60 Healthy Foods for Pennies Per Serving

Are you trying to eat healthier food on an unhealthy budget? Fortunately, some of the cheapest foods are good for you.

The real trick to minimizing your grocery bill is finding the right recipes for healthy foods. That's why Coupon Sherpa has provided an inexpensive and nutritious recipe for each item on our list of 60 inexpensive and nutritious foods. We promise you won't have to run out for weird ingredients or haul home two bags of groceries to create one dish.

Please note, however, that prices will vary based on the store, location and season. One serving refers to one apple, one cup of oats, etc.; not the entire bag of apples or bucket of oats. Bon appétit!

1. Apples
A great mid-afternoon snack when raw or a dessert when cooked. Just make sure you wash the skins first. Apple Bread Pudding

2. Bananas
A portable source of potassium and a good basis for smoothies. Mom's Banana Bread

3. Baby Carrots
Keep a bag at work for a cheap and healthy snack. Baby Carrots with Dill Butter

4. Barley
Nutty flavored and makes a nice change from potatoes, rice and pasta. Barley Mushroom Pilaf

5. Beans
Good as a base for soup or a thickener. Soak in baking soda or cook with a peeled carrot to reduce gas. Easy Black Bean Soup

6. Beets
Turned your nose up at beets as a kid? Give them another try. Creamy Vegetarian Borscht

7. Black Beans
Hands down, the most anti-oxidants of any bean. Soak raw beans for faster cooking time. Turkey Black Bean Chili

8. Black-eyed Peas
Good luck when eaten New Year's Day. Also known as the cowpea, black-eyed bean and Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata. Classic Texas Caviar

9. Bok Choy
Light and sweetly flavored; a great way to stretch a wok meal. How to Cook Bok Choy

10. Broccoli
Catch the crowns on sale for a low-calorie treat providing calcium, potassium, fiber... All About Broccoli

11. Bulgar Wheat
A quick-cooking type of whole wheat you can use as a substitute for rice or cous cous. Tabouli Provencal

12. Butternut Squash
Less than a buck in season and makes a deliciously smooth soup. Low Sodium Butternut Squash Soup

13. Cabbage
Try all three flavors: Green, red and Napa. All are filling and cheap. Cabbage with Ginger and Cumin

14. Canned Tomatoes
Easier to cook with but make sure you use a low-sodium version. Tomato and Stale Bread Soup

15. Carrots
The beta-carotene is good for you eyes but there's so much more to the most inexpensive of veggies. (Easy to grow, too.) Carrot Loaf

16. Celery
Its not true it takes more calories to eat celery than you earn, but it's a nice idea. Not bad raw but a great energy boost when stuffed with peanut butter.  Stuffed Celery

17. Celery Root
Grate with carrots and mix with low-fat milk and mayo for a French-version of coleslaw that's unbelievably good. All About Celery Root

18. Chicken Gizzards
Don't throw away the bagged gizzards that come with each chicken. Properly cooked, they're delicious and a great source of protein. Chicken Gizzards

19. Coffee
Skip super-expensive Starbucks (45 calories from fat) and bring a thermos of home-brew to work. Latte at Home for Less than $1 and Under 50 Calories. Coffee Latte for Diabetics

20. Cornmeal
White, yellow and blue cornmeal are all roughly ground and make a nice change from wheat. Cornmeal Pizza Dough

21. Cucumbers
It's hard to beat thinly sliced cucumbers and onions in a vinegar sauce for an easy and delicious potluck dish. Cucumber and Onion Salad

22. Daikon Radish
Also known as the Chinese radish, it looks like a carrot and is delicious raw. Low in calories and high in vitamin C. Overnight Chinese Daikon Radish Pickles

23. Dried Plums
Prunes with an image makeover and the same benefits. Really Truly Gorgeous Dried Fruit Salad

24. Eggs
Less than $1 for half a dozen (sometimes for a dozen) and a cheap source of protein. Super Scrambled Eggs Number One

25. Garbanzo Beans
aka "chickpeas" are cheapest raw but even canned are a great protein. Garbanzo Bean Burgers

26. Green Beans
Frozen retain their nutritive value but taste even better fresh. Stay away from the high-sodium canned. Green Bean Salad

27. Greens
Nutritionally rich, tons of fiber and available year round. Delicious sauteed in olive oil with onions, garlic and cayenne. Lentil and Green Collar Soup

28. Grapes
I like to peel them to make for a long-lasting snack. It's addictive. Garlic Chicken and Grapes

29. Grapefruit
Two servings each packed with vitamin C, pectin fiber and antioxidants. Sweeten by cooking. Broiled Grapefruit

30. Kale
A highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; considered to be anti-inflammatory. Winter Vegetable Hash

31. Kiwis
Often $1 for 3 or 4 and they're packed with vitamin C. Peps up smoothies or oatmeal. Tip: Spoon the fruit out of its shell. Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie

32. Lentils
The versatile legume makes great soups or mix up a can with fresh tomatoes for a snack. Lentil Vegetable Soup

33. Mangoes
Packed with vitamins A, B6, and C with fiber to spare. Hard to peel but has a great smooth texture. Watch for sales. Avocado Mango Salsa

34. Milk
Prices have fallen to less than $1.50/gallon as a way to attract shoppers. Low-fat and non-fat milk really aren't that bad! English Bread Pudding

35. Nuts
Pay less for peanuts, almonds and walnuts in the shell. A handful makes a healthy mid-day snack. Spiced Nuts

36. Oats
  Microwave slow or fast oats for two minutes in a bowl and mix with yogurt for breakfast. Oat Whole Wheat Bread

37. Olive Oil
Drizzle on a crusty bread, douse with garlic salt and pop it into the toaster oven. Olive Oil Dip for Italian Bread

38. Onions
Bake whole or chop for added zest in just about any recipe. Saute with a dab of olive oil until they glisten. Onion Casserole

39. Oranges
The tiny ones make a great snack at work or school. Cut-up a big one for breakfast. Orange-soy Sauce Reduction for Fish

40. Pasta
Whole grain pasta is a dietary staple with great nutritional value. Pasta with Sardines

41. Pearl Barley
Not often remembered but the unique texture is great in soups, stews and casseroles. Basic Pearl Barley

42. Pears
Ripen at 65 to 75 degrees F for 4-10 days, depending on the type. No-headache Holiday Sauce

43. Popcorn
Pop some up at home with a minimum of salt and oil to feed the late-night munchies. Homemade Microwave Popcorn

44. Potatoes
Avoid fries and chips, eat them with the skins or mashed and you've got potassium and vitamin C. Old-fashioned Potato Salad

45. Pumpkin
Scrape the soft flesh before carving and bake or puree. Pumpkin Curry with Lentils and Apples

46. Pumpkin Seeds
Snack on jack-o-lantern guts for protein and essential minerals. Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

47. Rice
In India, rice is cooked in boiling milk and sweetened with jaggery (an unrefined sugar) to make a rice pudding called Payash.

48. Rutabagas
A cross between the cabbage and turnip; eat the bulb root or leaves to avoid goitres. Lasagna with Rutabaga Greens

49. Sardines
Mash with parsley, olive oil and lemon juice then spread on crackers for an appetizer rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Holiday Sardine Spread

50. Spinach
Packed with nutrients; easy base for an omelet. Baby Spinach Omelet

51. Split Peas
Yellow and green varieties are an inexpensive source of protein. Spit Pea Soup with Ham Bone

52. Squash
Acorn, spaghetti, zucchini, butternut, pumpkin, etc. Strictly speaking, they're fruits, not vegetables. Creamy Squash Soup

53. Sweet Corn
Frozen or on the cob, it promotes healthy vision and a strong cardiovascular system. Sweet Corn and Chili Relish

54. Sweet Potatoes
Each of these orange babies packs four grams of fiber and more than 25 percent of daily vitamin A and C requirements. Sweet Potato and White Potato Salad

55. Tofu
Inexpensive, health protein source. Doesn't take much to fill you. Don't like the texture? Try it in smoothies. Tofu Quiche with Broccoli

56. Tuna
Cans packed in water are dirt cheap lately and almost 100-percent protein. Cinnamon Curry Tuna Salad

57. Turkey
A popular bargain-priced loss-leader around the holidays. Buy an extra bird and freeze it for later, if you have room. Mom's Roast Turkey

58. Turnips
The root is high in vitamin C and three greens are a good source of Vitamin A, C, K and calcium. Nova Scotian Turnip-Green Hodge Podge

59. Water
Yes, water is food, and it's relatively free. Replace pop and coffee with water to reduce hunger cravings. Cuban Water Bread

60. Yogurt
The best quick lunch and good for your digestive system. Cheaper if you buy in bulk, rather than individual servings. Mahdzoon Yogurt Chicken

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