Eating healthy is challenging when your budget is low, since many of fresh healthy ingredients are usually not as affordable. However, when you shift your gaze to the shelf, you will be able to find affordable ingredients for healthy meals. Here are five affordable ingredients that cost less than a dollar per serving.
1. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese contains ample amount of protein, with half a daily protein recommendation per one serving. Cottage cheese is also rich in calcium, securing bone health. When purchasing cottage cheese, 1% or 2% fat content products are more recommended than non-fat cottage cheese. When your daily sodium intake in relatively high, there are non-sodium products as an option.
2. Frozen Peas
Peas are rich in different kinds of vitamins, including K, C, A, and B complex, as well as folate and fibers. Fibers contained in peas are known to lower the cholesterol level and to prevent cancer. If you are not to cook immediately upon purchase, frozen products are always a good option.
3. Canned Salmon
Salmon is widely known as a healthy food with its rich content of Omega 3 and vitamin D. Omega 3 is especially helpful to prevent heart diseases and high blood pressure, and vitamin D promotes calcium intake. Natural salmon is recommended rather than farm raised as it is lower in calories, saturated fat, and mercury content.
4. Black Beans
Known to lower the cholesterol level, black beans also is one of the superb ingredients that prevent cardiovascular disease and lower the blood pressure. Black bean is also good for your diet as it increases satiety and thus reduces appetite. Canned black beans are easier to cook and cheaper. You can lower the sodium intake by washing the canned beans with water before cooking.
5. Canned Tomato
Lycopene in tomato is an antioxidants, which helps protect against cancer, as well as osteoporosis. When purchasing canned tomatoes, whole tomatoes are recommended rather than diced tomatoes.
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Translated by Heewon Kim
