Looking for a way to eat healthfully without breaking the bank? Check out these 10 tasty, budget-friendly, and heart-healthy recipes, all for under $10!
What is heart-health?
Whether you’re looking to improve your high cholesterol or blood pressure, or prevent these conditions
from happening in the future, we can look at the same key nutrition components: saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars.
Saturated fats are found mostly in animal sources such as meat, butter, and cheese. You may have also heard these referred to as the “bad fats”, but don’t let that scare you! We can still have these in moderation. Some easy ways to cut down on saturated fats are:
- choose low-fat and non-fat dairy
- choose lean cuts of meat and opt for skinless
- cook with vegetable oils (such as canola and olive oils) instead of butter or margarine
On the nutrition label, these are a sub-category of total fats measured in grams (g).
Sodium is found in high amounts in a lot of the foods you may normally buy. It’s often used to preserve food, but there are low and no sodium options out there! Products to take caution with are:
- pre-made items
- frozen meals
- canned foods
- pre-seasoned items
- seasoning blends and packets (see salt free recipes below!)
Sodium has its own category on the nutrition labels and is measured in milligrams (mg).
Like sodium, added sugars can be found in many of the popular grocery store items. The most commonly found added sugars are in drinks such as soda, juice, teas, energy drinks, and flavored waters. They can also be found in cereals, sauces, classic sweets (candies, cookies, cake mixes, icing), and yogurt to name a few. On the nutrition label, these are found as a sub-category of total carbohydrates and total sugars and they are measured in grams (g).
!! Label Tip !!
When looking at a package, sometimes the marketing on the front can be confusing or misleading. I recommend going straight to the nutrition label and using the “%DV” or “% Daily Value”. What this number means is how much of the nutrients in that specific food and serving size contributes to the daily recommendation based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet. (Why 2,000 calories? This is the amount the average American needs to maintain their weight, though this number varies per person). For example, if a product label says the added sugar amount is 20% then you want to keep the rest of your added sugars intake for the day under 80%. In other terms, keep each nutrient at or under 100% for your daily total! For specific recommendations for you individually, reach out for a consult!
Foods to watch out for:
- Sauces and condiments (including jarred pasta sauce)
- Seasoning blends (many of these have salt or sugar in their top 3 ingredients, check out the recipes below!)
- Frozen meals, appetizers, and sides
- Canned fruits with added sugars
- Canned and frozen veggies with added salt or fat
- Pre-seasoned meats
- Processed meat (hot dogs, sausages, bacon, deli meats)
Foods to stick with:
- Fresh, canned, and frozen fruit without added sugars
- Fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables without added fat or salt
- A variety of leans meats, seasoned at home
- Dried beans
- Low and non-fat dairy such as milk, yogurt (check the added sugar!) and cheese
- A variety of whole grains such as rice, barley, quinoa, oats, corn, and buckwheat
Keep it simple!
Sometimes simple is best and also the easiest way to start! Below is a picture of “the Plate Method”. This is a play on the classic “MyPlate”, accommodating to not eating fruit with a hot meal (you CAN have fruit with a hot meal if you’d like. Most people do not, hence two options!).
The Plate Method is half a plate of non-starchy vegetables, a quarter plate protein, and a quarter plate grains/starches. This can be an easy way to get a balanced meal without having to fully measure out each item. This is often recommended for diabetics, but it can also be helpful for heart health and weight loss. This provides moderate carbohydrates, moderate protein, and high fiber. Having meals with water can be an easy way to stay hydrated and avoid added sugars!
The My Plate is divided in to four parts and also includes dairy on the side versus on or in another food group (such as cheese on a pasta).
It is important to know that exercise and hydration can also play a role in heart health.
Can I really eat heart-healthy on a budget?
Yes you can!! And we put together some simple recipes below to help you get started.
Here are 10 simple recipe ideas under $10
Be sure to check at the end of the recipes for some extra information! The first few are from the recipe section from the American Heart Association – a great resource to use.
- Szechuan Chicken Stir Fry – https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/szechuan-chicken-stir-fry
Serves 4
455 Calories
34 g Protein
7 g Fiber
Cost per Serving: $4.21
- Southwest Slow Cooker Chicken – https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/southwest-slow-cooker-chicken
Serves 6
113 Calories
17 g Protein
1 g Fiber
Cost per Serving: $1.63
- Spaghetti Pesto and Zucchini – https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/spaghetti-pesto-sauce-and-zucchini
Serves 6, 2 ½ cups per serving
272 Calories
11 g Protein
9 g Fiber
Cost per Serving: $2.10
- Quick Chicken Fajitas, Beans, and Spanish Rice – https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/quick-chicken-fajitas-beans-and-spanish-rice
Serves 4
439 Calories
36g Protein
10g Fiber
Cost per Serving $3.48
The next few new takes on classic veggies.
- Balsamic Grilled Zucchini
Serves 4
38 Calories
1g Protein
1g Fiber
Cost for Recipe: $2.94
Ingredients:
- 2 zuchinnis, quartered lengthwise
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 2tbsp balsamic vinegar
Directions:
- Preheat outdoor grill for medium-low heat and lightly oil the grate
- Brush zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and sat over zucchini
- Cook on grill until beginning to brown, approximately 3-4 minutes per side
- Brush balsamic vinegar over zucchini and continue to cook 1 more minute
- Serve and enjoy!
- Spicy Szechuan Green Beans
Serves 2
73 calories
3g Protein
4g Fiber
Cost for Recipe: $3.38
Ingredients
- ½ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp white sugar
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Directions
- Add green beans and water to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes
- Add ginger, garlic, and sesame oil and continue to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes
- In a separate bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Pour over green beans and cook until it thickens and coats beans, about 3-5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Grilled Corn Salad
Serves 6
103 Calories
3g Protein
3g Fiber
Cost per Recipe: $7.11
Ingredients
- 6 ears corn, shucked
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium Roma or plum tomatoes, diced
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate
- Roast corn for about 10 minutes or until black specks appear, turning occasionally. Remove and let cool 5-10 minutes
- Carefully slice corn kernels off kernels into large bowl.
- Add all other ingredients to bowl, mix, and let sit for at least 30 minutes
- Serve and enjoy!
The remaining three recipes are salt free seasoning blends. Make them in large batches and save in a jar with a lid for later!
- Hot and Spicy Seasoning Mix
Cost per Recipe: roughly $3 per 1 tbsp portions
Ingredients (all in equal parts)
- Chili powder
- Chili flakes
- Black pepper
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Ground coriander
- Ground ginger
Mix all together and enjoy! Store in an airtight container.
- Smokey Seasoning Mix
Cost per Recipe: roughly $3 per 1 tbsp portions
Ingredients (all in equal parts)
- Smoked paprika
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Ground cumin
- Turmeric
- Onion powder
Mix all together and enjoy! Store in an airtight container.
- All Purpose Seasoning Mix
Cost per Recipe: roughly $3
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp dried basil
- 1 ½ tsp dried parsley
- 1 ¼ tsp ground thyme
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dried sage
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Mix all together and enjoy! Store in an airtight container.
There are a lot more ways to keep budget in mind when eating a heart-healthy diet. The best way to get individualized advice tailored to you is to meet with a Registered Dietitian (RD). Luckily, we have a great team of RDs ready to talk to you about your needs! Reach out to us to book a virtual session.
References:
1. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-healthy-living/healthy-foods
2. https://recipes.heart.org/en/collections/lifestyles/budget-friendly
3. https://www.allrecipes.com/
Note: This information is for education purposes only and is not intended as medical or nutrition advice.
