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Beans can be a good source of protein, especially with rice.
The news last week that the price of peanut butter is going up left many readers fretting about their options for cheap, protein-rich food, especially at a time when many of us are pinching our pennies.
It’s not just peanut butter that’s getting pricier. The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects food prices to rise by 3 to 4 percent this year, after rising by less than 1 percent between 2009 and 2010.
Meat — a favorite protein choice in many households — is already be one of the higher-cost grocery items, and it’s been getting even more expensive.
Beef prices rose by more than 10 percent between this August and the year earlier, according to government data. Pork prices are up by 7.5 percent over the same period. Poultry prices have not risen as much.
We asked Amy Yaroch, executive director of the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition in Omaha, Neb., to give us some options for healthy, protein-rich foods that aren’t too pricey.
Here are some examples:
Beans and rice:There’s a reason these two foods appear together in many traditional meals. Yaroch said that beans themselves are a good source of protein, but they work especially well when paired with rice for a complete protein.
You don’t have to eat them exactly at the same time, but Yaroch said eating both low-cost foods within a couple hours of each other is a great way to boost protein levels at low cost.
“It’s really important to eat rice and beans,” she said.
Eggs: Yaroch noted that eggs have gotten a bad rap in recent years among people who watch their cholesterol. But scrambled eggs, omelets and other egg-based foods can offer a filling, high-protein meal that doesn’t break the bank.
“If you don’t have high cholesterol, eggs are a really low-cost way to get good, high-quality protein,” Yaroch said.
Health-conscious eaters can just use the egg whites, she said.
The price of eggs is up by nearly 15 percent, according to government data, but they still remain a much cheaper option than meat.
Dairy: Yaroch notes that many people forget that dairy is a good source of protein. A glass of milk, a serving of yogurt or cottage cheese or a helping of plain old cheese are all good options for adding affordable protein.
Quinoa: OK, so this one may not regularly appear on most people’s shopping list. But Yaroch said quinoa is actually a great source of protein and has other nutritional value.
Soy: Yaroch concedes that many people may think of tofu as a flavorless, and it can be if you don’t know how to cook it right. But when cooked well, tofu can be a tasty addition to smoothies, stir-fry meals and other foods.
Meat: Yep, you can still put meat on your grocery list if you’re pinching pennies, but just don’t buy as much. Yaroch notes that many families would be healthier if they served smaller portions of meat and instead filled the rest of the plate with veggies. Another option is to mix meat with cheaper protein, such as beans or tofu.
You can still have a great meal (with) a smaller piece of chicken or meat,” she said.
What are your tips for lower-cost, protein-rich meals? Share them below.
Leave a Comment:
I eat alot of beans, think of it, as meat you grow in the garden.
Most of the world lives on beans and rice. It is good and nutritious. Have some beans and rice and some yogurt for dessert, and you have good nutrition going on. Be sure to buy some real yogurt, and, not some of that stuff that is just yogurt-like and is loaded with artificial everything and not much real live bacteria.
Make sure it's brown rice and not bleached white rice. Nothing nutritious about over-processed white rice.
I eat a gourment vegan diet--Chinese, Tex Mex, Moroccan, and Thai.
Today, I'm shopping for Arroz con Tempeh (Tex Mex soy), and salsa brown rice and beans.
Meanwhile, more than 50% of the adult population continues to buy alcohol. Try cutting this crap out of your "diet" and you'll be able to afford lean meats.
BTW, peanut butter is a great source of fat, but a weak source of protein. Read the label. Twice the fat as protein per serving.
No wonder this country is obese.
Most of the fat found in peanut butter is monounsaturated which is healthy for your heart and lowers bad cholesterol. At least five major studies confirm that eating peanuts can lower risk for coronary heart disease. Suffice it to say that eating peanut butter or peanuts has been associated with lower total cholesterol, lower ldl or 'bad' cholesterol, and lower triglycerides, all of which are associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk.
Dan has it right. Peanut butter is not a good protein source, and should not be listed as one.
It is a good source of "healthy" fat, but even healthy fat needs to be consumed in moderation. Serving sizes are small, and it's too easy to go overboard on peanuts or peanut butter.
Alcohol is a normal part of the diet. Wine has been served with meals for centuries. Your bible is filled with meals and wine served together.
We ate beans and rice as kid almost eveyday for diner for dinner. When we wanted extra protein, my mother would put in ham hocks. We usually ate string beans or brussel sprouts and whole wheat bread. I was as skinny. Know I know why.
Kind of funny to see the Flash ad for Bank of America on this page advertising cash rewards. Can we really believe a bank is going to give you money when at the same time they're charging their customers for their use of debit cards because the bank is losing money?
Alcohol is not the problem, as there is nothing wrong with having a few drinks a week, it's fast food, portion sizes and lack of activity in this country that have caused the problems. People have been drinking beer and liquor for a thousand years and were never this obese so you can't blame that.
I stretch the meat that I use with veggies and other foods. Instead of using like 1 chicken breast for each member of the family, I can use 2 chicken breasts for my family of 5 by adding extra veggies, rice, or pasta to the dish that I am making. We also have a vegetarian meal once a week. I also love to make breakfast for dinner at least once a month! It is a cheaper way to feed everyone and the kids love it. We hardly ever eat fast food, we can eat at home a lot healthier and cheaper. We make a lot in the crock pot for really busy days, and I love using cookbooks for 30 minute or less meals!
There is no way that middle America is going to give up beef. BBQ is a religion in most parts of the south. Vegetables are an afterthought and often hard to find on menus.
Many people don't realize that cheese and yogurt often have expiration dates that are fairly far out--if you select carefully when there is a sale, you can keep some sale priced cheese and yogurt for later--depending on your supermarket, sometimes they include the lower-fat, no sugar added varieties of yogurt--my daughter's favorite lunch is no-sugar-added yogurt with a homemade high-fiber, low salt roll, homemade high fiber, low-sugar cookies, and an apple (she has metabolic disorder and hypertension, despite the fact that she is not overweight).
If you don't have time to cook, however, and if your child has no underlying health problems, you could do a fairly low-cost decent lunch with a piece of fruit that is on sale, a sugar free yogurt, and a store-brand whole wheat bagel. If they really want dessert, you can oftentimes find sugar free gel snacks cheaply, and they have almost no calories.
While cereal has gone up in price, I've also seen it go on sale frequently--Cheerios, milk and a piece of fruit is another inexpensive, tasty lunch. Also, if you watch for sales (at least in my area), you can get Kashi cereal, which, depending on the variety, has quite a bit of protein, for $3.00 a box--I wait for sales, stock up, and we use the boxes in order of expiration date.
Two words; bean(or bean and rice) burritos.
If you use low fat cheese and go easy on the salty seasonings, it can be pretty healthy plus VERY easy to make.
When you have a little extra cash you can throw in a half pound of ground beef/chicken/turkey/tofu where you would normally add a pound. That makes it easy to get a lot of protein, and not feel like you're missing out on meat.
Get a second job, and buy a good steak!
Mr, I would rather have my free time and some beans and rice. I happen to really like beans. I stock my pantry with Goya brand beans. They are the best because they are not overly cooked and don't have other stuff in them. That makes them great to use as a base for other dishes. And, beans are among one of the most versatile foods that you can stock your pantry with.
Husband grew up with beans and escarole (Italian) as his comfort food. I grew up with beans and cornbread (Texas) as mine.
We use meat sparingly and only buy quality meat from the Amish market. Even when accounting for portion size, most Americans will envision a portion size as being a big piece of meat. The reality is that it should be rather small.
I like me a good steak, or pork chop,or pot of chicken and noodles once in a while. I can afford to buy all the meat that I desire. But, I can make a great meal, fit for a king, with a can of beans.
I suspect that your remark was made in jest, maybe. But, for much of America, just having a job and being able to buy some quality nutrition is high on the list of priorities. I worked retail for many years, and, after a whole day of working, I did not earn enough money to go to the local supermarket and buy a respectable small bag of groceries. It was my choice to work retail and I accepted the low pay. I did have choices. Many people have no choice but to work a low wage job. Beans are a good choice to feed your family.
Plants, legumes, grains (couscous, wheat bulgher--in addition to quinoa above), oatmeal...all have varying levels of protein. Forks over Knives is a great way to watch and learn what types of food lead to the greatest health (bought smartly it is also cheaper than buying meat/cheese/milk/and any boxed item with refined sugars or flour. The dairy and animal products, as well as the white refined sugars and bleached flour are what's causing high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes. Cut these out, and you'll also cut down on medical bills. If you're able to buy the beans/legumes/grains dry and in bulk, they do come out to be cheaper than the amount of meat you need to fill you up. Your cortisol levels from stress will decrease, sleep tends to improve, and you lose weight if you stick with the low veggie oils, no dairy or animal, and no sugar/white flour.
Plants, legumes, grains (steel cut oatmeal, couscous, wheat bulgher--in addition to quinoa above),...all have varying levels of protein. Forks over Knives is a great way to watch and learn what types of food lead to the greatest health (bought smartly it is also cheaper than buying meat/cheese/milk/and any boxed item with refined sugars or flour. The dairy and animal products, as well as the white refined sugars and bleached flour are what's causing high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes. Cut these out, and you'll also cut down on medical bills. If you're able to buy the beans/legumes/grains dry and in bulk, they do come out to be cheaper than the amount of meat you need to fill you up. Your cortisol levels from stress will decrease, sleep tends to improve, and you lose weight if you stick with the low veggie oils, no dairy or animal, and no sugar/white flour. Try for 21 days, and after about 3 days your cravings go away, and you learn you can live on plant proteins. By product is lots more energy too!
'cheap' protein?? While eyeing the fresh poultry this week in my Publix, I discovered it was far more reasonable for me to just pay the .99 cents a pound for chicken leg quarters with rib and back. Sure.....I have to skin it and it takes longer to cook on the bone....but the final result is soooooo much more toothsome. Moist, juicy, flavorful. Plus, it slows the dining pace as you pluck slivers of bbq chicken from the bone. Note to self, try to buy protein that is less processed instead of the de-skinned, de-boned, rather anemic and dry tasting results I achieve when I go that route. Hey, it just tastes better!!
As far as eating out, I wish restaurants would offer smaller portions that also cost less. I sometimes forego a meat entree because they are so large and with sides, more food than I want to eat. I know I don't have to finish the plate, but there should be an incentive for those of use who try to cut back so that we can enjoy the same foods but in moderation and save money at the same time. How about it restaurateurs out there?
Doesn't Dan-2052524 sound like a fun guy?!
Bet he would throw cold water on cheese cake, too!