How to Eat Well for Less

In a country where food-supply mainstays are corn syrup and white flour, American diets are cheap and plentiful. However, it's possible to eat healthier foods without paying high prices. When you choose to eat well for less, you save both calories and coins.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Beans
• Lentils
• Soy products
• Produce
• Bulk dry goods
• Skim milk

1. Use meat as a seasoning ingredient rather than as a main dish. Many cultures that eat meat sparingly have populations with lower rates of heart disease and stroke than the United States.

2. Get protein from beans, lentils and soy products instead of meat. You can enjoy a dish made with beans and rice for pennies, without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in meat.

3. Buy produce in season. Ask your grocer what's in season or look for in-store specials as a cue. Out-of-season produce is usually imported, which elevates the price.

4. Eat produce from the freezer section if you must buy fruits and vegetables out of season. Farmers pick produce at the peak of ripeness and then flash-freeze it, so it retains its nutrients and freshness.

5. Purchase dry goods in bulk quantities to lower the price. Manufacturers pass on the savings of no packaging to you when you buy 10 pounds of dried oats or beans instead of oatmeal packets and canned beans.

6. Drink skim milk instead of whole milk or two-percent milk. Fat provides nine calories per gram, and skim milk contains no fat. Furthermore, skim milk is the cheapest milk in the market.

7. Eliminate refined grains from your diet. Watch your waistline and your grocery bill shrink up to 25 percent when you stop buying crackers, snack cakes and other highly processed foods made with white flour.