is that it has a strong tendency to be high in carbs, highly processed, low in nutrition and low in protein. And it doesn't have to be that way. And I'm not saying it always is, either, I'm just saying that it effectivly tends to be that way, particularly in the US.

Protein:
Beans and lentils are your friend. I prefer lentils, myself, and they have the 2nd highest protein/serving behind soybeans.

Frozen chicken. You can do SO MUCH with a bag of frozen chicken breast and for the number of meals you get, it's well worth the price. This applies to Frozen Ground Beef, as well.

Canned Tuna. Sometimes can be overpriced, but can also be a good cost-effective way of getting healthy protein and fish oils.

Keep an eye on the frozens aisle. You'd be amazed what you find there for a good price. I picked up the last bag of Frozen Edamame from Aldi's for about 3 bucks. THat lasted me three days, but I eat edamame like it's candy.

Peanut Butter.

Fruits/Veggies:

Applesauce, the less sweetened the better. Obviously, to get the cheapest stuff you're sacrificing to a lot of sweetener, but in general, a jar of applesauce can go a long way.

Canned Anything...with caution! High Sodium or heavily sweetened canned goods are better than nothing, but still not optimal.

Fresh Greens. I bought a bunch of mustard greens and kale for various cooking ideas as well as tossed salads. Each was about a dollar each and I never used all of them. Buying a head of lettuce and a head of radacchio will last you much longer and be cheaper than a bag of lettuce.

Cheaper fresh veggies. Same deal as the Fresh greens, but it varies which one are cheaper in your area.

Keep an eye on the frozens for veggies you like! Even more expensive veggies tend to go on sale more when they're frozen.

"tricks":

If you find meat just too expensive and like it, Sauerkraut is a great way to get the B vitamins you can't get from most veggies. You're not actually getting it from the cabbage itself; the fermentation/pickling process produces them.

Think outside the box. For example. One of my common breakfasts is Plain Yogurt (I use it in many recipes plain, so I typically have one of your big huge cheap containers of it), DRY oatmeal, and raisins, drizzled with honey. Very cheap, tasty and nutritive. And in case you're wondering, I use dry oatmeal instead of granola because it's healthier (Granola is frequently deceptive when it comes to sugar) and very high in fiber. Additionally, if I get bored of it I can add nuts, or change the fruit, or leave out the oatmeal or yogurt, or heck I've even added cocoa powder before. Point is, don't be afraid to throw stuff in a bowl and hope it tastes good. As long as you at least think, you'll rarely come up with something you can't at least make yourself eat.

Carbs

Be picky about your rice. Make sure it's not just "Brown rice", but it's high fiber-high nutrient less processed brown rice. IMO, you're other wise wasting your time. But as I've mentioned, I'm not a huge grain-person.


Things Worth The Splurge

There's always things that are "Expensive", but good to buy in the long run.

My favorite is Olive Oil. You can use Olive Oil to cook just about anything, and I believe the flavor and health benefits make it a better "investment" than just using the cheaper plain Vegetable Oil.

Potatoes. I count these as "Expensive" given I usually buy a lot of them separately instead of in the bulk bags. But really, there's so much you can do with potatoes and despite what some would have you think, they aren't unhealthy for you as long as you're eating them in moderation and not like I do. And there are endless ways to prepare them.

Herbs/Spices They're expensive to buy, I KNOW, but they taste good and will keep you from being bored with even the same set of ingredients.

Quality Cheese. This is my big "vice" when it comes to pricing. But that $7 small square of cheddar lasts me a good while because it's so satisfying, and it keeps me HAPPY.


Really, the trick is to stay flexible and move with the prices. I made cheap lamb burgers last week because I discovered some lamb ground beef in the Manager's Bargain Bin in the meat section. But it didn't cost me any more than making beef burgers from scratch would have.