50 healthy foods for under $1 a pound

By Jeff Yeager, The Daily Green

If you are what you eat, then I should weigh-in at under $1 a pound.

That's because, as a general rule of thumb, I try to only buy foodstuffs that costs under a buck per pound. Under $1 a pound, year-round -- that's my grocery shopping mantra.

It's not just because I'm a world-class penny-pincher and smart shopper; believe it or not, it's also about eating healthier. When you look at the USDA's "food pyramid," many of the things we should be eating the most of -- grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables -- happen to cost the least.

It's often the stuff that's bad for us (at least in large quantities) like red meat, fatty dairy products, and processed foods high in trans saturated fats, that cost the most, on a per pound basis.

To prove my point, I've put together this list of 50 healthy foods that I've purchased at least once in the last six months for under $1 a pound.

So rev-up your shopping cart, but be careful: There's a Green Cheapskate loose on aisle five!

• Apples - One a day keeps the cheapskate away.
• Asparagus - HUGE store special at 99 cents a pound during Easter week. I bought 10 pounds, blanched it, and then froze it.
• Bananas - Potassium for pennies.
• Barley - A tasty alternative to rice and potatoes.
• Beans - Canned or dried. Kidney, pinto, navy, black, red, and many more.
• Bok choy - Steam and serve with a little soy sauce.
• Broccoli - Yes, a store special. Usually closer to $2 per pound.
• Bulgar wheat - Try it in pilaf or a tabouleh salad.
• Cabbage - Green and red. I like mine fried.
• Cantaloupe - No, sorry, I can't; I'm already married.
• Carrots - Raw or steamed. Rich in carotenes, a healthy antioxidant.
• Celery - Stir-fry it for a change.
• Chicken - Whole or various parts, on sale.
• Chickpeas - AKA garbanzo beans -- mash 'em up as a healthy sandwich spread.
• Cornmeal - "Polenta" is all the rage these days, but I loved it 40 years ago when Mom called it "cornmeal