The Best Health Foods For Your Low Budget

Filed in archive Ingredient Spotlight , Morsels of Info on July 16, 2010

© Dr Stephen Dann

Going on a budget doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice the health value of your food.

Here are some of the healthiest food items you should always include in your grocery list if you are shopping on a tight budget:

Peanut butter. It's a popular pantry item that is high on protein and has lots of unsaturated fat that is good for your heart. You can use peanut butter to make sandwiches, sauces, and baking products, and it costs about 20 cents for every two tablespoons you use.

Eggs are always good sources of lean protein and they also contain lots of vitamin B12, riboflavin, and phosphorous. Make omelets, frittatas, and nice salads with eggs. Why they're a 10 best: Eggs are a good source of lean protein, and also contain vitamin B12, riboflavin and phosphorus. Large eggs usually sell for about 13 cents a piece.

Oats are always a popular choice among those who are watching their diets. Costing about 17 cents per serving, they can help decrease bad cholesterol and you can use oats to make baked products or add them to ground-meat dishes.

Apples contain high amounts of vitamin C and both soluble and insoluble fiber. They cost about 60 cents each, and you can include apples in your prepared salads and baked items.

Spinach has large amounts of vitamin A, C, and K in addition to folic acid and manganese. Most people enjoy spinach in their salads and pasta dishes, but you can also add spinach to your casseroles, soups, and stews.

Beans give you lean protein, fiber, calcium, folic acid, and iron. Most people add beans to their salads and stews and beans cost only about 35 cents for every serving used.

Frozen vegetables are a good source of fiber and usually cost only about 40 cents per serving. You can serve them as side dishes or add them to your casseroles as well.

Sweet potatoes will fill you up with lots of fiber, and are good sources of vitamin A and B6. Each sweet potato costs about a dollar and they are so versatile, you can use them either as main or side dishes.