Eating healthy doesn’t always mean having to spend a great deal. Superfoods are what everyone talks about right now (avocado toast, collagen powders, imported berries with names you can barely pronounce), but in truth, none of that is necessary to eat well. Some of the most nutrient-dense foods are hiding in plain sight in your local grocery aisle.
If you’re looking to fuel your body without straining your budget, these eight foods deliver big on nutrition for just a few bucks. They are cheap, reliable, and nutritious to boot.
Cabbage
Price: $0.60–$1.00 per pound (depending on region)
Cabbage might not get the same love as kale or spinach, but as a leafy vegetable packed with vitamin C and fiber and sturdy enough to last weeks in the fridge without getting slimy, it really should. It’s crisp when raw and delicate when cooked, and it pairs well with spices.
Dice it or sauté it for slaw, throw it into a wok for soup or ferment it into gut-friendly sauerkraut if you are the patient kind. In any case, it’s a powerhouse veggie that costs less than a cup of coffee, so we’re sold.
Oats
Price: Bulk (rolled) oats cost $0.10 per serving, while instant oatmeal costs $0.30 per serving.
Yes, oats are a great breakfast option that can soon get tiring, especially if you stick to the classic oatmeal recipe. The solution lies in reinvention — oats can be ground into flour and used to make porridge and overnight oats (with flavor variations like peanut butter jelly or apple pie), granola bars, muffins, cookies, soup thickeners, and even smoothies!
While you don’t need large portions to feel satisfied (½–1 cup daily is typical), oats are more filling than refined carb sources like white bread or sugary cereals. No matter how you prep them—whether as rolled oats for baking or steel-cut for hearty porridge—oats work harder for your wallet than most packaged cereals ever will.
Lentils
Price: $0.44 to $0.87 per pound
Lentils are easy to prepare with quick, no-soak cooking and can be used in everything from curries and soups to taco fillings or grain bowls. Loaded with protein, iron, and fiber, these legumes are one of the most satisfying, easily digestible foods you can make. Their pantry-friendly nature—storing well for 1–2 years in airtight containers (or even longer with specialized storage methods)—adds to their appeal as a budget-friendly staple.
Beans
Price: $0.92-$1.22 per pound (dried) and $1 to $1.60 per pound (canned), depending on the variety, store, and region
Canned or dried, beans are a budget-friendly nutritional win. High in essential minerals like iron and magnesium, they also provide protein for muscle building and fiber to keep you full for hours. You can opt for the canned variety if you’re short on time— you simply gotta rinse (canned beans often contain added sodium—rinsing reduces this by 40%) and drain, and voilà, you can toss them into soups, stews, salads, or make homemade hummus out of it. And if you want to go extra cheap, buy the dried version, soak overnight, and cook in bulk—easy!
Pro Tip: For best results (with minimal time investment), cook dried (soaked) beans in big batches, portion them into zip-lock bags, and freeze them—you’ll have an effortless protein boost ready for any dish.
Frozen Berries
Price: $2.50–$4.00 per 12–16oz bag
Fresh berries are expensive and gone in three days. They turn into mush in 48 hours and guilt-trip you from the crisper drawer. Frozen ones, though, stay sweet, are just as nutritious, and can sit in your freezer for weeks. You can toss them into oats, smoothies, stir them into yogurt, use them for baking, or just eat them straight out of the bag like frozen candy. The best part about frozen berries is, you can always grab a handful whenever you need a boost of vitamins and antioxidants.
Brown Rice
Price: $0.37–$0.59/lb
Brown rice is an affordable whole grain that’s packed with fiber, B vitamins, and magnesium. It’s a great alternative to more expensive grains like quinoa. You can cook a big batch for the week and use it as a base for stir-fries, grain bowls, taco bowls, as stuffing for burritos, or as a side with beans and veggies.
Carrots
Price: $0.88–$1.76/lb
Carrots are sometimes overlooked and considered a “boring” vegetable, with many folks calling themselves carrot haters. But the truth is, this root veggie is surprisingly versatile. You can crunch them while they’re raw, roast them until they caramelize, grate them into a salad, add them to soups or stir-fries, or even make pudding or cake out of them. Carrots are rich in Beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A, especially when it comes to supporting eye health. What’s more is that they last long and make your meals so much better if you do it right.
Potatoes
/ Polina Tankilevitch
Price: $0.75–$1.20/lb
Carb-phobes have unfairly slandered potatoes. With the peel on, these cheap and extremely filling starchy vegetables are loaded with potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. And we’re not just talking about Russet potatoes; this pretty much includes sweet potatoes and red potatoes as well. They all provide varying levels of macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. You can roast them, add them to stews, mash them, bake them, turn them into little crispy cubes, and even dip them in something spicy — and you have yourself a delicious, wholesome meal.