Get More Bang For Your Buck, Literally!

With the climbing prices of gas, fresh produce, and anything organic it's a wonder any of us are going to be able to continue buying anything remotely healthy, let alone drive get what we need.  After thinking about it (and a blog request) I decided do some of my own research and see what I could find at my a local Pick N Save. I walked to the grocery store, for those of you who don't know I live in Milwaukee, it's an adventure. Walking anywhere and takes FOREVER because of stop lights, traffic, and right now snow. I wanted to see for myself, just what I could buy that was "healthy" and a single serving would cost about a dollar.  I've got 10 ideas for you! Oh, what I wonderful life I live.
1. Bananas. High in potassium and fiber it's an easy (and portable) way to get one serving of the fruit you need.  There are many great ways to incorporate bananas into snacks too. Use 2 Tbsp of peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla, roll your banana up and you've got a to-go peanut butter banana wrap that will for sure kill that hunger.  These bananas were around 21 cents a piece, can't complain there!
2. Apples. I absolutely love apples.  They're inexpensive, filling, and really do wonders for us.  Studies have shown that people who eat an apple before a meal will eat up to 35% less than those who don't eat one.  For those of you working on portion control and increasing your fruit intake, this one's for you.  If you absolutely have to, dip slices the Fat Free Carmel Dip they have in produce sections. It will cost you more than a dollar though.
3. Potatoes. I don't mean french fries and hash browns, I mean whole potatoes.  We are so brainwashed that potatoes are bad for us because of how they are so often prepared.  Don't be fooled.  Potatoes are a great source of potassium, and can actually help rid the body of excess sodium, which will in turn help you lose that "bloat" you can't seem to escape. (Women, try this when menstruating, I swear by baked potatoes). Eat a potato with the skin on and get almost an entire days worth of Vitamin C.  Don't top it with sour cream, cheese, and bacon you'll completely defeat the purpose. Try plain non-fat Greek yogurt.  It has the same consistency of sour cream and gives it that tang to make it just right. You can find these Greek yogurts for around $1.15, and it's packed with protein (17g or 30% of your daily value). Switch to sweet potatoes for your dose of beta-carotene. It's okay to use a little bit of brown sugar and Smart Balance Spray Butter, I sure do! :)
*In a dorm room, throw a potato in the microwave after scrubbing it down.  Takes less time than the oven and once you perfect the timing, it's awesome! Kind of like home! (kinda).
4. Broccoli. The dreaded find.  No one likes to hear me out about broccoli, except my boyfriend. He loves it! Broccoli contains a wide array of nutrients including: calcium, vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, and fiber. There's more! Broccoli is also packed with phytonutrients, compounds that may help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Throw it in a salad, stir fry, or if you're like me, on top of a baked potato.
*Try Green Giant's Just For One Broccoli and Cheese trays. 120 calories, 2 grams of fat, 3 grams fiber (perfection on top of a baked potato).
5. Eggs. You can actually eat a half a dozen eggs for about a dollar, awesome right! It's a great source of protein and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which may ward off age-related eye problems.
*Try combining one yolk with 2 egg whites for your scramble.  It will lessen your intake of saturated fat and  cholesterol, while really not changing the flavor at all. Score!
6. Kale. This dark leafy green vegetable is full of Vitamin C, carotenoids, and calcium.  Like most of the other greens I found in the produce section, you can get a "bunch" for only one dollar.
7. Oats.  Full of complex carbohydrates and fiber, the now known "superfood" really is just that.  To top it off, they've been proven to lower cholesterol.  You can get a whole weeks worth of "superfood" breakfast for right around a dollar. Stock up. Top your oatmeal with fruit and nuts for a filling breakfast sure to ward of late morning hunger.
*Cookie craving? Oatmeal cookies, with no sugar added applesauce substituted for oil, will definitely do the trick.
8. Wild Rice. Around the same price as white rice, this stuff has less fat, and more protein and fiber.  White rice is really just empty calories, so why not get a more bang for your buck? Literally.
*Mix with brown rice for a side, or throw it in a soup to change it up.
9. Whole Wheat Pasta. The Atkins diet wrongfully convicted this one.  Fat burns in the flame of carbohydrate, as I discussed in a previous entry. There's nothing wrong with a pasta that's PACKED with fiber, B vitamins, and protein. Just don't top it with Alfredo sauce, stick to a red sauce or a sauce with a wine base. You don't want to be counterproductive right?
10. Low-fat Milk. The price of a gallon of milk is rising, but per serving, it’s still under a dollar; single serving milk products, like yogurt, are usually less than a dollar, too. Plus, you’ll get a lot of benefit for a small investment. Milk is rich in protein, vitamins A and D, potassium, and niacin, and is one of the easiest ways to get bone-strengthening calcium.
*Use it in cereals, cooking, and definitely dip your oatmeal cookie in some. Mmmmm. ;)

That 99 cent bag of Doritios may seem like a good deal, but why buy a snack when you can turn $1 into a meal?

-Alexis