Eating healthy doesn’t require shopping at a special grocery store, eating only organic food and shouldn’t be more expensive. Eating healthier can be as simple as…
- Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season
- Check grocery store ads for sales or coupons on healthier food options and plan your weekly meals around what’s on sale
- Buy in bulk. Family packs of meat, larger bags of potatoes or frozen vegetables are less expensive when purchased in larger quantities.
- Convenience costs more, go back to basics. Frozen dinners, pre-cut veggies, instant rice and oatmeal cost more. Preparing food from scratch is less expensive and can be fun for the entire family
- Below is a list of healthy foods under $1 per serving:
- Apples (raw with skin): 1 serving = 1 large apple
- Bananas: 1 serving = 1 large banana
- Baby Carrots (raw): 1 serving = 8-10 baby carrots
- Homemade or Canned Beans (kidney, pinto, garbanzo or navy): 1 serving = ½ cup beans
- Fresh or Canned Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice): 1 serving = ½ cup tomatoes
- Oranges (fruit 2-7/8” diameter): 1 serving = 1 large or extra large orange
- Pears (raw): 1 serving = 1 large pear
- Lentils (cooked): 1 serving = ½ cup cooked lentils
- Pearled Barley (cooked): 1 serving = ½ cup cooked pearled barley
- Yogurt (plain, low fat or fat-free): 1 serving = 1 6-ounce container yougart
- Eggs: 1 serving = 1 medium egg
- Broccoli: 1 serving = 1 cup raw or ½ cup cooked broccoli
- Sweet Potato: 1 serving = 1 medium potato
- Brown Rice (cooked): 1 serving = ½ cup cooked brown rice
- Green Peas (frozen, cooked): 1 serving = ½ cup cooked green peas
- Fat-Free Milk: 1 serving = 1 cup milk
- Regular Oatmeal: 1 serving = ½ cup cooked oatmeal
- Spinach: 1 serving = 1 cup raw or ½ cup cooked spinach
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables: 1 serving = ½ cup cooked vegetables
- Frozen Corn on the Cob: 1 serving = 1 ear corn
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24.