Inexpensive, Healthy Foods: How To Eat Well When Every Dollar Counts

When money is tight, figuring out what to eat can feel like an impossible puzzle. And it’s not always just about budgeting. It can also be about access, time, availability and making hard choices with limited resources.

Registered dietitian Elyse Rottinger, RD, LD, offers insight into healthy, lower-cost foods, plus tips to help you stretch your grocery budget (and your groceries) further.

Healthy options on a budget

When you’re trying to eat healthily with limited resources, the key isn’t perfection. It’s making the most of what’s available to you. Some of the best inexpensive foods are ones that:

• Last longer
• Offer multiple nutrients
• Work across many meals

Let’s take a look at the most reliable building blocks of healthy meals on a budget.

Produce

Fruit and vegetables are critical to a healthy diet, offering vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber and more. But fresh options aren’t always accessible or affordable.

“Fresh produce can take up the largest portion of your grocery bill. But buying frozen or canned produce can be just as nutritious,” Rottinger says. “It also helps extend shelf life and cut down on prep time.”

Here’s how to find the most nutritious versions:

• Canned fruit: Avoid items labeled with “heavy syrup,” which means an item is high in sugar. Instead, choose fruit that’s “in its own juice” or “in light syrup.”
• Frozen foods: Opt for plain frozen produce, without ingredients like sauce or butter. You can add these in moderation at home, if needed.
• Canned vegetables: Avoid high sodium content by looking for options marked “low-sodium” or “no salt added.” When in doubt, rinsing canned foods with water can also reduce the sodium.

If you’re buying fresh veggies, Rottinger recommends multipurpose options like:

• Carrots
• Onions
• Cabbage
• Potatoes
• Winter squash (butternut, acorn and spaghetti)

“These items last longer, can be used in many different recipes and are lower cost compared to other vegetables,” she notes.

Protein

Protein helps keep you full and supports your overall health. But expensive cuts of meat can send your grocery bill sky-high. Rottinger says these less-expensive options can help you get your fill of protein without spending nearly as much:

• Fish: Cans or packets of tuna and tinned fish, like sardines and anchovies, are more affordable than fresh fish. Look for versions packed in water or olive oil.
• Meat: Pork loin and tenderloin are both lean and versatile. They’re also less expensive than other cuts of meat.
• Poultry: Rotisserie chickens, frozen chicken breasts and lean ground turkey all tend to be on the less-expensive side.
• Eggs: Once a go-to source of cheap protein, the cost of eggs has risen over the years. But if you can find them for less, they’re a great option.

And meat isn’t the only way to get your fill of protein.

“Beans and lentils, both canned or dried, are low-cost per serving and offer protein, fiber, iron and other heart-healthy nutrients,” Rottinger says. “They’re a great addition to soups and salads, and they blend well to make dips like hummus.”

Other meatless protein options you may be able to find for less include:

• Frozen edamame
• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Natural peanut butter
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Tofu

Grains

Whole-grain foods are healthier than refined grain products and tend to last a while in the pantry. Look for:

• Oats
• Brown rice
• Bulgur
• Quinoa
• Whole-grain pasta

“They can be used in many different recipes, and they provide more fiber than products that are made with processed white flour,” Rottinger says.

More grocery tips on a budget

It’s not just about what you buy. These strategies can help you stretch your money further, starting with your trip to the grocery store and ending with what you do at home.

Plan your meals around discounts

Creating a weekly meal plan allows you to plan your meals around what’s on sale.

“Get into the habit of looking at the cost per ounce of food listed on the grocery shelf tags,” Rottinger encourages. “This way you can compare different products or quantities of food and select based on the cheaper option.”

She shares other tips to find the best discounts and deals:

• Sign up for store loyalty cards. “Many stores offer perks or rewards,” Rottinger points out. “Check out their weekly ads to plan your meals around foods on sale.”
• Download the app. Many chain markets offer a special, one-time coupon for a percentage off your total bill after signing up for their app. Turn to paper and digital coupons for ongoing discounts.
• Identify special deal days. Some stores have a day when weekly deals overlap, meaning one set of deals ends as another set starts. If you shop on that day, you’ll access the most discounts.

Buy in bulk (and skip prepackaged options)

Convenience comes at an extra cost. Pre-portioned, packaged foods are almost always more expensive than buying in bulk.

“Larger packages of poultry, fish and meat are typically a lower cost per weight compared to smaller portions,” Rottinger says. So, skip pre-packaged options, and DIY at home instead: Slice pork loin into chops, cube a roast into chunks, etc.

The same is true of snacks. Individual packages of cereal, crackers and oatmeal are costly, so buy bulk oats or big boxes of cereal to portion out yourself.

Buying bulk can sometimes mean paying a higher upfront cost. But it can save you significant money in the long run.

Make friends with your freezer

Your freezer is a key tool in shopping smart on a budget and always having healthy foods at the ready. And in many cases, it goes hand-in-hand with buying in bulk.

“As soon as you get home from the store, divide food into smaller servings that fit your needs,” Rottinger advises. “Freeze in individual containers to thaw and use as needed.”

She shares tips for different categories of foods:

• Meats: Buy larger packs of meat on sale, then divide them up and freeze what you won’t use right away.
• Produce: Wash, cut and freeze produce to throw in smoothies, soups and stir-fries later. “This is especially helpful for foods that brown as soon as they’re cut, like bananas and avocados,” Rottinger says.
• Breads: Did you know that bread products freeze well? They’re versatile, too. Use them in sandwiches, stuffing and recipes that call for breadcrumbs.

Look for in-season produce

Produce is usually cheapest during the season it’s grown. So, buy nutrient-rich options like berries and leafy greens in summer and freeze them for fall.

“If produce ripens before you can eat it, that’s when your freezer comes in handy,” Rottinger says. “Some simple canning recipes are also a good way to use fruit that’s starting to get soft.”

Berries about to go bad? A homemade berry chia seed jam, for example, extends the lifespan of produce and can be made with less added sugar than store-bought.

Repurpose foods

You don’t have to eat the same meal three days in a row! Get creative with ingredients and leftovers by using the same foods in different meals. For example:

• Top baked potatoes with leftover chili.
• Turn leftover roasted chicken into chicken salad or tacos.
• Use black beans in soup one night and quesadillas the next.
• Cook last night’s veggie side into a quiche or frittata.

Shop someplace different, if you can

You may not have many grocery-shopping options, depending on where you live, what transportation is available and a variety of other factors. But if possible, consider:

• Food outlet stores: Discount retailers sell groceries at discounted prices. And at day-old bakeries, prices are often reduced 50% from regular prices.
• Dollar stores: Many sell options like canned tuna and chicken, coffee and tea, spices, vegetable oil, and even eggs and cheese.
• Farmers markets: Toward the end of the day, some vendors sell their inventory for less so they don’t have to pack it up or let it go to waste.

Turning them into family meals

When you’re planning meals, try to hit all the major food groups. Here are some low-cost, nutritious meal ideas to help get you started:

• Pasta and salad: Combine whole-grain pasta with homemade marinara or jarred sauce that’s low in sodium and sugar. Pair it with a fresh salad in oil and vinegar.
• Chicken with sides: Bake or grill chicken breasts and serve over brown rice and veggies. “Season with spices or herbs, which provide anti-inflammatory benefits while being low in calories,” Rottinger suggests.
• Chicken stir fry: Cook sliced chicken breasts with frozen veggies, like broccoli, carrots and onions, in a bit of oil. Add low-sodium soy sauce for an umami kick.
• Vegetarian chili: Make a big batch of chili with beans instead of meat. One cup of cooked beans has around 16 grams of protein and more than half the daily recommended fiber intake.

Where to turn for help

Sometimes, you can’t make ends meet, no matter how hard you try. Food insecurity means not knowing whether you can consistently access the healthy foods your body needs. And it affects an estimated 18.3 million households in the U.S.

Local food banks and food pantries are there to help — and that can help free you up to spend your money on bills, transportation and other necessities.

“Sometimes, people are hesitant to visit food banks because they feel that others need it more than they do,” Rottinger acknowledges. “But these resources exist to fill gaps for anyone in the community, not just those in need of help the most.”

Need some help figuring out what’s available to you? In the U.S., reach out to resources like Feeding America or 211, or talk to a local dietitian, to understand which options make the most sense for you.