduce cholesterol
levels. And if you don’t like one type, try another—black, lima,
lentils … the varieties are endless. Though they require soaking and
cooking, the most inexpensive way to purchase these beans is in dried
form; a precooked can will still only run you around a buck.

Serving suggestions: In salads, curries, and Orange Hummus.

9. Broccoli
Broccoli contains tons of nice nutrients—calcium, vitamins A and C,
potassium, folate, and fiber. As if that isn’t enough, broccoli is also
packed with phytonutrients, compounds that may help prevent heart
disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Plus, it’s low in calories and
cost.

Serving suggestions: Throw it in salads, stir fries, or served as an accompaniment to meat in this Steamed Ginger Chicken with Asian Greens recipe.

10. Watermelon
Though you may not be able to buy an entire
watermelon for a dollar, your per serving cost isn’t more than a few
dimes. This summertime fruit is over 90 percent water, making it an
easy way to hydrate, and gives a healthy does of Vitamin C, potassium,
and lycopene, an antioxidant that may ward off cancer.

Serving suggestions: Freeze
chunks for popsicles; eat straight from the rind; squeeze to make
watermelon margaritas (may negate the hydrating effect!).

11. Wild Rice
It won’t cost you much more than white rice, but wild rice is much
better for you. Low in fat and high in protein and fiber, this
gluten-free rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates. It packs a
powerful potassium punch and is loaded with B vitamins. Plus, it has a
nutty, robust flavor.

Serving suggestions: Mix with nuts and veggies for a cold rice salad; blend with brown rice for a side dish.

12. Beets
Beets are my kind of vegetable—their natural sugars make them sweet to
the palate while their rich flavor and color make them nutritious for
the body. They’re powerhouses of folate, iron, and antioxidants.

Serving suggestions: Shred into salads,
slice with goat cheese. If you buy your beets with the greens on, you
can braise them in olive oil like you would other greens.

13. Butternut Squash
This beautiful gourd swings both ways: sometimes savory, sometimes
sweet. However you prepare the butternut, it will not only add color
and texture, but also five grams of fiber per half cup and chunks and
chunks of Vitamin A and C. When in season, butternut squash and related
gourds are usually less than a dollar a pound.

Serving suggestions: Try Pear and Squash Bruschetta; cook and dot with butter and salt.

14. Whole Grain Pasta
In the days of Atkins, pasta was wrongly convicted, for there is
nothing harmful about a complex carbohydrate source that is high in
protein and B vitamins. Plus, it’s one of the cheapest staples you can
buy.

Serving suggestions: Mix clams and white wine with linguine; top orzo with tomatoes and garlic; eat cold Farfalle Salad on a picnic.

15. Sardines
As a kid, I used to hate it when my dad would order sardines
on our communal pizzas, but since then I’ve acquired a taste for them.
Because not everyone has, you can still get a can of sardines for
relatively cheap. And the little fish come with big benefits: calcium,
iron, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins. And, because they’re low on the
food chain, they don’t accumulate mercury.

Serving suggestions: Mash them
with parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil for a spread; eat them plain
on crackers; enjoy as a pizza topping (adults only).

16. Spinach
Spinach is perhaps one of the best green leafies out there—it has lots
of Vitamin C, iron, and trace minerals. Plus, you can usually find it
year round for less than a dollar.

Serving suggestions: Sautéed with eggs, as a salad, or a Spinach Frittata.

17. Tofu
Not just for vegetarians anymore, tofu is an inexpensive protein source
that can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. It’s high in B
vitamins and iron, but low in fat and sodium, making it a healthful
addition to many dishes.

Serving suggestions: Use silken varieties in Tofu Cheesecake; add to smoothies for a protein boost; cube and marinate for barbecue kebobs.

18. Lowfat Milk
Yes, the price of a gallon of milk is rising, but per serving, it’s
still under a dollar; single serving milk products, like yogurt, are
usually less than a dollar, too. Plus, you’ll get a lot of benefit for
a small investment. Milk is rich in protein, vitamins A and D,
potassium, and niacin, and is one of the easiest ways to get
bone-strengthening calcium.

Serving suggestions: In smoothies, hot chocolate, or coffee; milk products like low fat cottage cheese and yogurt.

19. Pumpkin Seeds
When it’s time to carve your pumpkin this October, don’t shovel those
seeds into the trash—they’re a goldmine of magnesium, protein, and
trace minerals. Plus, they come free with the purchase of a pumpkin.

Serving suggestions: Salt, roast, and eat plain; toss in salads.

20. Coffee
The old cup-o-joe has been thrown on the stands for many a corporeal
crime—heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis—but exonerated on all counts.
In fact, coffee, which is derived from a bean, contains beneficial
antioxidants that protect against free radicals and may actually help
thwart heart disease and cancer. While it’s not going to fill you up
like the other items on this list, it might make you a lot perkier.
When made at home, coffee runs less than 50¢ cents a cup.

Serving suggestions: Just drink it.

Although that bag of 99¢ Cheetos may look like a
bargain, knowing that you’re not getting much in the way of nutrition
or sustenance makes it seem less like a deal and more like a dupe.
Choosing one of these twenty items, or the countless number of
similarly nutritious ones, might just stretch that dollar from a snack
into a meal.


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