A Cheap Diet

Whether you are on a limited income, use food stamps or are trying to feed yourself while a student or low-paid worker, a cheap diet is often a financial necessity. Even if you are not struggling financially, spending less money on food allows you more money for leisure, travel and other activities. A cheap diet can be a healthy diet, but you will need to strategize food purchases and prepare your own food.

History

As a nation, the United States enjoys relatively low food prices across the board, with a smaller percentage of U.S. income being typically spent on food than in other developed countries, as of 2010. Although food prices for staples including bread, milk and eggs increased between 9 percent and 29 percent during 2008, for example, the average person in the United States spends only 9.8 percent of disposable income on food. According to the food journal "Amber Waves," this low percentage of overall spending is historical. In 1970, for example, the average U.S. consumer spent almost 14 percent of disposable income on food.

Strategies

Prepared foods are typically more expensive per serving or gram, so a cheap diet will likely see you preparing more of your own food. You can save money by making your own coffee at home, rather than purchasing expensive pre-packaged and flavored coffee. Bulk-buying unprocessed grains and meat is a cheaper option than processed foods. Money can also be saved by using store and manufacturer coupons, and by shopping during sales and discount promotions. In many stores, for example, baked goods are discounted at the end of the day.

Types

According to dietitian Holly Scherer, quoted by Medical News Today, a cheap yet healthy diet may include produce, such as fruits and vegetables, that is in season locally. Strawberries, for example, are expensive in northern areas during the winter, but vegetable squashes will be cheap throughout the fall in areas where they are grown. Scherer also recommends replacing meat products with cheaper proteins, such as beans or eggs, at least occasionally.

Expert Insight

According to a study reported in the June 1996 issue of the "Journal of Tropical Pediatrics," cheap foods can be effective in managing food allergies, such as lactose intolerance. This study considered a traditional diet of rice, lentils and yogurt against soy protein and lactose-free milk formula for the management of lactose-intolerant diarrhea in Pakistani infants and children. The so-called "cheap weaning diet" of rice, lentils and yogurt was found to be the most effective in relieving diarrhea that related to lactose intolerance. This study debunks the myth that those with allergies or intolerances to certain foods must pay more for a tolerable diet.

Warning

A cheap diet should not equate to a dangerous diet. According to Medical News Today, the drive to produce cheap meat, particularly poultry, may have led to a lowering of safety and inspection standards. Using the example of cheap UK poultry production, it is reported that factory-farming techniques adopted to drive down the cost of chicken production may lead to an increase in the number of contaminated chickens becoming part of the human food chain.