Site Lists Top 20 Healthy Foods Under $1 Per Serving

[OhioChick]

8:37 pm EST January 22, 2009

We're all looking to save money at the grocery store, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice quality.

The Web site DivineCaroline.com put together a list of the 20 healthiest foods for less than $1 a serving.

The choices include oats, eggs, apples, broccoli, wild rice, spinach and coffee.

Nutritionist Suzanne Farrell said that the keys to incorporating many of these low-cost foods into your diet is being aware and planning ahead.

Most nutritionists will tell you that shopping the peripheries of the store and avoiding expensive, pre-packaged foods is your first line of defense against high prices.

Here is the list of top 20 healthiest food under $1 a serving:

Oats
Eggs
Kale
Potatoes
Apples
Nuts
Bananas
Garbanzo Beans
Broccoli
Watermelon
Wild Rice
Beets
Butternut Squash
Sardines
Spinach
Tofu
Whole Grain Pasta
Milk
Pumpkin Seeds
Coffee


http://www.newsnet5.com/health/18544139/detail.html

[elleng]

1. Thanks

Oatmeal it is!

[Merlot]

2. Ewwww...kale. Has anyone ever found a what to make it taste good?

[jtrockville]

Garlic, olive oil, and a pinch of nutmeg.

[marions ghost]

56. yep olive oil

really helps the kale go down...

[kwyjibo]

91. It's delicious with garlic, olive oil, and soy sauce too.

I use Bragg's Aminos instead of soy sauce, but use what you can get. This is a great way to cook any kind of leafy green vegetable.

[Stellabella]

9. Heh ... bacon.

Sorry to be snarky, but that's the only thing I know that helps kale's bitterness. Also cooking the heck out of it, and lots of garlic.

[appal_jack]

10. YES!

If the kale is one of the varieties with really thick center ribs, then cut them out, and chop the rest of the leaves into bite size pieces (Toscana Kale has small enough ribs that I don't remove them...) Saute the fresh kale in olive oil until just tender and bright green. Turn off the heat and then add fresh chopped garlic (garlic's healthy properties are best when barely cooked or raw: plus you have to use less to get the same taste). Stir, cover & let sit for ~2 minutes. Serve yourself a big heap of the green, garlicky goodness, then top with salt or parmesan cheese, plus hot pepper or balsamic vinegar depending on your mood.

YUM. :9

-app

Edit to add that a good parmesan cheese might top the cost of a serving over $1, but it's so worth it.

[Merlot]

20. ok, that sounds...kinda good, especially with the Parmesan

It's hard to work up enthusiasm for kale though I may give this a try.

Thanks to all who made suggestions. Even the suggestion to eat something else!

[texastoast]

11. Cook it slowly

with a little water, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. And use young leaves. Grows easily and great down here in the winter.

[mt13]

12. actually...

steam it and add it to your buttermilk mashed potatoes! yummy.

[ZombieHorde]

13. The yummiest thing you can do with kale is...

throw it away and eat something else.

[Tsiyu]

51. That was funny

I have one son who hates vegetables but he will eat kale. :shrug:

Now the storebought kind is not the best. But tender young kale tastes like leaf lettuce. I've still got a five foot row of it growing away through the winter.

It gets a bad rap but it really is good stuff. :D

[Dorian Gray]

53. LOL

I like Kale, but it is pretty bitter.

Swiss Chard is less bitter, but similar health properties. Give that a try if you want leafy greens.

[pipi_k]

86. I have another idea as well...

send it to me!

My two geese love it

:)

[w8liftinglady]

18. Olive Garden Zuppa Tuscana

I will add that I have altered this many ways to accomodate what I had in the pantry-canned choped potatoes,spinach,

Category: Soup recipes

Servings: 12
Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: Medium

Cookbook | Recipe Index | Soup

Zuppa Toscana is a soup available at The Olive Garden restaurant.

Ingredients

* 1 lb. Spicy Italian Sausage - Crumbled
* 1/2 lb. Smoked Bacon - Chopped (One can also use precooked bacon bits for this)
* 1 qt. Water
* (2) 14.5 Oz. Cans Chicken Broth
* (2) lg. Russet Potatoes - Cubed
* 2 Garlic Cloves - Crushed
* 1 med. Onion - Chopped
* 2 cups Chopped Kale or Swiss Chard
* 1 cup Heavy Whipped Cream
* Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it. Drain and set aside.
2. In skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon. Drain and set aside.
3. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion into a pot. Simmer over high heat until potatoes are tender.
4. Add sausage and bacon to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add kale/chard and cream to the pot. Seasons with salt and pepper; heat through.

Bon appétit!

Notes, tips, and variations

Potatoes can be substituted with cauliflower for a low carbohydrate version of this soup. I also used 1/2 mild 1/2 spicy turkey sausage instead of pork sausage. Sometimes, fennel is used.

[OhioChick]

93. Thanks....Going to print that out...

One of my favs. :)

[GaYellowDawg]

98. Healthy?

No offense, but anything with a cup of heavy whipping cream, bacon, and sausage may be absolutely delicious, but healthy... probably not so much.

[alittlelark]

25. Place shredded kale in 130 degree +/- water for 30 minutes

drain. Saute 5 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 onion (minced) in 2 T sesame seed oil - cool to room temp. Add drained kale and 1 T Braggs Amino Acids or Soy sauce.

To make it even more healthy and yummy add 1/4 c Arame seaweed that has been soaked for 20 or so minutes and drained.

[fortyfeetunder]

32. The cheap way - soy sauce, garlic, ginger

I could eat that all day.

[Greyhound]

38. A good vinegar, depending on your tastes. I like a strong balsamic. n/t

[garybeck]

41. kale is AWESOME just do this

sautee it with some garlic, vegetable oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce

I could eat an entire head of it myself!

[grace0418]

42. Kale is freaking delicious! We eat it almost every night. Mostly just steamed or sauteed

with a little broth, garlic, salt and a dash of olive oil at the end. But it's also fantastic in soup, stew and pasta sauce. I find it to be much less bitter than the other greens like collard and mustard greens.

[shintao]

44. Try Radish leaf soup

I love radishs, and always busy cleaning the sand off and discarding the leafs. So I checked around and you can use the leafs for soup. I take a Top Ramen soup & add the leaves right at the end. Pretty good. And cleaning and cutting the leafs off is something you want to do as soon as you get home, cuz they don't hold up well in the refer.

[rucky]

50. Try it in salad with a 2:1 lettuce to kale mix.

Except for a little extra crunch, you'll never know it's there.

[Dorian Gray]

52. I love kale

and cook it with olive oil and garlic and a pinch of salt. If it still is too bitter for you, a drop or two of balsamic vinegar might do the trick, too.

[Matariki]

61. mmmm....kale. sauted in onions, olive oil and lemon juice.

[NobleCynic]

62. Cook with bacon and fish sauce

Fry the bacon first so it comes out crispy, then splash a small amount of fish sauce with the kale.

Or fry quickly with garlic and olive oil.

[Canuckistanian]

77. Balsamic vinegar

It's good on spinach, too.

[Liberal_in_LA]

83. I went 'ewwww' also when I saw Kale on the list. The taste is too strong for me.

[peacetalksforall]

87. They are fantastic in soups. One I make has celery, carrots, leek to start, then

potatoes and little boiler onions, organic broth and water, some simple seasonings, plus thyme. Kale goes in last as it cooks down fast. Make with chicken or whatever protein thing you like.

The boiler onions would put the budget a little over, but I love the taste - there is a slight sweet taste to them for contrast.

Your tongue may not like kale, but your body will love it. My entire body loves it. I think the taste is great.

[Liberal_in_LA]

88. 'your tongue may not like kale'. lol. True.

Thanks for the recipe.

[roody]

94. Steam it lightly.

Season with toasted sesame oil.

[Synicus Maximus]

97. Just treat it like you would any other greens

a long slow cooking with a nice piece of fatback

[mckara]

3. And I Love All of These Foods, Except Sardines!

But I eat them anyway, sometimes.

[OhioChick]

14. Same here.....

But I don't eat them, anyway. :D

[riverdeep]

76. Sardines are great.

Buy ones in olive oil or water. Eat with vegetable juice (V-8 family), or a good strong beer. The classic way is on a full-flavored cracker, or in a salad like anchovies, but I eat them straight. They're low on the seafood food chain, so they don't have many contaminants and they aren't being currently overharvested. They have protein, calcium and the good essential fatty acids that most people just don't get enough of.

[onehandle]

4. One of my favorite healthy lunches costs me around a buck or so.

Steamed shelled edamame, jasmine rice mixed with a spoonful of miso paste, and a couple of slivers of sardines.

Warm it in the microwave at work.

Simple. Tasty. Cheap.

[Art_from_Ark]

16. Sounds like you've spent some time in Japan

Have you ever tried natto? A lot of non-Japanese say it smells funny, but I don't notice it at all.

[onehandle]

48. Sadly, no we haven't been there. Yet.

Hopefully down the road.

Yes, I've had natto. Mostly in sushi joints. I do like it. I describe it to people as being "stinky cheese" like.

[Retrograde]

90. yes, and once you get past

the appearance and texture (it looks like something the cat threw up) and the somewhat fermented smell, I found it didn't have much actual taste. But now that I've tried it I never have to do it again. (This was natto sushi, in Japan)

[City of Mills]

78. You microwave sardines at work?!?!?

You wouldn't happen to be in the cubicle next to me, would you?

[patrice]

5. Great! Except for whole grain pasta, which just doesn't have the right texture. nt

[Why Syzygy]

6. kewl.. thanks.. nt

[texastoast]

7. Well, those goofs

left off black-eyed peas.

1 cup serving
Calcium 211mg
Folate 209mcg
Vitamin A 1,305 IU
Protein 20.0g
Dietary Fiber 10.0g
Iron 40%DV

And a pound of dried ones is about a dollar.

[Fireweed247]

21. They have no beans at all!

crazy. They might have left off the obscure foods like kale, sardines and beets...

I don't know when Coffee became a food but I'll take it! :donut:

[Fireweed247]

23. okay they have bonzos

:think:

[SoCalDem]

8. $1 a serving is a problem though

If you are Mom trying to feed a couple of hungry teens, $ 1 serving can be daunting, when compared to an 89cent pkg of cheapo hotdogs, a $2 bag of chips & a 99cent box of mac n cheese provides more than ONE meal....

If you are a single adult it's one thing, but if you are feeding kids, it's another thing..

[Hannah Bell]

74. i don't think it's a great list for that reason either. e.g. apples, unless bought in big bags

or on sale, ain't cheap these days. serving = 1, & one's nearly $1 for anything not tasting like mush or cardboard.

list should be under $1 for 4 servings or something similar.

[Liberal_in_LA]

84. and a growing teen is going to want more than one serving.

[etherealtruth]

89. A growing teen eats twice their weight in food/daily

:D

[my2sense]

15. thanks

[luvspeas]

17. I went shopping today and here's what this stuff cost....

Oats - Ok, I agree with this one
Eggs - regular ones have no taste. Organics are 3.50 a dozen
Kale - at least 2.00 a bunch
Potatoes - cheap, but how nutritious?
Apples - on sale, at least 1.29
Nuts - they are all expensive and loaded with fat
Bananas - going up
Garbanzo Beans - this one is true.
Broccoli - 1.99 lb.
Watermelon - 4.00 each
Wild Rice - really expensive. 4.99 for a little bag.
Beets - ????
Butternut Squash - yum
Sardines - packed in oil and salt?
Spinach - yum
Tofu - 1.99 today
Whole Grain Pasta - 2.49 a box
Milk - regular is tasteless. organic 3.00 a gallon
Pumpkin Seeds - fat, salt grease.
Coffee - a bargain at 5.00 a lb. today-regular 9.99

also a little commentary thrown in. I would not call most of this stuff cheap. some of it I don't think is all that good for you either (coffee? - not bad for you, but not considered healthy).

[Merlot]

22. Nuts are expensive, and the prices are going up

But they have "good" fats, not bad fats if you eat them raw or dry roasted. If you're like me and don't eat meat, nuts are an important part of the diet. Plus I love them!

[tridim]

39. They're still cheap at Costco

I eat Almonds every day at way less than $1.00 per serving.

[dixiegrrrrl]

24. Beets...canned....open,drain, sprinkle with wne vinegar, bit of salt, eat.

Even off brand sliced beets are fine. I eat them at least 4x week in salads.
Most cans cost 50/60 cents, 3 servings a can, unless you like them as much as I do, then 2 servings a can.

Kale....have to eat it while young and tender, then stir fry is great.

bigger kale: chickens love it.

[elleng]

47. Turtles too!

Fed it to our box turtle almost every day.

[vanlassie]

29. But remember they are talking "a serving."

I have no idea why coffee is on there, tho.....

[Luminous Animal]

31. They are talking about $1 per serving.

Which does not mean $1 per meal. Using the above ingredients (personally, I could add basmati rice, a variety of other beans, and quite a few vegetables), I could concoct about a dozen different meals for about 5 bucks for two. Depending on the nutritional value a serving size is generally no more than 1/2 cup per item. Nuts usually fall within in the quarter cup or less range.

[BR_Parkway]

49. So at $5 per meal for 2, that's $450 per month if all meals were eaten at

home. At current minimum wage, 40 hours per week - that's still going to amount to 40% of his/her Gross pay just for food - closer to 50% by the time they have any taxes taken out.

And some folks will say that they just need to work harder - like they're not doing the shitiest labor for those wages generally already.

[emilyg]

35. Nuts are good for your heart. As far as sardines

buy water packed.

[Vilis Veritas]

67. One serving is quite small...

Most of the prices quoted are for multiple servings...

Also, I agree that coffee is not that beneficial (personally, I prefer green tea).

V V

[Yes We Did]

69. Not all nuts are loaded with fat.

Almonds are great for you.

One thing missing though are mushrooms. They are very very good for you and very cheap; especially the white ones. Tons of antioxidetns that fight colon, breast, prostate and other cancers, not to mention vitamin D.

[jmowreader]

79. Where are you getting organic milk for $3 per gallon?

In Fayettenam it's closer to $5/gallon.

I note that your prices are for the whole item. Who eats a whole watermelon at one sitting? Organic eggs are $3.50/dozen; there are six servings in a dozen. And on and on.

And what's the question mark next to beets for? (Okay, four of them.) Go to the store, get a beet from the produce section and bake it at 425 degrees for 75 minutes. Then eat it like it was a baked potato.

[gemlake]

19. Spinach is expensive where I shop.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

54. If you intend to cook the spinach, frozen spinach is one of the best buys in the grocery store.

It's about $1 for a 10 oz box.

[TommyO]

59. Even better 89 cents for a 20 oz bag at Wegmans!

I always have some in the freezer.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

81. No Wegmans where I live. :(

[TommyO]

92. I'm so sorry for you

A full two thirds of their stores are in The Empire State, but clustered in the western part of the state, with nothing east of Binghamton it appears.

[DemBones DemBones]

66. Frozen spinach is great to add to soups.

I wouldn't use fresh spinach in soups when frozen just needs a zap in the microwave to thaw it before adding to soup.

Frozen spinach works well for Tuscan style spinach, sauteed with olive oil and garlic. Yum.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

80. I make it with garlic and olive oil too! I also like to make creamed spinach with it. Yummy

yum yum!

[Art_from_Ark]

26. Coffee is a "healthy" food?

Somehow, I have my doubts about that.

[Bonn1997]

46. Same reaction here. I thought that was added as a joke...

Besides the fact that whether caffeine is good or bad for you is debated, coffee isn't even a FOOD anyway!

[Yes We Did]

70. 3-6 cups a day is very good for you.

It can lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and colon cancer. Also can be used to treat headaches and lower risk of cavities.

http://men.webmd.com/features/coffee-new-health-food

[riverdeep]

82. This is why no one listens to doctors anymore.

The things that were bad for you yesterday, are good for you tomorrow and vice versa.

A review of 13 studies found that people who drank caffeinated coffee, but not decaf, had a 30 percent lower risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Another review found that compared with noncoffee drinkers, people who drank four to six cups of coffee a day, with or without caffeine, had a 28 percent lower risk of Type 2 diabetes.

("Sorting Out Coffee’s Contradictions")
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/health/05brod.html?_r=2&em&oref=slogin

I hate coffee. I've always hated coffee and don't drink it. I prefer tea. So this isn't me justifying my drug. But if the science is there, it's there. Although I'm still a little suspicious if they didn't sort things out carefully enough. Do coffee drinkers have other qualities that make them resistant to Parkinson's for example? Like higher education or wealth? Two factors known for improving Parkinson rates.

Now, you probably don't want to hear that dark chocolate is also a health food (in moderation), so I'll leave that for another time.

[Liberal_in_LA]

85. Same with alcohol. All alcohol was considered bad. Now they equate red wine with a health drink!

[DainBramaged]

27. Oatmeal and bananas for breakfast, rice with mixed frozen veggies for dinner

Add a little pasta sauce and you have a cheap meal. And not bad for dieting either.

[Luminous Animal]

28. What's with the beets skepticism?

Fresh beets are delicious... broiled, roasted, sautéed... They are sweet and earthy, take well to a variety of seasonings, and combine well with other vegetables.

[tuvor]

33. Boil 'em, then grate them and mix with sour cream.

Season with pepper.

Delicious.

[Hissyspit]

34. Australians put them on their hamburgers. They're served that way at fast food restaurants.

I'm sorry. I tried, but I had to take it off to finish my hamburger. Your recipe sounds really good, though.

[marions ghost]

55. ha ha yes, I remember "beetroot"

on everything when I lived in Australia. Also peas (round green) on sandwiches. The Aussies also eat untold amounts of delicious Pumpkin Soup in winter.

They're not as bad as Americans in junk food consumption (not nearly). But their downfall is large amounts of meat and deluxe dairy products.

[Hissyspit]

68. I did indeed eat Pumpkin Soup while there.

But that was fine because it is delicious. Also musk-flavored Life Savers.

[roody]

95. I hated beets as a child; they fed us canned ones.

Now I love fresh, steamed or baked beets.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

30. Shop the pricey periphery that retailers call the Racetrack? no thanks

Beans, grains and pasta are center store at every supermarket I'm familiar with. The periphery is loaded with deli, bakery and store-prepared meals, as well as endcaps and freestanding displays filled with impulse items.

Here's the only way I know to check out of a grocery with cheap healthy food:
- Study the specials online and plan your meals around them
- Take a list and stick to it
- Bring a calculator
- Don't buy anything you have the time and ability to make yourself. Sometimes it's no cheaper to make things from scratch, but you still have more control over sugar, sodium and fat content, and fewer preservatives and additives too.

[SmileyRose]

36. My house has to come in at about $2 per meal per person.

My budget is $50 a week and has to include all cleaning supplies, toiletries, papergoods, OTC meds, pet supplies blah blah blah.

$2 a meal is even a stretch.

[Yes We Did]

71. OMG. I couldn't imagine.

You must not eat a lot of fresh produce then. Lots of coupons?

We spend at least 2-3 times that. Although, we eat lots of fresh produce; almost no processed foods.

[SmileyRose]

75. I garden - out of financial necessity but

would anyway since I was raised that way and it's in my blood. I have lawn in the front of my house only because that's what's expected here but the back and both little sides of my not quite 1/4 acre lot are garden. We put down brick paths, raised beds and a patio area. If we sell the house I can put in bushes and bedding plants and someone will delight over the "professional landscaping" in such an affordable house. If I did not garden we would struggle a lot more. Even a diet based on dried beans, pasta and oats wears thin after awhile.

[bertman]

37. Thanks OhioChick. Recommend.

[all.of.me]

40. Kale isn't cheap!

Last winter, a bunch of kale was 3.79, and you only got 5 small leaves! My kids gobble it up a couple nights a week, so I had to go back to growing it. I couldn't afford it at that price!

[NobleCynic]

63. Ouch, are you buying organic?

The non-organic kale out here is 88 cents a bunch, and they're huge.

[all.of.me]

65. Yup, but I grow it now.

I quit buying a lot of organic food and am growing as much as I can in my greenhouse.

[crazy homeless guy]

43. Actually, coffee has a ton of antioxidants.

To get the most from coffee, as far as cancer prevention, you need 4 to 6 cups a day. The jury is still out on caffeine though, it is the only bad part of the deal.

[Yes We Did]

72. see post 70

[shintao]

45. Cabbage not on the list!

Here is a diet recipe using cabbage. I add red chille powder to most of my soups.

Basic Fat Burning Soup (Dolly Parton Soup)

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Vegetarian Low Fat
Soups

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6-3 large Onions
2-1 Green peppers
2-1 Whole tomatoes
1-1/2 large Cabbage
1-1/2 bn Celery
Seasoning packet (any type -- dry soup you prefer--
should choose -- a vegetable-based

Cut vegetables in medium pieces and boil, covered with water, for 10 minutes.
Turn heat low and simmer until vegetables are soft.

This soup can be eaten any time you feel hungry. Eat as much as you wish and as
often as you like, any time of the day. The soup will not add calories.
To be used as a supplement with the Dolly Parton/Fat Burning Diet program
. If eaten alone for indefinite periods, one might suffer from malnutrition.

Variation: Strain out the vegies and puree them in the blender, returning
them to the liquid, for a creamy version.

[surrealAmerican]

60. That surprised me, too.

Around here it's usually the cheapest green vegetable you can buy. It can be had for less than half the price (per pound) of kale or broccoli.

[marions ghost]

57. describes my primary diet to a T

except I don't do coffee, tofu, & beets. Also not much milk. But add some fish and chicken off and on --and raisins & berries, and this is it. (Beef is expensive and a rarity (only in chili sometimes).

Oh yeah and why are beans NOT on the list?--Absolutely one of the best low-cost foods. :shrug:

[yellowwood]

58. What to Eat and What to Avoid

Any kind of dried beans are cheap and nutritious. Make your own yogurt; it's easy. Use smaller amounts of meat, or none. Dried barley, soaked and then cooked with onions and peppers is delicious. What's wrong with eggs?
Avoid all processed food. You don't know what's in it. Did you ever check the per pound price of packaged cereal? Use brown rice. Whole grain flour wherever possible.

[Yes We Did]

73. substitue half your meat for fresh white mushrooms.

Not only are you getting cancer fighting antioxidents and vitamin D, you lose weight because they almost calorie free. (4 calories per shroom)

And they're cheap.

[ensho]

64. tea gets left out in the cold? (green, black, white, blends)?

nt

[chiefofclarinet]

96. This list seems like utter nonsense to me

Wild rice and whole wheat pasta is quite expensive. As a college student, I like to get both. (Straight white or even brown rice tastes nasty to me, and regular pasta is almost inedible to me, unless drenched in cheese sauce a la Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.) I still buy it, though I pay through the nose.

I don't get where they get most of the vegetables and fruits on the list. Besides bananas and white potatoes, none of those fruits or vegetables are cheap, or if it is cheap, I don't like the taste (kale, beets, raw apples).

My grocery list is usually frozen vegetables, fruit juices, cereal, milk, and catching everything else on sale.