1) Quinoa (packed with protein and inexpensive in bulk)
2) Frozen Spinach (a great bang for your buck!!)
3) Chickpeas (again, protein and inexpensive!)
4) Frozen shrimp (bought on sale and used judiciously adds a PUNCH to less expensive dishes)
5) CHIA seeds (higher Omega 3 than salmon and pretty inexpensive in bulk)
6) Dried beans (peas, black beans, pintos, chickpeas, cranberry beans, etc) 7) Ground flax seed very inexpensive and I add it to smoothies and other foods..it is very filling and has lots of fiber and health benefits 8) I use minimal amounts of oil and add spices and water to stir fry veggies..if you let it cook down you have a tasty thick sauce. 9) I buy boneless chicken breasts and cut into strips for using in a variety of dishes..the whole breasts are usually lots cheaper than buying them already cut into filets. 10) cook your own dried beans vs buying canned (sorry for the repeat)
11) take advantage of fruits and veggies in season they are always cheaper and lots better 12) at a loss for anything else to add
I only have 4 off the top of my head. Eating healthy has saved us a lot of money. 1 we quit eating out all the time, and 2 fresh fruits, veggies etc aren't that expensive. And 1/2 our portions should be fruits and veggies. 1/4 meat and 1/4 grains (although we are gluten free, so we aren't as grain friendly as some)
13. Fresh fruits and veggies. We grow our own in pots on our patio. Seed packets are .99 and produce tons of plants.
14. Everything fresh. We do not buy any prepackaged meals, or boxed items. Not only are they costly, they are chock full of sodium and preservatives. Bad bad stuff!!
15. Lemons. I use them to flavor everything from salads (delicious) to making my own fresh lemonade, on rice, to fish and even as marinades on other meats.
16. Not an option for everyone but we only eat meat that we have hunted and processed ourselves. IE deer, duck, chicken, fish, turkey, hog, etc. We do not buy store bought meat. Once again, chock full of preservatives and hormones we don't need. Not to mention fresh meat tastes so much better!
I go to the store 3 times a week to buy any fresh veggies I need. I only buy what I will cook in the next 2-3 days. I have found there less waste this way. I only cook portions for 3. We have no leftovers, so again, less waste. Any peels from onions, bananas, bad spots on potatoes, egg shells, anything compostable, etc goes into a compost pile, therefore I have nutrient rich soil to plant my vegetables in.