Cheap and Healthy Foods

• Beans - Whether you buy them canned or dried, beans are cheap and healthy. They are a good source of protein and fiber, low on fat and usually significantly cheaper than meat.


• Bananas - Year round, I can usually find bananas for 50 cents a pound or less. These tropical fruits taste good. They are also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese. If they start to get over ripe, don't throw them out, instead make some tasty banana bread.


• Carrots - A pound of carrots is less than dollar most places. I usually buy a five pound bag for around $2.49 cents. Carrots are nutritional super starts with good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Potassium, Copper, Vitamin K and Manganese. and of course they are best known for vitamin A the nutrient critical for healthy eyes.


• Apples - Apples are at their cheapest in the fall, but are usually affordable year round. I can usually find them around 3 dollars for a 3 pound bag. Apples are a good source of fiber and vitamin C. They have many other benefits too.


• Oatmeal - good old fashion oat meal is very healthy and cheap especially if you just get the store brand of the type in the big canisters instead of the ones indivual flavor packs. You can add in season fruits, cinnamon, molasses or maple syrup when you cook it. It also makes fantastic crust toppings for desserts. I also tend to use it in less the traditional ways like grind the oats up into an "oat flour" and use it as a particle replacement for in recipes traditionally calling for wheat flour. Oat meal is loaded with fiber and also contains many essential nutrients like vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium.

What are your favorite cheap and healthy foods?