Counting your pennies? Trying to feed your family in an economic slump and every single dime counts? In no particular order, here’s my top ten nutritional powerhouses that won’t break the bank. Believe me: they’ve made a steady and regular appearance at our table the last few weeks.
1. Eggs from Pasture-fed Hens
Selling anywhere from $1 to $6 a dozen, truly farm fresh eggs from hens fed on pasture makes for a remarkably inexpensive, but nourishing food. Produced by hens who are allowed to freely wander the farm, foraging for their natural diet of grubs, bugs, worms and sprouts, pastured eggs offer a much different, healthier nutrient-profile than eggs from conventional, battery-cage hens. Sadly, 98% of the world’s eggs are produced from battery cage operations.
Eggs from pasture-fed hens offer a higher omega-3 fatty acid, vitamin A and vitamin E content than eggs produced from caged or so-called “free range” hens. Further, farm fresh eggs are a remarkable source of high quality fat, cholesterol which is essential for cognitive function, protein and flavor. Plus the humble egg’s high choline content offers anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Cod Liver Oil
I know, I know. Even the sounds, when rolled off the tongue, make many of us squirm. Cod Liver Oil. It sounds like a punishment, doesn’t it?
Cod Liver Oil, while not a feature on anyone’s dinner table, is a profound source of fat soluble vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids – nutrients that are severely lacking in the standard American diet. Cod liver oil packs in vitamin A in a form that is more readily absorbed than beta-carotene, vitamin D, DHA and EPA. (Here’s just one reason why Vitamin A is so important: Vitamin A & Cleft Palate).
A bottle of cod liver oil will run you anywhere from $8 to over $40 depending on the size and quality. Remember, look for a cod liver oil without added synthetic vitamins and buy it in the liquid form instead of capsules. It is an excellent, natural supplement that can provide a nutritional boost to a healthy diet. You can purchase some cod liver oil here.
3. Liver from Grass-finished Animals
First cod liver oil and now liver? Yeah, I see your grimaces even as I type this list. And, yes, you better believe I still struggle with this one: organ meat. It is not for the faint of palate – and virtually everyone who’s been raised on the standard American diet is faint of palate. Still, our modern reliance on muscle meat is not in keeping with our ancestors’ views on using and eating the whole animal.
Liver is exceptionally nutrient-dense and therefore remarkably valuable for everyone – and particularly so for those who are on their road to recovery from poor eating habits or who suffer from poor health. It is remarkably rich in vitamin B12, vitamin A, copper, folate, riboflavin, selenium and zinc – all of which play a critical role in health and wellness. Further, vitamin A and folate are critical to a preconception diet for couples who are looking to conceive.
Liver from grass-finished animals sells for as little as $3 – $8 per pound depending on your market; however, if you get to know your rancher you might be able to pick up liver as well as other oft-discarded organ meats for free.
4. Sardines & Anchovies
Both sardines and anchovies are inexpensive whole foods. While their strong flavor may take some getting used to, it’s important to note that many wholesome, healthy foods are strongly flavored. Those are the nutrients you’re tasting!
Sardines and anchovies are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and good sources of nutrients like selenium which is good for hair, skin and nails as well as calcium, niacin, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin K and vitamin E. Sardines and anchovies, like most ocean-going fish, are strongly anti-inflammatory.
Purchase wild-caught fish packed in extra virgin olive oil rather than soybean oil. Sardines and anchovies sell around $1.99 per tin. If you’re a die-hard anchovy lover like me or you just want to try them out, check out this recipe for Anchovy Toasts.
5. Winter Squash
Rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and folate, winter squash provides a variety of critical nutrients for very little money. Indeed, organic winter squash will sell for as little as $1 per pound. Winter squash, with its dark orange hue is an excellent source of beta-cryptoxanthi, a carotenoid that is proven effective in the prevention of cancer.
Winter squash is exceptionally versatile and suited to a myriad of culinary purposes: soups, casseroles, gratins, roast vegetable dishes and, of course, pumpkin pie.
6. Oranges
Organic oranges sell for as little as $1 per pound when purchased in season. Packed with vitamin C and dietary fiber, they’re both nutritious and appetizing. Oranges are also good sources of folate and thiamine – both of which are critical in the maternal diet. Vitamin C is critical to proper immune function. Further, vitamin C is also a very powerful antioxidant and some research indicates it may prove effective in the prevention of cancer – particularly colon cancer.
Much of an orange’s nutrients reside in the skin that is too-often discarded rather than put to good use. Dried orange peels can add excellent flavor to both savory and sweet dishes.
7. Kale
Kale is a leafy green vegetable that can be eaten raw when young, but is also good steamed, sautéed or added to soups. An exceptionally good source of beta-carotene, vitamin K and manganese, it makes for a nourishing, inexpensive addition to meals. By some estimates, leafy greens like kale and animal foods comprised the bulk of the diet of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Leafy greens are, essentially, the foods that nourished us throughout our evolution.
Most kale can be purchased in season for as little as $1-2 a bunch. Take care in serving kale to your family as it has a high oxalic acid content which is mitigated to some degree by cooking. Most people with healthy intestinal flora will be able to eat kale – raw or cooked – without concern; however, people suffering from mineral deficiency might do well to limit kale or at least cook it. Check out this recipe for kale and white bean soup – it’s tasty and super cheap.
8. Real Sauerkraut
Real sauerkraut is inexpensive to make, lasts a very long time and is rich in vitamins and probiotics. You can purchase heads of organic cabbage for as little as $0.75 per pound, and process the sauerkraut yourself using Celtic sea salt or real salt which increases the mineral content of the sauerkraut. Further, because it is a raw, living food its vitamin C content remains better intact than in cooked cabbage. Cabbage that undergoes fermentation as in the case of sauerkraut and kimchi produces isothiocynates which are powerful cancer fighters, and the beneficial bacteria present in naturally fermented sauerkraut increases intestinal health and assists with proper immune function.
Want to make your own sauerkraut? Check out this recipe for naturally fermented sauerkraut.
9. Beets
Betacyanin is the component that makes beets both vibrantly colorful and remarkably healthful. This naturally occurring pigment is a potent cancer fighter and coupled with other nutrients like folate, potassium and manganese, makes the homely beet a nutritional powerhouse. Beets are showing promise in the fight against cardiovascular disease, cancer and hyperlipidemia. Plus, they’re cheap! A bunch of organic beets will usually run between $2 and $4.99. Check out these beet recipes (Roasted Baby Beets and Chioggia Beets with Citrus Glaze).
10. Bone Broth
Now, I’ve detailed the benefits of bone broth before, but let me outline them again. Bone broth is one of the most valuable sources of hard-to-get nutrients and it should be consumed frequently, if not every day. Exceptionally rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, bone broth is a valuable, nutrient-dense addition to the diet. Bone broth is also an excellent source of gelatin and glucosamin-chondroitin – nutrients essential for joint health.
Just as with liver, bones are often discarded at slaughter and can be purchased inexpensively for under $2 per pound. However, by getting to know your rancher and regularly purchasing farm-direct, it’s likely you can pick up bones as free gift for your patronage. Beyond that, carcasses from roast chickens and turkey make excellent broth (see the roast chicken stock recipe here).
So that’s my top ten list! What are your favorite, frugal, nutrient-rich foods?
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Homemade Kimchi – a close cousin to sauerkraut!
Wild Pacific Salmon – higher in nutrients than Atlantic salmon. Comes canned or fresh. King Salmon is fantastic!
Kale is an amazing food, often overlooked, and a staple of many Mediterranean diets.
A traditional soup of shredded kale, potato and olive oil is a comfort food good for the soul and the tummy. Millions of Portuguese can’t be wrong
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 quarts cold water
1/2 lb. of linguica sausage, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 pound kale, rinsed and thin cut or julienne
Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil for 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in potatoes and cook, stirring constantly, 3 or 4 minutes more. Pour in water, bring to a boil, and let boil gently for 20 minutes, until potatoes are real mushy.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook sausage until it has release most of its fat, 10 minutes. Drain.
Mash potatoes or puree. Add the sausage, salt and pepper into the soup and return to medium heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Just before serving, stir kale into soup and simmer, until kale is tender and jade green. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and serve at once.
Omit the sausage and you still have an amazing meal. It’s easy, inexpensive and very nutritious.
Do you have liver recipes or specific tricks for hiding it? I hate the texture, smell, and taste of it, and I like a lot of things that most people don’t. How do you get your child to eat liver? Is chicken liver really any better tasting?
In all honesty – I hate liver. REALLY hate it. Seriously. I’ve tried and tried to get accustomed to it, and, try as I might, I just can’t seem to like it. However, with an understanding of its value, I try to serve it by using it minced in combination with ground beef which we eat fairly regularly.
This is a great list!
I made a good sardine salad once… I’ll have to post the recipe. I think I found it on the Vital Choice website. It was full of flavor and the sardines were not overpowering — they just blended in. I’m learning to love anchovies now, too. The more I eat them, the more I like them. (I used to HATE them.)
I hate liver, too, but there are some recipes I like.
I love foie gras and liver pate. Have you eaten much of that? It’s really worth tasting and trying — I think most people can easily develop a taste for liver pate. The French have a way of making liver taste fabulous. When I went to Paris, every restaurant I went to had liver pate on the menu. I ate it every single day and I then bought a jar of it and smuggled it out in my suitcase.
I posted a decent recipe for chicken liver pate on my site — from The Balthazaar Cookbook.
I also made a very tasty Mexican version of liver & onions called Higado Encebollado. You marinate the liver in pickled jalapeno juice, then serve with bacon and grilled onions. Yum. It’s really good!
Recipes are here: http://www.cheeseslave.com/recipes/
Check out CHEESESLAVE’s last post: This Easter, Celebrate the Rebirth of Sustainable Farming.
I recently witnessed someone making beef liver pate using: chopped onion, sauteed liver, homemade mayo, and a chopped sweet apple! Just thrown in the food processor and voila! It was delightful – you could NOT taste the liver at all, which is huge considering beef liver is quite strong. Sorry, I don’t have the exact recipe, but I’d try it to my own taste/liking.
I have offal burnout. When I lived on the Navajo reservation, I ate every part there was to eat of a sheep…seriously. I loved organ meats back then when I ate it, but now, when I try to eat any kind of organ meat these days, after 3 bites, I just can’t stomach it anymore.
I so agree with you on the eggs, kale (and other dark greens like chard and beet greens), cod liver oil, sardines and anchovies and everything else on your list!
Check out Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen’s last post: Growing a Container Garden.
re: liver: i made a chicken liver pate based on the recipe in nourishing traditions, but SERIOUSLY upped the amount of sauteed onions – by lots, i think i doubled or maybe almost tripled it. i also included sauteed celery. and i also used a good amount of white wine – i think her recipe calls for it, but i increased it. i have always wanted to like liver pates but have found them too “livery”. well, this version – i couldn’t resist eating it! it definitely had the umami quality which i love about pate, but the mineral-y funk of liver that normally turns me off was muted by the onions/aromatics. YUM! i would spread a thick layer of it on a piece of rye bread, eat it, and feel completely full and sated. (though, i craved it and had to portion it out day by day to make it last
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