10 More Healthy Foods Under $3
Our original top 10 list was so popular, Healthy Eats readers asked for more. Here are 10 more healthy foods that won’t break the bank.
Even my kids tout the benefits of carrots, “They give you healthy eyes, mom” they always tell me. But beta-carotene has more benefits than meets the eyes. It also helps promote healthy bones, skin and hair. Make carrot soup, add to a stir-fry, or slice into strips for an easy kids snack.
This perfect combo of protein, carbs and fat will help keep you satisfied. It’ll also give you a boost of calcium with 10% of your daily recommended dosage in every ½ cup serving. If you’ve been passing this underappreciated food in your dairy aisle, check out more reasons why we love it.
Buying in bulk or on sale will save even more on this popular protein. If you’re a tuna salad lover, don’t make the common mistake of drowning it in artery clogging fat! Instead, try our tips to lighten it up. Not sure which type of tuna is healthiest? Read up on how to choose the right canned variety.
This easy-to-tote snack is one of the most budget-friendly fruits around. But there’s so much more to do with these babies--- give any of these 31 healthy apple recipes a try.
Portion control is key with peanut butter. Use the recommended 2 tablespoon serving and you’ll get 13 servings out of each 15-ounce jar. That’s 17 cents per portion. For snacks, 1 tablespoon is recommended-- so you’ll get 26 servings (or 8.5 cents per portion). Talk about hitting the budget-friendly jackpot! There are so many ways to love it—here are our top 10. You can also check out how your favorite brand stacked up in our peanut butter taste test.
An 18-ounce container gives you 13 1/2-cup portions-- that's 20 cents per portion! Oats are brimming with energy-boosting B-vitamins like riboflavin, niacin and thiamin. They’re also high in soluble fiber, which have been shown to help lower cholesterol (just like you see on the commercials). But if you think oats are just for breakfast, think again! Check out these scrumptious, healthy oatmeal cookie recipes.
Munch on baby soy beans (a.k.a. edamame) instead of chips or other salty snacks. Each ½ cup serving contains 100 calories, 8 grams protein, 3 grams fat, and 9 percent of your daily dose of vitamin A, vitamin C and iron. Each 16 ounce bag has 3 servings—that’s $0.83 per portion.
When you can’t get your hands on fresh broccoli, frozen is the perfect alternative. Frozen varieties are good money savers since you can use small portions at a time, which makes them last longer. Cook frozen broccoli as a quick weekday side or add to a stir-fry, stew or pasta dish.
This nutty tasting whole grain is loaded with fiber, iron, selenium, and energy-boosting B-vitamins. Use in soup, sprinkle cooked pearled barley on top of a salad, or use in place of Arborio rice in a risotto.
This legume is packed with hunger-satisfying protein and soluble fiber (the kind that helps lower cholesterol). Cook up a lentil soup, toss in a stew, mix with rice, or bake up a batch of Alton’s Lentil Cookies.
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. See Toby's full bio »
