Eat Healthy for Less Than $5 Per Day

I’m going to be perfectly honest here… what I’m about to present to you isn’t an optimal diet, but it’s healthy and covers most of the bases for the week. I also chose these foods because they’re satisfying and won’t leave you hangry.

Please note that different grocery stores will charge different prices for the foods listed below. These prices were pulled from CUB stores in the Twin Cities, MN.

Eggs 12ct $1.29 At about a dime per egg, these are a steal. Have 2 a day and get 100% of your B-12 for the day. B-12 is needed to make DNA and keeps your blood and nerve cells healthy. It also helps prevent megaloblastic anemia which makes you tired and weak. I can say so much more about eggs, but this is a biggie.

Potatoes 3lbs $2.00 You can get approximately 3 medium potatoes in a pound. In the morning, slice one up and bake it to go with your eggs to keep your blood sugar nice and stable. They have lots of vitamins and minerals, but the shining star is vitamin C. One potato has about 30% of your RDA of vitamin C. Who knew Mr. Potato Head was such a player?!

Whole Milk 1 gallon $2.79 Studies show that drinking a glass (8 oz) of milk with breakfast helps keep you from getting hangry between meals. This means you’ll be less likely to eat your coworker for a snack. Another good reason to drink your milk is for the vitamin D (15% RDA) and protein (8 grams). Between your eggs and milk that’s 15 grams of protein and 45% of your vitamin D for the day.

Bananas 6ct $1.14 Bananas make a great mid-morning snack. A lot of people think “great source of potassium”, but I like bananas for their vitamin B-6 and their sweetness. B-6 is necessary for hormone regulation. One banana has approx. 20% of your RDA of B-6. Bananas can also kill an unhealthy sweet craving and keep you going until lunchtime.

For lunch and dinner use any of these ingredients to make your meals for the week:

$3.39 Walnuts (6oz)
$1.77 Peas (3ct 15oz cans)
$2.19 Rice (32oz bag)
$1.49 Beans (16oz bag)
$3.49 Tuna (4ct 5oz cans)
$5.39 Ground Beef (16oz)

$1.19 Broccoli (frozen 16oz)
$3.38 Tomatoes Diced (2ct 28oz cans)
$2.99 Onions (2lb bag)
$1.28 Cabbage (1 head)
$0.99 Carrots (2lb bag)

Using these ingredients will cover most RDAs of proteins, carbohydrates (simple and complex), fats, vitamins, and minerals; keeping you healthy and satisfied all day long.

Total dollars spent for the week equals $34.77 making that a daily total of just $4.97!

It’s not easy to eat healthy on such a tight budget, but it can be done.

It’s a lot more expensive becoming unhealthy and living off of prescriptions.

To make your budget stretch even further, check out your state’s requirements for food stamps and check out your local food bank.

There’s no shame in doing what you can to stay healthy- that’s what those programs are there for!