Eat Healthy On Less Than Ten Dollars A Day (in the U.S.)
One of the most common complaints I hear from people who want to eat healthy is that it is too expensive. While it's true that high quality foods often cost more, eating healthy does not necessarily mean you need to break the bank. Armed with a little knowledge and some savvy shopping skills, it is possible to maintain a healthy diet on less than ten dollars a day.
The trick to stretching your food dollar without sacrificing your health comes down to two simple concepts: nutrient density and shelf life.
Nutrient density refers to the amount of nutrition per calorie of food. Foods that are nutrient dense provide a great deal of nutrition in a small amount of space. Since a large portion of food cost corresponds to shipping and warehousing expenses, foods that are nutrient dense tend to cost less money. They also tend to be much healthier.
For example it takes six servings of white bread to provide the same amount of nutrients as one serving of almonds. Pound for pound, white bread is about 25% cheaper than almonds however when taking nutrient density into consideration the white bread is almost five times more expensive.
Shelf life refers to the time it takes before a food is no longer edible. It stands to reason that if a food goes bad before you get a chance to eat it, then it probably wasn't a good use of your money. Unfortunately, many of the methods used to artificially extend the shelf life of foods also pose health risks to consumers.
The good news is that there are certain foods that have a high nutrient density and a long shelf life. Learning to incorporate more of these foods into your diet can cut a significant chunk out of your monthly food bill. Eating these foods almost exclusively can cut it down to less than ten dollars a day.
Legumes
The bean family, also known as legumes, are hands-down the best buy when it comes to low-cost, nutritious foods. Dried or canned beans have an extremely long shelf life, are incredibly nutritious, and quite versatile in the kitchen. Besides being very high in vitamins and minerals, beans are also a great source of protein.
Canned beans can be purchased for around $2.00 per pound. Dried beans can be found for half that price, and even less when purchased in bulk. With a little planning and a slow cooker, you will never have to wait around for your beans to cook. They also keep for several days in the refrigerator once cooked, and can be heated up as needed.
Within this category there are two superstars that deserve special mention: lentils and chickpeas. Lentils are not only more nutritious than many other types of beans, but they are quicker to prepare and cost less. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are also a great value and are one of the main ingredients in hummus, which should be a staple of any healthy eater's diet.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are among the most nutrient-dense foods available. They keep for an very long time- even longer if unshelled- and can also be purchased in bulk. Nuts and seeds make an easy, portable snack and are also quite filling.
Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are the cheapest of the bunch. At $4.00 a pound, they cost about twice as much as beans but provide healthy fats that are necessary to the body. Sesame seeds, when made into a paste called tahini, are the other main ingredient in hummus.
Berries
Of all the fruits, berries are the most nutritious. While fresh berries don't keep long in the refrigerator, they freeze quite well. Frozen berries retain their nutritional value, can be thawed in a manner of minutes under tepid water, or can be eaten straight from the freezer.
While exotic berries like acai, goji, noni, and mangosteen are the superstars of berries when it comes to nutrition, taking cost into consideration the best bet are blueberries.
Eggs
At fifteen cents or less a pop, eggs are a phenomenal value when it comes to nutritious foods. Not only are eggs are a great source of protein, but they provide significant amounts of hard to find nutrients such as iodine, selenium, and choline.
By the way, you can put concerns about the cholesterol content of egg yolks aside. The latest research on eggs suggest that our previous thoughts on eggs may have been mistaken. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating two eggs a day for one month did not negatively impact cholesterol in the blood.
What is perhaps even more surprising is that 15% of the participants actually improved their cholesterol profiles. Although it might seem contrary to common sense, it appears that the other nutrients present in the egg help to balance out what might otherwise be a negative effect of this high cholesterol food.
Dairy
Dairy products present a great value and are an good source of nutrition. They also tend to keep for quite some time when refrigerated. I strongly recommend purchasing dairy from cows that have not been given antibiotics or growth hormones. All things taken into consideration, yogurt and cheese are a better choice than milk.
There is a lot of controversy over the consumption of dairy products. With extremists on both sides, I believe the best approach is to include dairy in moderation. Two to three servings of dairy a day is reasonable. Drinking a gallon of milk a day is not.
Bread
Bread is another controversial item that can get taken to extremes in food debates. On the one hand, it is true white bread does not pass the acid test of being nutrient dense. Don't be fooled by ingredient lists which include “enriched” flour. Enriched white flour has only about 1/3 of the vitamins and minerals as whole grain flour, and none of the healthy fats.
On the other hand, whole grain bread can be as much as three to five times more expensive than white bread. Unfortunately, one of the first things people are often advised to do when making healthier choices is to buy whole grain bread. This is partly due to a somewhat ill-advised recommendation by the to eat 6 – 11 servings of grains every day.
For starters, there is no way to eat a balanced diet that includes 11 servings of grains a day. What is more, it is entirely possible to meet all of the body's nutritional needs without eating any grains at all. If you have few extra dollars to spend on upgrading your food choices, there are better places to start than with bread.
Other Fruits and Vegetables
There are many other fruits and vegetables that represent great buys, especially when they are local and in season. However, because produce is priced per pound, rather than per serving, it is often difficult to pick out the best value. In addition, grocery labels do not take into account nutrient density.
Taking both of these factors into account, the best vegetable buys include cabbage, broccoli, mustard greens, and bell peppers, but by far parsley takes the trophy. Although most people think of parsley only as a garnish, when chopped up and mixed with some onion, tomato, lemon, and olive oil, "boring old parsley" is transformed into a delicious Mediterranean salad known as tabouli.
Besides blueberries, apples, bananas, and grapefruit are the best values when it comes to fruits. Of course, fresh fruits and vegetables have comparatively short shelf lives, so it is important to buy only what you can eat within the next few days.
Putting It All Together
I'm sure by now you are curious to see an example of how foods can be put together into a healthy meal plan costing less than ten dollars. I will give you an example in just a moment, but be forewarned, once you see it you will never again be able to say that eating healthy is too expensive. Are you ready to take the leap? Here we go...
Breakfast
2 eggs (30¢) and a slice of whole wheat toast (20¢)
1 cup yogurt (50¢) with ½ cup frozen blueberries (20¢) and ¼ cup crushed almonds (25¢)
Morning Snack
¼ cup hulled sunflower seeds (15¢)
Lunch
1 large whole wheat pita (20¢) filled with an ounce of feta cheese (25¢),
½ cup homemade hummus (50¢) and 1 cup homemade tabouli (75¢)
Afternoon Snack
1 large banana (25¢)
Dinner
1 – 4 oz lamb chop ($2.50)
1 cup cooked lentils (20¢)
3 cups spinach and beet salad ($1.00)
Evening Snack
¼ cup pumpkin seeds (25¢)
This meal plan is nutritionally balanced, provides at least 100% of the RDA for every nutrient (except vitamin D) and can be prepared for as little as $7.50.