The Environmental Working Group has a Good Food on a Tight Budget guide. The EWG analyzed over 1,000 foods and screened them for nutrition and cost. Foods that scored high marks were then further screened for pesticides, packaging chemicals and how much they were processed. The guide is a reminder that a healthy diet can be affordable when you focus on whole, unprocessed foods.
Fruit
These fruits are packed with vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium to help your body support a healthy immune system and healthy heart: bananas, prunes, raisins, and orange juice.
Vegetables
The EWG reminds us that 7 out of 10 Americans don’t meet the daily recommended vegetable intake, which is at least five servings per day. Eating vegetables from a spectrum of colors helps you get a variety of nutrients important for your health.
- Dark Green: Broccoli, collards, romaine lettuce, mustard greens and parsley.
- Red/Orange: Pumpkin, carrots and tomato juice
- Starch: Potatoes
Grains
Think beyond bread and other more processed grains, such as pasta, for this category. Opt for whole grains when you can.
- Breakfast Cereal: Puffed corn and toasted oat cereal
- Rice & Other Grains: Barley
Protein
This list is a good reminder that there are many healthy options out there.
- Seafood: Perch, tuna, squid, whiting or silver hake.
- Beans & Eggs: Black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, lentils, pinto and red kidney beans and eggs.
- Nuts & Seeds: Hazelnuts, peanuts (roasted and unsalted), sunflower seeds and walnuts
- Meat: Turkey
Dairy
Several dairy foods are packed with calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and protein, making them a great well-rounded food when you are on a budget.
- Milk: Dry milk is the most cost-efficient compared to regular (fluid) milk
- Cheese: Cottage cheese, queso fresco and ricotta
- Yogurt: Nonfat plain yogurt
Healthy Fats & Oils
- Canola, corn and soybean oil
