Cheap but healthy?

[cookiemonster123]

When I'm shopping in the supermarket and I see veg stacked in boxes I always take the box from the top off and pick from the veggies or fruit in the bottom tray... Usually they are the most freshest on that day. Turn the temperature of your fridge down so it's colder which keeps veg fresh also, keep them wrapped in their bags to keep them fresh also. You can buy special bags that keeps veggies even fresher for longer but I dunno if they work tbh http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MARKET-DAY...ht_1403wt_1008

Ooooh and keep potatoes in the fridge too, keeps them from sprouting uncontrollably

[angelsmth]

Noodles,bread butter,jam bread would be nice options for you.
These items are pretty cheap and good for you.
You can also eat rice and pulses.

[fantine]

Sardine, eggs and salad are some the cheapest good bets.

[f-g]

Frozen stir fry! its cheap comes in loads of varieties, veg, chicken, prawn etc and really low in calories too! You can get it in those cheap frozen food shops like Heron Foods.

or

Make soup from fresh veg and freeze it x

[HiLz]

good answers has been said already.

shop at supermarkets and go for the stores brand or the value brand. things like beans can be value, do you really notice a difference with Heinz?

Heinz baked beans taste better than all other brands. I really can taste the BIG difference.

[silver_elf]

rice, lentils, eggs, frozen veggies (just as nutritious as fresh and keep longer- steam or stir fry and add a bit of seasoning), peanut butter, oatmeal, quinoa (super healthy and filling so it's pretty cheap per portion)

my favourite low-cost, delicious healthy recipes are curried veggies and chicken/other, stir fries, soups and stews (homemade!) poor-man's fried rice (rice, eggs, veggies, meat/tofu stir fried in a pan), stuffed crepes, etc. Make large portions and refrigerate or freeze the leftovers for some meals in the week.

if you can get bulk items and split them with a friend or two, that can save cost as well. (esp staple items or nonperishable items like boxes of canned soup, bags of rice/lentils, yams, tea, eggs, frozen stuff, some fruits/veggies if you can split)

look around for coupons for things you would like, and buy things that are in season for produce.

Oh, and don't forget to get a nice treat every now and again. save a little room in your budget to eat out or make a delicious gourmet meal (you could even invite friends over and have them chip in as a potluck). It's worth it!

hope that helps! I've been grocery shopping for myself for a year on a student budget now, and it's been working for me.

[Mariquita]

Vegetable soup. Make a large amount at the beginning of the week. You can save it in the fridge for a few days, or freeze it and reheat anytime. You can even add your old leftover noodles to the bowl if you want.

[pudgey2]

Frozen fruit and vegetables are cheaper and just as healthy. They are literally JUST picked then flash frozen.
Beans are cheaper dry, so soak them up.
Also try finding one of those food outlet stores that often have frozen food too. They are super cheap, but you don't get a selection (you can have orange mango juice but not orange juice :P). They sometimes have some stuff past best before date, but best before date =/= expire date. The best before date is just put on my manufacturers, just like with medicine. They want you to buy their product more often, and it is good months past the best before date.

[Portia]

Let your diet follow the time of the year. Every season has its fruits and vegetables and they are usually cheap, have a better nutrition value, taste better ect. because they are not artificially kept fresh.

One of my favourites for winter is cabbage. It is very cheap and lasts a long time. You can use it raw, in a salad if you mix it with raisins and shreddedd carrot.

2 kgs of carrots, 1,5-2 kgs of cabbage and 250 gr of raisin will cost you around 4 dollars, give or take.

150 gr of cabbage. 150 gr of carrots. 30 gr of raisin gives you 200 calories. If you want to (Read: Can afford it), you can eat some chicken, tuna or homebaked wholegrain bread with it.

The 150 grams of cabbage gives you enough C vitamin for the WHOLE day. It protects you from cancer and heart diseases. It keeps you full. It has a lot of fibres that'll keep you digestion system healthy.

The carrots are high in vitamin A which is good for maintaining and developing a good eyesight, keeping you hormones in balance, smooth skin, normal growth and bone development and it protects against infections.

Raisins contains a lot of fructose and glucose, so don't abuse them. On the positive side they keep cavaties and other mouth diseases at bay. They also contain a fair amount of calcium (good for your bones) and potassium (Good for your heart. Especially good for you if you are prone to purges.)

I hope this i´was helpful.
I'm a uni-student as well so I'll keep reading this thread in hopes of inspiration! :-)