Get Your Five-A-Day For Under $1.50
So, if you think that you can't afford to eat well, look at these figures, from the BBC News article Fruit and veg for under £1 a day. I've given the approximate figures in cents.
Five portions for 80p ($1.21) a day
- Banana (with porridge) for breakfast - 14p ($0.21)
- Apple (for mid morning snack) - 22p ($0.33)
- Baked beans (on a jacket potato) - 29p ($0.44)
- Frozen peas as part of evening meal - 8p ($0.12)
- Frozen sweetcorn along with the peas, fish and new potatoes - 7p ($0.11)
Of course, some fruits and vegetables are expensive - exotic, imported varieties are always going to be pricier than local, in-season produce. Basics like bananas, apples, beans, peas and sweetcorn might not be as exciting as treats like figs, pineapple, mangos and asparagus, but they are perfectly affordable.
Many dieters feel that frozen fruit and veggies (like the peas and sweetcorn above) or tinned ones (like the beans) "don't count", however this is untrue. The WCRF's Natalie Winn, who put together the above menu, explained that:
The secret is not to restrict yourself to the fresh fruit section of the supermarket, because frozen vegetables and canned fruit also count towards your five portions a day and they often cost much less.
Frozen produce can actually contain more nutrients than fresh, as it's frozen very soon after picking (whereas "fresh" produce might have been sitting around in the supermarket for days). The canning process does reduce the vitamins available, but leaves the fibre and minerals intact. For foods which you'd be cooking vigorously anyway (like beans), there's unlikely to be much nutritional difference.
You can find out more about this from WHFoods's Does canning affect the nutrient levels of vegetables, fruits and beans?
Even though nutrients may be lost, you'll still be getting some benefits from canned fruits and veggies - so if they're all you can afford, eat those.
If you want more suggestions for eating healthily on a tight budget, check out the tips from the Diet Blog community in the comments section of How Can I Diet Cheaply?.
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I just paid about 4 US dollars for an Apple. Though Banana's are pretty cheap - about 2 US dollars for 4.
I've been reading the recession has contributed to a rise in obesity. I am glad to read posts like this as it shows having less money does not mean you can't eat healthy.
ReplyYou paid $4 for a single apple? That is absolutely ridiculous. You can buy them buy the pound at Whole Foods for $1.99 - $2.99.
ReplyI live in Okinawa, Japan. I have seen apples cheaper, depending on the season. Last week I bought 3 much smaller apples from China for about 3 US dollars. Fruit is expensive but most basic vegetables are very reasonably priced.
ReplyThat's incredible! FOUR DOLLARS. Sheesh!
ReplyI do hope there are other indigenous fruits and veggies in Okinawa you can buy at a better price - possibly something grown a bit closer that does not require as much shipping???
Many ways to get the 5/day without eating the standard apples and bananas.
ReplyI think the list should be tweaked a bit. Corn is a grain, not a vegetable, and baked beans come loaded with sugar and some sort of meat, at least in the US. Peas are...almost a vegetable. Which really means this list has two fruits and three almost/not vegetables.
Most lower sugar items would cost more.
ReplyI see your point... but the whole point is to look frugally and creatively.
People have this wierd idea that eating healthy is expensive, but you just need to look around. I made a pumpkin soup tonight - the ingredients in total cost me $6, fed 4 people, and there are leftovers in the fridge. Coming in to winter the pumpkins are $2 each in the little veggie market down the road.
ReplyI've got no problem with the idea of encouraging people to eat more fruits and vegetables and to encourage them to find a way to do it for a low cost. I'm fortunate enough to be able to have a garden with a large variety of vegetables, as well as grape vines and a blackberry bush; I've never paid for asparagus or rhubarb because they are growing like weeds back there, I make my own vegetable broth from vegetable scraps, and if it weren't for recipes calling for a specific kind of canned tomatoes, I would have enough for a lifetime because of the amount my family has home canned. But at least two of the items listed are neither a fruit nor a vegetable. That's my issue. The peas can be argued, but baked beans and corn should not be considered vegetables.
Pumpkin soup does sound mighty good; I usually just do carrot soup.
ReplyBeans and pulses may not be vegetables, but they DO count towards one of your five-a-day, which is what this article is about.
Sweetcorn counts too, although.... wouldn't you have to eat quite a LOT of sweetcorn for it to count as one of your 5-a-day?
ReplyI understand what the article was about, but if "5-a-day" includes items that aren't fruits or vegetables but pulses and grains, its goal seems to be off, particularly since the linked BBC article specifies fruits and vegetables.
ReplyThere are always ways to do it. There are many healthy foods that are affordable. AND, as the article states, frozen is just as good as long as they are not smothered in a sauce!
Maybe people can band together with friends or family or neighbors to go to places like Costco or Sam's club OR join a food coop OR anything to get together so you can buy larger quantities for less.
It is tough in these times but pick & chose the best of the best & do your research.
ReplyMany fruits and vegetables are pretty cheap; you just have to know where to look for them. I shop at Aldi and I can get a pound of baby carrots for 79 cents, a bag of romaine hearts for $2.00, and bags of various frozen mixed vegetables for about $1 each. Sure, the variety isn't always the greatest, but if you don't mind eating basic generic varieties of veggies, it's pretty good.
No matter how bad the economy gets, I'm still not giving up my veggies and fruit. Good food is something I refuse to compromise on.
ReplyLOL! This stuff cracks me up. You can spend less than that for a thirty day supply of Greens Plus, and get your five a day with a simple spoon full of the superfood in some juice or water. Yes, real fruits and veggies are ideal but not everyone likes them, and not everyone can stomach the volumes required. If the goal is keeping spending down, Greens+ is cheaper than real food.
ReplyConsider joining a Fruit & Veg Co-op or heading out to your local Farmers Markets. I was out at mine this morning in Sydney. I woke at 5.30am in the dark to be there by 6am and do a bit of haggling - that's the fun part!
ReplyFor $20 I have an overflowing box of fresh F&V that will last my family of 4 for a while.