As the economy struggles, many people have been spending less on food. Our logic would tell us that less spending means less food eaten, and less food eaten means little weight gain. However, according to LA Times, spending less actually creates more weight related problems, like obesity, diabetes, or heart diseases. These health problems come from eating cheap and processed foods. Highly processed foods, such as sweets made with refined sugar, are sold cheaply in the store because of their long shelf life, and they are also packed with a lot of saturated fats.

As a whole food advocate, I firmly believe that we do not need to sacrifice our health and palate even when our wallets are  thinning. Here’s list of cheap, but healthy ingredients that you can incorporate into your diet:

• cabbage: contains vitamin C, iron, calcium, and potassium, all essential for our cells to function properly
• winter squash: helps fighting cancer cells; prevents benign prostatic hypertrophy(BPH) for men
• beans: high in fibers and proteins, which can be used as a substitute for source of protein when meat is expensive
• root vegetables: potatoes, carrots, onions, etc, are abundant all year round. They are the ultimate cheap and versatile ingredients that should be in everybody’s kitchen
• tap water: don’t be surprised…many of us, including me, like to use store bought broth to make soup or sauce. However, a box/can of chicken broth usually costs around 3 dollars, which is not cheap in my opinion, for “flavored water”. Therefore, switch to using water (or make your own broth) for soup or sauce. You can also use this opportunity to challenge your seasoning skills!

I am in the same position as you are, trying to live frugally as we no longer have the luxury to spend money freely. However, I will not, neither should you, give up the passion of eating wholesome and delicious food.