My Top 20 Must Have Foods on a Tight Budget

Grocery stores are scary. There's so much to choose from, and so little that's healthy. Hey, I'm not overly obsessive about what I eat...okay, well maybe a little. That has to do with a food sensitivity list that makes shopping difficult and decades of less than stellar health. Another story...

This time I went with a different focus. How would I shop if my budget was as limited as Sean Calleb's for the month?

And the 31 million others on food stamps.

And the millions of others not on food stamps who still struggle to feed themselves and their families.

My mission? Find the most nutritional bang for my buck...my $176.

Here's my top 20 list, not in any particular order.

1. carrots. Eat them raw with peanut butter dip or in salads; sneak them into meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, or soups. Vitamins A, C, E; protein; selenium; calcium...
2. chicken. So many ways to prepare this protein-packed food. Whole legs, big package. Protein, vitamin B6, niacin; selenium, phosphorus...
   
3. brown rice. Good source of fiber, magnesium, selenium, vitamin B6, manganese...and helps fill bellies.
4. celery. Again, eat raw with peanut butter, add to salads, meatloaf, sauces, and soups. Vitamins C, A, Bs; fiber, folate...
5. onions. Adds flavor to soups, sauces, sandwiches, quiches. Vitamin A, C; calcium, potassium...
6. dried beans. So many kinds, so cheap, so filling, so many uses. Protein, vitamins, fiber.
7. eggs. Omelets, frittatas, quiches; deviled (with celery, carrots, onions); hard-boiled. Protein, vitamin Bs, especially B12, choline, A, D; selenium, lutein, riboflavin...
8. cabbage. Shred for salads, stir-fry, sandwiches; use leaves as a bowl for salads. Vitamins A, C, B6; potassium, calcium; fiber...
9. sweet potato. Baked or mashed with butter and cinnamon (but no sugar!), soup, fries. Vitamins A, C; potassium, calcium, and, with the skins, lots of fiber...
10. ground beef. Meat loaf, meat balls (sneak in lots of finely chopped veggies); add to soups, frittatas, casseroles. Protein, iron...
11. bananas. As is; with peanut butter; quick breads, cookies (use honey, whole wheat flour); salads. Potassium, fiber, vitamin c...
12. apples. Use like bananas; bake, stuffed with raisins, cinnamon; sauteed; sauced. Vitamins A, C; potassium, fiber...
13. fish. baked, sauteed; leftovers in salads. Protein, omega 3 fatty acids...
14. tomatoes, canned. Chopped tomatoes can be added to soups, frittatas, casseroles; made into sauce; baked stuffed with leftover chicken, beef, beans. Vitamin A, calcium, potassium...
15. oatmeal. The big box of regular oats. Add banana or apple slices and you have a filling, nutritious breakfast. Protein, iron, fiber...
16. cheese. It takes just a little to add flavor to eggs, sandwiches, salads; grate onto oatmeal. Calcium, protein.
17. broccoli. Sauteed, raw in salads, steamed a baked sweet potato; add to soups, casseroles, salad. Protein, calcium, iron, vitamin C...
18. peanut butter. This is where I splurge on natural. I don't want sugar or hydrogenated oils added to an otherwise healthy protein and fat. Niacin, magnesium, maganese...
19. olive oil. All around cooking, baking, and salad oil. Heart healthy fat. Many other uses outside of the kitchen.
20. butter. Another healthy fat. Adds flavor to so many foods. Vitamins D, E, K; calcium, lecithin, lauric acid (fights candida), CLA...

Most of these foods are on the outside aisles of the store. That's where to shop...

I also have a list of things that I would avoid, that have little or no nutritional value and cost too much. I'll get to that next.

And, I have a list of herbs, spices, and teas that are pantry mainstays. On a strict budget, just starting out, these might be tough to add all at once. I'll get to that later.

Grocery stores still are scary. I've developed blinders to keep me away from the cheese doodles and brownie mix. I ignore the cereals, processed-almost-anything, sodas...I don't even know how those are foods, but that's also for another post.

Hope these are helpful. Anyone have any other foods they'd add?

Blessings,

Judy