Necessity is indeed the mother of invention and when hard times strike, budgeting for food can be especially difficult. Avoid the "hungry man is an angry man" blues and stock pile these ten healthy foods that won't ruin your wallet or your waistline.
- Peanut Butter ($1.99 - $2.49) In addition to being a lean muscle building maximizer, peanut butter is also filling, nutritious and terrifically inexpensive. “Peanut Butter is a great source of fiber, protein, folic acid, contains nearly half of the 13 essential vitamins and is naturally free of cholesterol,” said Tim Kearney of Naturally Nutty Foods, makers of Naturally Nutty Peanut Butter. Also, peanut butter stores well, so you can buy in bulk. When hunger calls, eat peanut butter by the spoonful, spread on fruit (if available) or mix in with oatmeal for a filling dinner. Here are some good, nutritious, non-fattening peanut butters.
- Oatmeal ($1.49 - $3.99) The great thing about oatmeal is how little it costs for how much you get. Oatmeal is a heart healthy food and when you’re broke, you can literally survive on a bowl of oatmeal. Cook up a batch and save the extra for when the green is great; you can mix it in with protein powder and water to make a nutritious, muscle-building smoothie. The best oatmeal is either raw or stove-top. Avoid the microwavable variety as they contain sugar and the packets are hardly enough to fill you up.
- Brown rice ($1.99 - $2.99) You can get full on rice. Better yet, mix with olive oil (which every guy should have) and some salt (sea or crystal is best) for a tasty meal. Brown rice makes for a suitable post-workout carbohydrate and newer varieties are surprisingly simple to cook: two cups of water to one cup of rice. Bring to boil then simmer (low heat), covered for 10 minutes. Tip: spray the rim of the saucepan with cooking spray (another kitchen staple) to avoid a messy overflow. Combine with any of the following (or all) for a tasty and satisfying meal (ideal for post workouts). And, yes I have no problem recommending regular white rice here, it's cheaper and cook faster.
- Chick peas - (.99 - $1.49) Packed with protein, chick peas (also known as Garbanzo beans) when combined with rice, make a fat-free, high quality protein meal. Chick peas are of the legumes family which are high in fiber helping to keep your digestive system in track. Garbanzos keep blood sugar levels stabilized making you feel full, longer. Mix some in with cooked rice (rinse first) and tuna for a hearty, meal. See a tasty chick peas lunch creation.
- Tuna ($1.49 - $2.99) Tuna can be a life-saver when you have nothing to eat. This versatile, healthy fish is easily mixed in with practically any dish. Although there are many different varieties of tuna, affecting fat content, taste and nutritional value, these amounts are nominal and when times are tough, this sacrifice is insignificant. Combine rice, chick peas and tuna for a quintessential bachelor dinner dish (suitable for two and a good excuse to show off your home cooking and budgeting skills. Points).
- Black beans ($.49 - $1.49) Health in a can, black beans contain a compound that significantly reduce pre-cancerous cells. Black beans are also loaded with anthocyanins, specifically ten times more when compared to other dark colored fruits and vegetables. Also, a can of black bean soup makes for a hearty, healthy, soothing meal. Eat with crackers or Melba Toast ($1.99).
- Lentils ($.99 - $1.49) Another type of legume, lentils are high in fiber which help to prevent heart disease. The magnesium content found in lentils contributes to blood flow and the passage of oxygen through the body. Primarily, lentils are high in iron which make it an excellent pre- and post-workout muscle building food. Lentils are also suprisingly filling. Don't overcook (it will cause gas).
- Canned corn ($.49 - $.69) Corn is a favored staple by many and the canned variety of this popular American grain, although processed, remains a suitable alternative to the fresh version. Corn is high in Vitamin B, essential to energy production. Corn has also been proven to reduce risk of lung cancer (in smokers). Buy two cans at a time, and mix in with rice and tuna for color, variety and crunch.
- Frozen spinach ($1.29 - $2.29) Quite possibly one of the healthiest, pervasive leafy greens, spinach is also terrifically inexpensive. The frozen blocks are ideal for stock-piling during hard times. Thaw (run under water until the block easily breaks apart) and mix in with rice (steam the spinach separately for 10 minutes) and chickpeas (or any other bean) for a delicious, filling meal. As a matter of fact, this dish is quite common in many countries, specifically Trinidad and Tobago. It is the foundation for our widely popular “paleu” (pronounced pay-LAU).
- Sweet potatoes ($1.49 lb) My food of choice if I had nothing else to eat, sweet potatoes are one of nature’s healing foods and are remarkably high in protein. Sweet potatoes are shockingly high in vitamins A, B and C. The antioxidants found in a sweet potato are concentrated enough to actually help promote anti-aging. Sweet potatoes are an ideal pre-workout, good carbohydrate and are also one of the few vegetables that I eat completely raw (however, you may do so at your own risk). Raw sweet potatoes are amazingly delicious with morning coffee. Incidentally, sweet potatoes store longer in the refrigerator. Learn more about the potential healing power of sweet potatoes.
For more info: Stefan Pinto is an actor and writer living in Los Angeles. The foods in this list were part of his actual diet during difficult, lean financial times and remains among his staples to this day. Click here to read his blog.
Comments
Great list. The only thing that I would replace is the canned corn with frozen corn. Other than that, you just painted a portrait of our fridge/pantry. :)
Todd
San Antonio Diet & Exercise Examiner
Great list! The only thing that I would note is: replace canned beans with dried. Soooooo cheap to buy dried beans and many canned brands come with added salt.
adamwiz
Love it man! Great list indeed! Tough economic times or not, this list is excellent for anyone looking to eat healthier!
As always, well done my friend!
Jason & The eFitness for Life Team
Great list. I think I have everything on it and probably eat a couple of them every day.
Awesome list, plus a person can have a free bubbly jacuzzi bath later.
Great list, I copied it so I can take it to the food store.
I really HATE how this site unleashes a pop-under as soon as you click anywhere on the page. Why does it do that? Are you trying to keep people AWAY from your site? Nobody enjoys popups, I don't care if it brings you revenue or not, and it's the reason I don't use this site to blog anything.
Why would you subject your readers to that?
Phil - I forwarded your comments to Examiner. I agree with you.
This is pretty much the story of my life.
I find it appalling that some people feel like they need to buy organic or local in order to be healthy.
Well, boohoo. If money's tough, then get tougher and suck it up.
What about mercury in tuna and GMO corn? According to the EPA, tuna should be consumed very minimally. For example, a person weighing 130 lbs should only consume ONE can of white albacore every 10 days or ONE can of chunk light every 4 days.
I'd recommend purchasing frozen organic corn. It's not terribly expensive and it eliminates the GMOs and BPAs.
how about you grow your food for free?
if youre gonna have tuna around don't forget a jar of mayonaise!!!!!
I read a lot of posts like this one about eating healthy cheap, but this was by far my favorite. I don't know where people find these "cheap fresh vegetables" but they aren't at my grocery store. I appreciate the simple, delicious, no nonsense dishes presented here. Many great ideas that I will start using often! As a grad student, my food budget is quite minimal these days. Thanks for your great ideas!
Straight to the point and very helpful, It's the kinda stuff we should all know but don't.
Thanks
This list is great and I truly appreciate the fact that you did not add a lot of things that you have to spend hours in the kitchen to cook, just because you are short on cash does not mean you have hours of time on your hands.
How could you leave out cabbage? 39 cents a pound, chock full of vitamin A, and incredibly versatile.
Good tips. I also like sweet potatoes raw (and regular potatoes as well) but I'm not sure the abdominal distress is worth it.
Dennis
North American Destinations Examiner
Love that comment, "grow your own for free". What planet does he live on? Growing a garden is in NO way free! It's time-consuming, you don't get your food exactly when you need it and it costs money to prepare a bed, buy plants, fertilize, water (yes, water costs money), etc. And I've never seen tuna grown in a garden....
Not all Microwave varieties of oats have added sugar. We also buy boxes or bags of the instant oats, they don't all come in 'serving' sizes. When we do have the packet mixes, we normally mix it with some canned fruit and believe me, they really do fill you up, especially since you should drink plenty of water along with them.
I'd go with Tuna and spinach but the rest of these food items are not as good for you as the popular health nut opinion would have you believe. Veggie lies are so rampant you really can't believe anything you read on the internet about diet. Even this comment.
I agree with replacing the canned corn...but this is a great list!
One more suggestion: if you have a food processor, make your own peanut butter. Put peanuts in, turn on, wait 'til creamy and you're done! Much cheaper than buying ready made. (Add a bit of salt near the end if you want.)
Great list! Many times, when times are tough, people revert to unhealthy foods, but this article is proof that does not have to be the case.
reminds me of college
Don't forget to check out your local farmers market. You can buy fresh produce that's in season at great prices and you're supporting your local economy.
I'm a long-time sweet potatoe addict, and used to eat them for dinner all the time (a whole plate of nothing but is SO satisfying)...but NEVER ate them raw. Will try that next time, thanks!
You forgot 'Steak-Umms' They are cheap, tasty, easy to make, and chock full of stuff!
Don't forget marijuana, tasty cakes n funyuns
Niiiiiice need weed
I'm trying a low budget "Zone" diet and these will come in handy.
Hey, where is my Stefan Pinto refrigerator magnet you promised to send me???
I wasn't expecting something so well thought out and suggestive. Most articles like this one that you will find on the web contain some very unhealthy food suggestions. I can see you've bumped them up a bit. Thank you for this!
I'm 21 for referance and for two years I lived off of Top Raman, Taco Bell and Peanut butter, that was when I could even afford that... I'm about to go through a big move and this list will definatly hepl me cut spending while still eating healthy, thank you!
tuna is usually loaded with mercury try sardines instead
does canned salmon have mercury in it? does any one know?
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