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Cheap And Healthy Food - What To Eat When You’re On A Budget

Americans tend to gravitate towards unhealthy foods because of price and convenience, but there are tons of cheap and healthy options that won't break the bank when you're living on a budget.

FirstQuote Health Staff
Published on
November 14, 2018
Last Updated on
May 16, 2023
Cheap And Healthy Food - What To Eat When You’re On A Budget

Living a healthy lifestyle is not just about getting out to the gym or going for a run to stay in shape. It includes being more aware of what you put in your body. There are many organizations like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics attempting to educate people on how to live healthier.


Even so, some people skip the healthier options as they tend to be more expensive. If you're living on a budget, it is not always feasible to for the nutritious options when the foods that won't do your body much good but manage to keep that grocery bill low exist.

How do you manage to eat healthy while on a budget? Well, it may come to a surprise to some, but not everything that is low in cost is bad for you. There are plenty of cheap and healthy food options you can utilize for yourself and your family if you're interested in turning your lifestyle around.

Cheap and Healthy Food for Home

Looking to feed friends or family some healthier options without breaking the bank? There are ways of finding budget-friendly nutritious ingredients. First off, it will help to figure out your budget and plan your grocery shopping beforehand.

A lot of the cheap and healthy food can be found right in your local supermarket; there's no need to go down to an organic food store where the items will be more costly. Focus on things like your vegetables and whole grains. Many of these items you can find for less than $2.00.

To use some specific examples, canned tuna is a typical low-cost option that can be used in a variety of healthy meals such as salads and sandwiches. Tuna is an excellent source of iron and protein. Try to aim for canned tuna in water rather than oil to keep more of the nutritional value.

On the topic of sandwiches, 100% whole-wheat bread is another good option that won't weigh down your grocery bill.

There are additional options for cheap and healthy food that you can use to create a delicious meal right at home. Some examples are as followed:

  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Beans
  • Brown rice
  • Chicken breast
  • Eggs
  • Frozen vegetables
  • Kale
  • Oats
  • Whole-wheat pasta

There are plenty more cheap and healthy food options to choose from. A good thing about these ingredients is that they can be used in multiple dishes so you can create a variety of recipes whether you are serving breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

How to Eat Healthy Fast Food

How does "healthy" and "fast food" go together? Many may think it is impossible to find something healthy at a fast food restaurant, but that is not exactly true. As long as you do a little research before ordering anywhere, you can discover just how much healthy fast food there is.

It is important to pay attention not just to calorie-count, but also to how much salt and sugar is used. You may have to skip out on some ingredients (e.g. no cheese or mayonnaise) to help give the food a healthier take. Another good idea is to curb the soda and opt for water instead. It's not only cheaper, but better for you.

Why is it important that people can find healthy fast food? Well, no matter anyone's feeling on fast food, these types of restaurants are incredibly popular. They live up to their name by offering fast service, and in many cases, people are looking for a quick bite to eat that they don't have to cook or spend a lot of money on.

Fast food seems to be popular in families with children. Whether you're looking to save on time by not having to cook every single night or just want to "reward" them with a treat, fast food for kids is practically a staple in the United States.

Even so, we all know how important it is for children to eat healthier. It contributes to their mood, school performance, and more. Discovering healthy fast food options for them is essential to ensuring that you aren't burning through your wallet but are still reducing the risk of non-nutritious foods.

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