There's been a lot of talk on whether you can get a good diet from a food stamp budget. In fact, there are some rather wonderful foods that are relatively cheaper than others and will satisfy your need for protein, veggies, fruit, whole grains, dairy, and low calorie diets. If you are watching your wallet and your waistline, then smart shopping should be a major goal for every trip to the grocery store. Traditionally, super markets will place things that aren't necessarily healthy on sale or at the front of the store, and even though it may say low-fat, there's really no guarantee. You can make some simple choices to buy cheap, healthy food and maintain your diet while eating things like salmon, eggs, lentils, strawberries and sweet potatoes. Here are 10 different ways to eat cheaply and stay nutritious.
It's probably not your ideal way to eat salmon, but it can be a delicious treat and it's rich in Omega-3's and healthy fats, helping you lower cholesterol and that means preventing heart attacks. It's also rich in protein! There are also some amazing dishes made with canned salmon, such as salmon stir-fry, creamy salmon pasta, salmon rice pilaf with bacon and salmon burritos. Take a look at all the ideas from AlaskanSeafood.com.
Lentils are probably the best way to get protein and fiber if you're a vegetarian or simply cutting down on meat. Lentils also versatile and easy to make. You can throw these in soups, stews or cook alone with some spices to make a quick meal. Additionally, you can buy these in bulk and save yourself some money. You can find plenty of recipes for lentils just by looking at lentil soup can labels in the soup aisle, too.
If you love fresh fruit, frozen fruit may take some getting used to. While it is frozen, it's a great way to throw in a blender to make smoothies or use with yogurt for a healthy snack. Frozen berries also work well for oatmeal or for a baked dish with muffins and other bread snacks. You can also buy these in bulk. Since it's frozen, it will last for a long time as well.
Grapes are a wonderful versatile fruit. These are relatively cheap and provide a ton of ways to do snacks and desserts. You can freeze grapes or eat with yogurt. Grapes are a great source of anti-oxidants, and there are multiple kinds of grapes to get your taste buds happy.
Canned tomatoes are much cheaper than your tomato in the produce section. You should pick out low-sodium varieties. You can throw into pasta dishes or chili to make it stretch and create a few dishes from just one can. You can even make tomato soup by making a puree of the tomatoes and adding a cup of skim milk with some seasoning. You get vitamins A, B, and C from using these tomatoes and also some anti-oxidants.
It can be difficult to like sweet potatoes as a kid. They're not like potatoes and when cooked wrong, they can taste unnaturally sweet and mushy. However, this bright vegetable is a great source of fiber and antioxidants, and it's so incredibly versatile for healthy dishes. You can bake sweet potato chips or fries, mash them or roast them for a terrific side dish to your dinner or lunch. Sweet potatoes can even go great with marshmallows, raisins and cinnamon for a tasty treat.
Like frozen fruits, frozen vegetables are a wonderful way to save money and get lots of vitamins, fiber and protein. Frozen spinach is easy to work with, just thaw and drain, place in omelets, soups, and pasta sauces. Frozen broccoli is especially yummy with some cheese and packs a wallop of fiber.
Rice can really make or break a dish, and with some brown rice, you can make a rice dish into something extremely nutritious. You can mix brown rice with ground lean beef or you can add to a meatloaf instead of all the bread to make a healthier dinner.
Air-popped natural popcorn is great for you and comes incredibly cheap in bulk. You can pop a few batches with olive oil or low-fat butter spray and sprinkle in your favorite seasonings to make all types of treats. You can even make popcorn balls with some peanut butter for a healthy snack.
With oats, you can make a hearty breakfast and mix in some of your favorite things. For example, with walnuts, raisins, cinnamon and apple slices, you can make an amazing breakfast meal. Oats also work well for savory side dishes. You can mix with ground turkey to make a better meatball. Check out this recipe on GreenLiteBites.