Inexpensive, Quick and Nutritious Foods

*IE put these in your grocery cart

By Rebekah Zehr, Parent Committee Coordinator

Who needs to run to the grocery store?  Are you watching your wallet, watch and waist?  Add the following foods to your cart.

Eggs- Eggs are a cheap source of protein.  They are rich in EPA and DHA (responsible for nervous system health and mental health.)  Also high in leucine, an essential amino acid, helpful in building muscle.  Eggs can be eaten at any meal and any snack.  My favorite way to eat eggs is in a frittata for breakfast:  eggs beaten with a little seasonings, a few sautéed veggies and cheese mixed together and placed in a cast iron pan and baked at high temp in the oven.  Perfect for a Saturday morning.  Leftovers can be easily heated and eaten at any meal.  I like to use boiled  eggs and even pickled eggs in some of my salads and sandwiches.

Leafy Greens- Spinach won’t cost you an arm and leg.  I frequently purchase the large organic containers in Wal-Mart for a very reasonable price.  Frozen chopped spinach costs $1.00/bag.  Already washed, it is a base or addition to a super easy and quick meal. Since Popeye, spinach has been famous for it’s health value.  This nutrient dense food is high in vitamins and minerals, low in calories, and versatile in cooking.  I use spinach in any meal of the day.  It can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked in soup, eggs or casseroles.  I love to blend frozen spinach in my smoothies.  Want to create a complete meal salad that boasts of this dark leafy green?  Try this Jamaican jerk Chicken recipe.  Thoroughly coat chicken tenders or fish with spices including: garlic powder, cayenne, thyme, salt, all-spice, black pepper and cinnamon.  Place in a hot skillet coated with oil and cook until done.  In a large bowl, toss together spinach, pineapple, tomatoes, avocado, and toasted coconut.  Add a simple dressing (blend olive oil, lime juice and a little honey) and you’ve got yourself a festive, nourishing meal!

Apple Cider Vinegar- Apple cider vinegar is one of the quickest, cheapest, and easiest ways to add a health and flavor boost to your meals.  A few glugs will brighten up so many of your foods, including home made salad dressings, soups, chilis, and stews.  It’s the perfect tang to round out flavors and satisfy the taste buds.  If you want to up the nutrient value, look for the “mother”, which is a spider-web like growth that usually sits at the bottom of the bottle.  Almost all grocery stores carries this, including Aldi and Wal-Mart.  Apple cider vinegar perks include:  potassium, aids digestion, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal, as well as high in many vitamins and minerals.  I love to pickle veggies with my apple cider vinegar and of course I use it in many of my dressings!  How about adding some sweet and tangy pickled onions to your salad, sandwich or burger?  Try making your own pickled veggies:  heat 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, 1/4 cup sweetener and 2 tablespoons sea salt until everything is dissolved.  Pour into a quart size canning jar that is full of very thinly sliced red onion.  Cool at room temp.  They will be ready to eat once they’re bright pink and tender- about one hour.

So there ya go!  Some simple, easy ingredients that can cut time and $ as well as add flavor and nutrients to your meals.  Let me know what you did with these super yummy foods!