Sound Nutrition on a Budget

Key Summary - Top Choices (based upon cost & nutrition):

Canned v frozen v fresh: Taste: fresh>frozen>canned. Canned food loses most of the water-soluble vitamins. Other nutrients (including fiber) fresh, frozen, canned are similar. Canned can have added fat, sugar, salt (read the label) in general rinse canned foods if possible.

Starches generally have a high glycemic index (GI). This is unfortunate since high starch foods are some of the least expensive choices. But you can do three things to reduce the GI: 1) microwave rather than bake potatoes; 2) refrigerate at least overnight for potatoes, rice and pasta; 3) eat with, or after, high fiber or high protein foods.

Vitamin/mineral supplement: Centrum silver (age 50+) less than $0.09/day

Oil Canola: $1.90/lb; (This is the healthiest of the seed oils: higher in Omega 3, Mayo clinic canola oil is it safe - Search Fast facts on fats & heart health - Mayo Clinic Health System. Olive (extra virgin) good but $7.00/lb

Dairy: 1% or 2% milk $0.60/lb ($2.40/half gallon); Low fat yogurt $1.40/lb (no sugar added). Low fat cottage cheese $1.90/lb

Fruits & Berries: Bananas $0.60/lb; (less ripe, green tips, a lower glycemic index); Grapefruit $1.20/lb; Oranges $1.25/lb; Apples $1.60/lb: Avocados $1.60/lb (30% is pit, $2.30/lb edible, a great food)

Vegetables: A long list see below

Grains: long Gr Brown rice 6x fiber v white (= $0.35/lb cooked); Barley (pearl raw) ($0.65/lb cooked) (gluten); Quinoa ($1.20/lb cooked); Steel cut oats (Lowest GI)($1.70/lb cooked)

Nuts and Seeds: Peanut butter $2.00/lb (nothing added grind your own if possible); Sunflower seeds $2.60/lb (shelled); Flax seed $3.60/lb; Almonds (shelled roasted $7.50/lb)

Legumes: Dry Beans $0.40/lb cooked; Lentils ($0.80/lb cooked) Canned green beans: $0.70/lb

Pasta: Whole grain fewer calories and 3x fiber v white. ($0.80 lb/ cooked)

Flesh: Chicken breast uncooked $2.50/lb; Boneless Pork Loin $2.20/lb; Canned Tuna: $3.00/lb (white or albacore, decent Omega 3, lower mercury). Salmon frozen $5.25/lb Try to eat more plant-based foods and use animal flesh for flavor.

Details

Below I have created the much longer list of food choices and the prices per pound for each.  In some instances, creating this list required some additional research since many foods are not sold on a per-pound basis, but I thought it important to create the apples-to-apples comparison (pun intended).  I continue to use this list myself.

Oils:  

Canola $1.90/lb; (This is the healthiest of the seed oils: higher in Omega 3, Mayo clinic canola oil is it safe - SearchFast facts on fats & heart health - Mayo Clinic Health System Olive Oil $7.00/lb extra virgin; Avocado Oil $7.70/lb

Flax Seed Oil $12.00/lb (high in Omega 3) Chia Seed Oil $30.00/lb

Dairy:

milk $0.60/lb ($2.40/half gallon); yogurt $1.40/lb (no sugar added); cottage cheese $1.90/lb Cheese $3.60/lb (white about 10% fewer calories). Try to use only small amounts of cheese for flavor.

Fruits & Berries: 

Watermelon $0.40/lb Cantaloup $0.60/lb (antioxidants, high water content, but lower fiber and higher glycemic index than other fruits)

Bananas $0.60/lb (less ripe, green tips, a lower glycemic index)

Grapefruit $1.20/lb; Oranges $1.25/lb Apples $1.60/lb

Avocados $1.60/lb (30% is pit, $2.30/lb edible)

Lemons $2.00/lb; Peaches canned $2.00+/lb; Pears raw, $2.10/lb

Blueberries $4.50/lb; Strawberries $5.00/lb; Raspberries $8.00/lb

Vegetables 

Potatoes $0.50/lb raw; Sweet potatoes:  $0.80 raw

Microwaving (rather than baking) reduces glycemic index (because it is exposed to heating for a shorter period).  You're Doubling The Glycemic Index Of A Sweet Potato When You Bake It | HuffPost Life (waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold and red potatoes are better for microwaving)

Cooling:  Cooking, then cooling (fridge) can cause retrogradation of carbs.  Some carbs can convert to “resistant starch” Cooling Some Foods After Cooking Increases Their Resistant Starch much of which may not even be digested, but used as fuel for good bacteria in your large intestine.  Cooling potatoes will reduce their glycemic index by as much as 40%.  Also helpful adding vinegar, lemon or brocoli, Glycemic Index of Potatoes: Why You Should Chill and Reheat Them

Cabbage $0.85/lb; Onions $0.90/lb; Tomatoes $0.90 lb; 

Carrots:  $1.00/lb raw frozen prepped with other veggies ($1.50/lb)

Corn (canned) $1.00/lb (beware of added salt & sugar) 

Cauliflower as low as $1.0/lb (but includes stems)

Cabbage (red) $1.20/lb; Corn Frozen ($1.40); 

Canned mixed vegetables $1.60/lb; frozen mixed vegetables $1.80/lb

Canned pumpkin $1.60/lb Cucumbers $1.75/lb; Lettuce (iceberg) $1.75/lb

Broccoli $2.00/lb (but stems); Celery $2.40/lb; Green peppers $2.75/lb

Tofu (soy-based) varies widely, but can be as low as $2.30/lb Edamame (soy beans) $2.60/lb; Lettuce (Romain) $3.00/lb; Brussel sprouts $3.00/lb

Spinach $3.00/lb; Asparagus, $3.30/lb 

Grains

Rice:  white or Brown $0.80/lb dry.  Each 1 oz turns into 2.25 oz cooked.  Brown healthier: 6x fiber.  (= $0.35/lb cooked) Cooling after cooking can reduce glycemic index (even if reheated) 

Barley (pearl raw) $1.70/lb ($0.65/lb cooked) (gluten)

Bulger Wheat (raw) $2.70/lb ($1.10/lb cooked) (gluten)

Quinoa (white, raw) $3.50/lb ($1.20/lb when cooked)

Farro (raw) $3.50/lb ($1.30/lb when cooked) (gluten)

Steel cut oats (the lowest glycemic index) $3.60/lb ($1.70/lb when cooked)

Katmut (raw) $3.70/lb ($1.75/lb when cooked) (gluten)

Whole grain bread $2.00/lb (medium GI, avoid white bread high GI)

Avoid Cornmeal (high GI)

Nuts and Seeds: Peanut butter $2.00/lb 

Dry roasted peanuts $2.60/lb  ($1.70/lb in shell)

Sunflower seeds $2.60/lb (shelled); *Flax seed $3.60/lb

Cashews $5.50/lb; *Chia Seeds $6.00/lb

Almonds (shelled roasted $7.50/lb); Walnuts $11.00/lb

*Legumes: (High fiber, high protein, great food)

Dry Beans: 1 oz dry turns into 2.5 to 3 oz cooked

$1.00/lb (= $0.40/lb cooked)

Lentils $2.00/lb ($0.80/lb cooked)

Canned beans ($1.00/lb)

Canned green beans: $0.70/lb

Pasta: White1oz dry = 1.5 to 2 oz cooked. white ($1.00/lb dry, $0.60 lb/cooked)); Whole grain slightly fewer calories and 3x fiber.   $1.70/lb dry whole grain (cooked 1 oz becomes 2 oz or more) ($0.80 lb/ cooked).  COOLING A 2009 study found that resistant starch increased from 41% to 88% when wheat was heated and cooled.

Meat:Chicken/turkey/duck: 45% of raw total weight will be cooked edible meat. Eggs $1.40/lb; Frozen whole turkey $0.85/lb, ($1.90 edible) (breast 4.30/lb); Chicken: whole raw $1.40/lb ($3.10 edible); uncooked breast $2.50/lb; Boneless Pork Loin $2.20/lb; Ground Beef lean $7.00/lb

Steak, cheapest cut $11.00/lb

Seafood:  *Canned Tuna: $3.00/lb (“light”, decent Omega 3, lower mercury)

Tilapia frozen $4.50/lb; Canned Sardines $4.80 (good omega 3)

Crayfish frozen whole: $5.25/lb; *Salmon frozen $5.25/lb (good omega 3)

Flounder frozen $6.00/lb; Frozen tuna steak $7:00/lb (good omega 3)

Frozen catfish fillets $8.00/lb; Tail-off deveined shrimp frozen $8.00/lb

Cod frozen $8.50/lb

Spices. 

Spices are critical for making some healthy foods more palatable and creating variety.  There are many spices that are not very expensive since you don’t need much of the spice.  Keep trying different spices to find the food-spice cominations that you like. (For longer life, store in a freezer).    Here I show prices per ounce: 

  • Onion Powder $0.30/oz;

  • Paprika $0.50/oz;

  • Cinnamon $0.60/oz; 

  • Cumin $0.70/oz;

  • Tumeric ground $0.70/oz;

  • Chili Powder $0.90/oz; 

  • Curry Powder $1.00/oz;

  • Garlic Powder $1.00/oz;

  • Black Pepper $1.20/oz; 

  • dried Basil $1.30/oz;

  • Pumpkin spice $1:30/oz;

  • dry ground Ginger $1.60/oz; 

  • ground mustard seed $1.60/oz;

  • ground Cayenne Pepper $1.70/oz; 

  • Sage $1.70/oz;

  • Nutmeg $1.70/oz;

  • ground Oregano $1.80/oz; 

  • ground Bay Leaves $2.00/oz;

  • Cloves $2.50/oz;

  • ground Coriander $2.75/oz; 

  • Thyme $2.80/oz;

  • Rosemay $3.20/oz;