Cheap, healthy meals on a budget: six tips from USDA MyPlate
Eating well does not need a big budget. USDA MyPlate gives six practical tips, from planning your week to comparing unit prices. Here is how to use them.
Cheap does not have to mean poor nutrition. The USDA's MyPlate site has a tip sheet called "Eat Healthy on a Budget". This article turns its six tips into a short routine you can use this week.
Check before you rely on this: the MyPlate tip sheet has no date and gives no prices or numbersso I do not quote any. Prices and sales differ by store and country, and MyPlate is a US service (it mentions the "Shop Simple with MyPlate" tool for local savings). This is general information, not medical or dietary advice.
1. Plan the week around your budget
MyPlate suggests planning weekly meals around your food budget and writing a grocery list that covers staples and perishables. Our guide to a smart grocery list shows how, and weekly meal prep shows how to cook for several days at once.
2. Compare the unit price
Check the unit price on the shelf sticker, near the item price, to compare brands and sizes. A bigger pack is not always the cheaper one per unit, so look at the unit price.
3. Stretch meals with beans and frozen or canned vegetables
Beans and canned or frozen vegetables bulk up a dish. MyPlate says they add fiber and nutrients and help you feel full. See more in foods that stretch your budget.
4. Grow herbs
Basil and oregano can grow indoors, on a windowsill or counter. MyPlate says this costs much less than buying them.
5. Buy in bulk only what stores well
Whole grains, canned or dried beans and frozen vegetables keep well. MyPlate also warns against overbuying items you will throw away.
6. Buy on sale
Stores rotate their sales, so buying sale produce adds savings and variety, and the same applies to frozen and canned items.
A simple week
- Pick three dinners that share ingredients (for example beans and a frozen vegetable mix).
- Write the list and check unit prices for the staples.
- Cook a base (rice or beans) once and use it two or three times.
Sources I read
Pages I read to write this article. Always check the latest version before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main MyPlate tips for eating healthy on a budget?
MyPlate lists planning meals around your budget with a grocery list, comparing the unit price on the shelf sticker, stretching meals with beans and canned or frozen vegetables, growing herbs, buying in bulk foods that store well, and buying on sale.
Are canned or frozen vegetables okay?
MyPlate suggests adding beans and canned or frozen vegetables to bulk up meals, noting they add fiber and nutrients and help you feel full.
Does the MyPlate page give prices or savings?
No. The page gives no specific numbers such as prices or percentages, so this article does not quote any.
What is the unit price?
It is the price per unit of weight or volume, shown on the shelf sticker near the item price. MyPlate says to use it to compare brands and sizes.
Turn the plan into a routine: how to meal prep for the week.