Superfoods, Super Cheap

Imagine ordinary food items, available in any supermarket, that are powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and even put you in a better mood. You’d surely stock up on a lifetime supply and see to it that you add at least one super ingredient to every meal.

Well, imagine no more. Foods that are high in antioxidants, phytoflavinoids and vitamins are available right now in your local supermarket. When you shop smart, superfoods are no more costly than anything else in your grocery cart these days.

A healthy diet incorporating a variety of these superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease and live longer. Here are the top 15 superfoods, all of them real and unprocessed: beans, blueberries, broccoli, brown rice, oats, oranges, pumpkin, tuna, soy, spinach, tea, tomatoes, turkey, walnuts, wild salmon, whole wheat and yogurt.

Here’s the secret to eating healthily without breaking the bank: When you see superfoods on sale, load up the freezer and pantry with enough to last until the next sale. Even when they’re not on sale, most superfoods are far less costly than processed chips, snacks and carbonated beverages. Let’s examine just a handful of these foods so you can get an idea of how they can benefit both you and your wallet:

BROWN RICE

This superfood is good for side dishes, rice salads, fried rice, casseroles, soups and stew. Brown rice is high in fiber and protein. Price per serving: 10 cents. A 2-pound bag costs about $3.99 (on sale) and contains 20 servings.

BLUEBERRIES

Available year-round frozen, blueberries are packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids. Blueberries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. They not only lower your risk of heart disease and cancer but also are anti-inflammatory. Price per serving: 66 cents. A 2-pound bag of frozen blueberries costs about $5.99 (on sale) and contains six servings of 1/2 cup each.

MULTIGRAIN PASTA

Great in hot or cold pasta dishes, you can substitute whole-wheat pasta in most pasta recipes. One serving (2 ounces uncooked) contains 9 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Got picky eaters? Make the switch gradually by substituting a portion of your regular pasta with wholewheat. They won’t even notice. Price per serving: about 28 cents for a 2-ounce (uncooked) serving. A 13- to 16-ounce box or bag of dried pasta costs about $1.79 to $1.99 (on sale) and contains six to eight servings.

FROZEN VEGETABLES

Serve them alone as a side dish or add frozen vegetables to pasta dishes, soups and stews. Price per serving: around 25 cents for a 1-cup serving. Frozen vegetables come in 12- to 24-ounce bags that cost anywhere from $1.75 to $2.25 and contain 6 to 8 cups, depending on the vegetable and the size of the bag. You can buy a bag of frozen organic green beans at Trader Joe’s for $2.79. A bag of petite peas will cost about $2.19, and a 16-ounce bag of frozen chopped spinach costs $2.29.

CANNED TUNA

Solid white albacore or chunk light in water is great for sandwiches, casseroles, salads or served straight-up with crackers. One serving (3 ounces) provides about 500 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids. Price per serving: about 62 cents. You can buy a 5-ounce can for about $1 to $1.67, or a 12-ounce can for about $2.29.

Can’t figure out how to incorporate superfoods as ingredients in your family’s daily menu? Websites such as Allrecipes and MyRecipes have thousands of great recipes that include reviews from other cooks. Or go to the SuperCook website and download the app. Then input the ingredient(s) you want to use, and let SuperCook find just the right recipe for you.

Note: Prices quoted were current at my local Kroger’s supermarket at the time of writing.

Would you like more information? Go to Everyday-Cheapskate.com for links and resources for recommended products and services in this column. Mary invites questions, comments and tips at EverydayCheapskate.com, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a lifestyle blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”