5 Meals Under $5

Whip up tasty and nutritious dinners, each for less than a Lincoln

By: Mary Squillace

Cheap and Healthy Recipes

Photo Credit: Thinkstock
If the thought of loading your platter with fruits and veggies is making you see dollar signs, you’re not entirely mistaken. A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Washington found that it can, in fact, be pricey to get all the nutrients you need on a regular basis.

But take heart—with a bit of nutritional know-how and culinary creativity, it’s more than possible to whip up a meal for your family that’s not only healthy and tasty, but also within your budget. We talked to Bethany Thayer, RD; Vandana Sheth, RD; and Peggy Martin, lead author of the website Spend Smart, Eat Smart, for cheap and easy dinner options that are sure to impress. Here, five good-for-you meals that each cost less than a Subway foot-long, a month of Netflix and, in some cases, a gallon of gas.*

*Each meal makes four servings. Prices have been calculated from an online grocer and the Bureau of Labor Statistics average food retail prices, and it’s assumed that items such as olive or canola oil, salt, pepper, and other spices, are already available in your kitchen.

Bonus: Recipes for a flatter belly

Spaghetti Florentine

$3.25 per serving, 735 calories with meat, 595 without

Olive or canola oil
1 lb ground turkey or chicken (optional)
1 10-oz package chopped, frozen spinach (thawed)
1 15.5-oz can cannellini beans
2 cups tomato sauce
1 13.5-oz box whole grain spaghetti
1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet and sauté the turkey until mostly cooked, then add the spinach, beans, and sauce. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. When the turkey is cooked completely and the spinach is wilted, mix the sauce and spoon over the spaghetti. Top each serving with 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella.

Nutritional bang for your buck:
By souping up ordinary spaghetti with spinach and cannellini beans, you’re not only adding layers of flavor to your pasta, but also infusing it with extra protein, folate, and an entire day’s worth of vitamin A. Each serving packs nearly 18g of dietary fiber—more than half of your daily recommend amount—which helps make you feel full, and has been linked to prevention of obesity. So mangia!

Search: Benefits of dietary fiber

Vegetable Fried Rice

$1.65 per serving, 356 calories

2 Tbsp canola oil
1 16-oz package mixed frozen vegetables (like Seapoint Farms Oriental Veggie Blend)
1 16-oz package frozen broccoli
4 eggs or egg whites
2 cups cooked brown rice (prepare according to package directions)
Low-sodium soy sauce (optional)

Heat oil in a pan and sauté the frozen vegetables until slightly cooked. Add beaten eggs to the pan of veggies and lightly scramble, then add the cooked, cooled brown rice. Sauté until everything has been cooked through. For extra flavor, sprinkle on about a tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce. Serve with a glass of low-fat milk to get extra calcium and vitamin D.

Video: Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry

Nutritional bang for your buck:
We’ve been hardwired to steer clear of foods that contain the word “fried,” but here’s where you can make an exception. This dish features lean protein in the eggs, tons of veggies, and brown rice, which is a great alternative to starchy white varieties. “There are a lot of nutrients in brown rice, but eat small amounts,” says Thayer. “You’ll get extra fiber, as well as a lot of vitamins and minerals.” Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand, but we think broccoli is a great choice because it’s cheap and chock-full of vitamin C (you’ll get more than 20% of your recommended daily allowance with just 1 serving). If you prefer your veggies fresh, replace the frozen vegetables with in-season or economical produce, like carrots, onions, and green peppers for about $.50 more per serving.

Turkey and Black Bean Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

$3.00 per serving, 510 calories

Burgers ($2.34 per serving, 360 calories)
1 15.5-oz can black beans
1 lb ground turkey
4 whole grain English muffins
Salsa
Reduced-fat sour cream (or low-fat cheese)

Mash the beans and mix with the turkey. Form into four equal patties. Grill on both sides until the meat has been cooked through. Serve the patty on an English muffin, and top with 2 tablespoons of salsa and 2 tablespoons of low-fat sour cream.

Roasted sweet potatoes ($.66 per serving, 152 calories)
4 yams, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°'F. Chop yams and onions into 1-inch pieces and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper before roasting in oven for about 30 minutes.

Nutritional bang for your buck:
For less than the price of most fast-food value meals, treat yourself to an alternative version of a burger with fries that’s full of lean protein and dietary fiber. Not only will you save more than 200 calories when you replace a side of fries with sweet potatoes, but also get a healthy dose of vitamin A, which is good for your eyes, skin, and immune system. Talk about a happy meal!

Tip: For even more vitamins A and C—at about $1 more per serving—add two chopped red peppers to your sweet potatoes and onions.

Grabbing a meal on the fly? Find out what nutritionists eat when they hit up fast-food restaurants.

Tuna Nicoise Salad

$3.56 per serving, 391 calories

Romaine lettuce (about 20 oz)
2 cans tuna, packed in water
4 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced
2 lbs red potatoes, boiled and quartered
1 16-oz package frozen, French-cut green beans (prepare according to package directions and let cool)
1 cup chopped tomatoes

Vinaigrette:
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt and pepper, to taste

Tear the romaine into a bowl and mix in drained tuna, eggs, potatoes, green beans, and tomatoes. Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice, and add salt and pepper. Serve with a slice of multigrain or whole wheat bread and a glass of low-fat milk.

Nutritional bang for your buck:
Salmon, mackerel, and other fresh fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids but can be pricey. Canned tuna presents an inexpensive alternative that allows you to load up on the heart-healthy nutrient, according to Sheth. Tuna also delivers about 20% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12 and 8% of your recommended vitamin B6 intake, both of which could help boost your mood. Tuna is not the only star of this dish. The potatoes are a good source of potassium, a mineral associated with reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, and the green beans, tomatoes, and lettuce will set you up with close to half your daily recommended amounts of vitamins A and C.

Bonus: More recipes under 400 calories

Chicken and Bean Burrito

$3.79 per serving, 501 calories

2 lbs grilled or roasted chicken breast, shredded
1 15.5-oz can low-sodium black beans
1/2 cup salsa
1 8-oz can plain, no-salt tomato sauce
Chili powder and cumin, to taste (or low-sodium taco seasoning)
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 small tomatoes (plum are most cost-effective)
Romaine lettuce, 1 head, shredded
Reduced-fat sour cream

Mix the chicken, beans, salsa, tomato sauce, and spices in a pan and heat. Let the mixture simmer until most of the liquid evaporates. Serve on a whole wheat tortilla and top with tomatoes, romaine, and sour cream. Fold into a burrito.

Nutritional bang for your buck:
“Beans can help your meals go further. They’re easy to use, inexpensive, high in protein, low in fat, and contain no cholesterol—they’re a great food all the way around,” says Thayer. And don’t skimp on the lettuce and tomato! These edible accoutrements have disease-fighting powers. Both contain carotenoids, which may reduce the risk of cancer, and a recent report in the British Medical Journal linked leafy greens to prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Want more cheap and healthy eating options? These nutritious snacks cost less than $2!