20 healthy foods that cost less than a buck

OK, tofu and broccoli are on Brie Cadman's list of "The 20 healthiest foods for under $1" at Divine Caroline. But so are eggs, whole grain pasta, bananas, potatoes and coffee. Are you on board now?

This excellent post puts a big dent in the contention that stretching your food dollars means you'll be eating more unhealthy or fattening food. She describes the nutritional value of each food and offers serving suggestions. Plus she provides links to wonderful recipes like easy breakfast potatoes and huevos rancheros.

• Bing: Healthy food on the cheap
  

One of our favorites on the list is garbanzo beans, aka chick peas. They're cheapest if you buy them dried, then soak and cook them. But a can at one of our local supermarkets costs about 89 cents. They're versatile and delicious, with a slighty nutty flavor. We add them to salads and soups. We've also mashed them slightly with mayonnaise, diced onion and some spices to make a spreadable salad that's great between two slices of crusty bread.

Brie said she recently found bananas for about 19 cents apiece at Trader Joe's. They're higher where we live, but still a bargain considering their potassium and fiber.

Back to that tofu: Give it a try. It's an inexpensive protein and you can make it taste really good. Brie's link is to citrus tofu cheesecake.

Brie makes an excellent case for affordable nutritious eating. (To read her entire list, click here.) She says, "Although that bag of 99-cent Cheetos may look like a bargain, knowing that you're not getting much in the way of nutrition or sustenance makes it seem less like a deal and more like a dupe."

Published July 12, 2008