This is the final installment in my “Healthy Groceries on a Budget” series. I hope these weeks have inspired you to view the grocery store differently!
Here’s a recap of what we’ve covered so far:
- How to read nutrition labels + ingredients to avoid
- Money-saving tips for grains, meat, and produce
- Healthy swaps that are good for your body and your wallet
Today I want to talk about snacking, because let’s face it – We all get the munchies from time to time. And I happen to be a believer in 5-6 smaller “meals” versus 3 large ones. Those extra meals often take the form of snacks for me.
So the question is, Can you snack healthy without breaking the bank?
As you predicted, my answer is yes! 🙂
If you read my money-saving tips two weeks ago, you saw the high cost of my unhealthy snacks. As I tracked my grocery spending, I discovered some awesome snacks that are healthy and inexpensive to enjoy.
So here it is – my Top 20 Healthy Snacks That Cost 30¢ or Less Per Serving.
- Small organic apple (30¢ for 1)
- Frozen whole grain waffle (30¢ for 1)
- Medjool dates (29¢ for 2)
- Organic tortilla chips with salsa (28¢ for 9 chips and 1 Tbsp. salsa)
- Persian cucumbers (28¢ for 1)
- Trader Joe’s wheat crackers (28¢ for 14)
- Cheddar cheese cubes (28¢ for 1 oz.)
- Organic raisins (27¢ for 1/4 cup)
- Organic celery (25¢ for 1 stalk)
- Cantaloupe (25¢ for 1 large wedge)
- Hard-cooked egg (22¢ for 1)
- Grapes, sale price (22¢ for 3/4 cup)
- Costco organic edamame (22¢ for 1/2 cup)
- Clementine (20¢ for 1)
- Honey wheat pretzels (18¢ for 10)
- Baby carrots (16¢ for 4 oz.)
- Banana (13¢ for 1)
- Watermelon (13¢ for 1 cup)
- Unsalted peanuts (12¢ for 1 oz.)
- Air-popped popcorn, using Trader Joe’s organic kernels (3¢ for 2 cups)
Did you catch that last one? 3¢ for two whole cups of popcorn! I was so shocked when I first saw that number, I recalculated it five times just to make sure it was right. 🙂 Healthy and economical – I love it.
All of these beat out vending machines by a mile. Not only are they less expensive and good for you, these snacks give your body essential nutrients that will help you feel full longer. That’s a win-win-win in my book. 🙂
Popcorn photo by OxanaDenezhkina/BigStock.com
