Editors note: This is the first post in a series dedicated to low-cost, healthy recipes. The author is not an authority in human nutrition, and the purpose is to provide a very basic understanding of how to manage an affordable, healthy diet. The remainder of the blog posts in this series will focus on affordable, healthy recipes using locally-available products, emphasizing those available through NL Eat’s food distribution center.
There is a widespread opinion that maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is expensive. It's an easy assumption to make; if you browse the produce section of any local grocery store and compare prices of fresh products to highly-processed convenience foods, maintaining a healthy diet on a budget can seem impossible. For example, in Newfoundland, fresh asparagus can cost as much as $7.99/lb, while a one-pound bag of candy may cost as little as $4.99. Moreover, the one-pound bag of candy provides nearly 20 times more food energy(calories) than the asparagus. The latter is obviously an extreme example void of meaningful context, but it does illustrate how much more expensive healthy eating can be. But here's the catch: it doesn't have to be! We can maintain a balanced, healthy diet without consuming every item available in our fresh produce isles.
While fresh products like asparagus, bell peppers, mangos, and avocados are very nutritious and tasty, for many of us, they're unaffordable. However, there are plenty of inexpensive, healthy alternatives. Vegetables such as carrots, turnips, beets, cabbage, squash, and potatoes provide a wide array of nutrients at a fraction of the price. Popular fruits, such as bananas, apples, and oranges, can cost as little as $0.99/lb. Nutrient-dense, protein-rich legumes, such as beans, peanuts, chickpeas, and lentils, can cost as little as $1.49 per pound. Frozen and canned vegetables are also a great alternative, providing the added benefit of an extended shelf life. Unprocessed whole grains, such as brown rice, oatmeal, and barley, are also inexpensive, rich in nutrients, and fundamental to a balanced diet.
There is a large misunderstanding regarding what constitutes a "healthy diet." The diet industry has popularized many widespread misconceptions regarding the role of diet in human health. Moreover, the industry is rife with contradictions and gimmicks that make it seemingly impossible to follow a healthy diet. I'm not a dietician, and I don't have the expertise to delve too deep into this topic. Furthermore, the role of diet in human health is highly complex and very contextual, and outside of the scope of this series. The important thing is not to overthink it and stick to the basics. Suppose you are a person of average fitness, void of major dietary restrictions, and trying to eat better while managing a budget. In that case, you can achieve your goals with minimal intervention and without stressing over every minute detail.
If you are struggling to manage an affordable, healthy diet, here are some general recommendations developed by the World Health Organization:
1. Eat a combination of different foods, including:- Staples like cereals (wheat, barley, rye, maize, or rice) or starchy tubers or roots (potato, yam, taro, or cassava).
- Legumes (lentils and beans).
- Fruit and vegetables.
- Foods from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs, and milk).
- While some fruits and vegetables are very expensive, opt for those that are more affordable, such as root vegetables, bananas, apples, and oranges.
3. Eat less fat
- Fat is very calorie-dense, which makes fatty-rich foods very easy to overconsume. However, fat is an essential nutrient, and you shouldn't avoid it entirely. Try to limit your fat consumption to no more than 30% of your total caloric intake, and reduce foods that are excessively high in fat, such as deep-fried products.
- Convenience foods, such as candy, soft drinks, and ready-to-eat frozen dinners, generally contain large amounts of added fat and sugar. While these ingredients are not inherently unhealthy, consuming too much of them can lead to overconsumption. Choose to prepare your meals at home using minimally-processed, whole ingredients.