EWG’s Guide to Healthy, Cheap Eating

You may remember this post on the Environmental Working Group’s guide to organic produce. If you like that, you’ll probably love their latest list even more. The environmental research organization has compiled various lists for “good food on a tight budget,” as noted on their website:

Stretching your dollars to get a month’s worth of healthy, filling food is a challenge. EWG assessed nearly 1,200 foods and hand-picked the best 100 or so that pack in nutrients at a good price, with the fewest pesticides, contaminants and artificial ingredients.

Here are some of your healthiest and cheapest food options:

Fruits

Bananas
Orange juice (limit to 1 glass per day)
Domestic nectarines
Pear
Watermelon
California raisins
Dried prunes

Find the full list of fruits as well as some healthy, useful tips here. My favorite tip – stock up on lemons for seasonings, salad dressings, and loads of other uses, as you already know.

Vegetables

Broccoli
Collards
Romaine lettuce
Mustard greens
Parsley
Carrots
Tomato juice (low sodium)
Potatoes
Green onions
Onions
Alfalfa sprouts
Cabbage

Find the full list of veggies as well as some tips for cooking here.

Protein

Squid
Turkey
Light canned tuna (limit to once a month, as these may include industrial pollutants)
Black beans
Black-eyed peas
Chickpeas
Eggs
Lentils
Pinto beans
Red kidney beans
Hazelnuts
Roasted, unsalted peanuts
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts

Who says you need red meat to get your protein? Find the full list of protein here and be sure to also check out the EWG’s Meat Eaters Guide.

The website also has sections for staples/spices, dairy, grains, and cooking fats and oils. There is also a handy printable guide to bring along next time you go grocery shopping.

Posted on August 21, 2012
This entry was posted in Food and tagged affordable vegetables, environmental working group, ewg, good food on a tight budget, most affordable fruits, protein.