Eating a healthy diet on a budget can seem challenging, but some of the healthiest foods are also the least expensive. The trick to navigating your supermarket without sacrificing a healthy diet or blowing your budget is to navigate your way around the perimeter of the store, where you'll find the least processed foods, and to look for foods that pack a nutritional punch without putting a dent in your wallet.
In the Produce Section
When you're shopping for produce, look for low-cost foods that are nutrient-dense. Greens, including kale, spinach and cabbage, are filling and affordable; they're also low-fat, high-fiber foods with plenty of vitamin C and folic acid. Apples and bananas are good options for inexpensive fruit, according to the "New York Times." Other good bets in the produce section include sweet potatoes and butternut squash (both rich in vitamin A), broccoli (a good source of calcium) and beets, which are rich in antioxidants. In general, you can score the best deals on fresh produce by buying in season, according to CNN's Health Minute, since the cheapest produce is seasonal and local.
From the Refrigerator
Eggs can cost $2 or less for a dozen, making them one of the cheapest ways to meet your daily protein needs. Yogurt is a good deal--and a good source of calcium--if you opt for the big container instead of the more expensive individual serving containers. Milk costs less than 50 cents per serving and is a good source of calcium and vitamin D, nutrients that are essential for healthy development in children. Frozen vegetables are almost identical to fresh when it comes to nutritional value, and they're often less expensive than fresh vegetables.
From the Shelves
Enough oatmeal for a week's worth of breakfasts will run you around $1 and start your day right with plenty of protein and fiber. Buying plain, raw oats in bulk rather than individual servings nets you the best price. Beans are one of the most nutritionally dense foods available, and if you buy them dried you can eat for a week on a few dollars. Even canned beans are an affordable option. Canned sardines are one of the least expensive canned fish and provide plenty of calcium, protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
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