I have a theory that there is a impossible trinity (like in economics), where a food cannot be delicious, cheap and healthy at the same time. At maximum 2 of the 3 can be achieved.
Is there any food that breaks this theory?
Edit: I was thinking more about dishes (or something you put in your mouth) than the raw substances
Some popular suggestions include
- fruits (in season)
- lentils
Onion. It’s cheap, nutritious, acts as a low-key anti bacterial solution, can be served in a multitude of ways, or eaten raw.
Subscribe for more onion facts. 🧅
Subscribed.
Subscribe for more onion facts. 🧅
Be careful what you offer, 'cause that’s actually a thing on ActivityPub (nothing’s stopping anyone from following you as a user, Mastodon-style).
eaten raw
You, sir, are a monster.
Hmm time for a snack
Takes a bite from a raw onion like an apple
Tony abbott is that you?
Listen for some of us that’s a delicacy.
Great fashion accessory too
Followed. Don’t let me down!
I thought your facts would lean more towards the lemon lifestyle.
Stop
Well, something being delicious is subjective, but if we assume a “general acceptance” of most delicious foods, potatoes could fit easily. They can be cooked in all kinds of ways, are very nutritious and, again, pretty much everyone says they’re delicious.
That’s a good point, but even within potatoes there is perhaps still a trade-off between “delicious” and “healthy”. As in steamed potatoes without sauces or stuff is kind of meh, while french fries are not that healthy.
Oven-baked potatoes is where it’s at.
Or boil it in chunks and serve it with fried onions and mushrooms.
I don’t even like french fries that much. Steamed potates, or baked ones by the campfire, I’m all in.
Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew…
You already mentioned them, but I’m a huge fan of lentils. They go with so much stuff and you can combine them with a variety of spices. Give me any leftover ingredients and some lentils, and I’ll cook up something delicious. I can and will eat lentil soup for days.
They are also a pretty solid crop, they can grow in a variety of climates, require little water and are good for the soil.
Vegetable soup. I know it sounds boring but you’d be surprised at just how nice vegetables in water with salt can taste.
And then there is mc Donald’s and similar chains. They managed to avoid all three of those things
potato
…Do we have a community yet for sharing cheap, healthy food recipes? I’d say cooking, but I don’t want to get into all the back & forth over what counts as cooking/baking/frying/etc.
Maybe /c/cheaphealthymeals? Or maybe cheapgoodmeals would be better? 🤔
Whatever the case, I think it’d be a solid idea for a community for exchanging recipes and tips!
I just made one! https://lemmy.world/c/cheaphealthyfood
Can I kindly suggest maybe making a guideline post as to what constitutes “healthy”? It was really sad to see all of the people on the previous sub posting their supposedly “healthy” meals that weren’t anywhere close to healthy. I get that there’s a need to leave room for people who are starting at zero and still improving, but it also shapes people’s perceptions in a very real and misguided way. If reliably sourced and well moderated that would make the space a lot better.
Great idea! I agree, it’s such a good point.
The problem with those broad strokes “healthy eating” subs is that people post stuff that isn’t actually healthy by any stretch. To an extent it’s relative, but for the most part it just goes to show you how many things are perceived as healthy when they’re not that far from just eating takeout.
Mm, and the same can be said of “good eats” kinda stuff. There’s a reason I didn’t jump right into making one personally (this being one, the other being I’m very basic with food).
deleted by creator
So… Are you just unaware of fruits, vegetables, and legumes, haha? In my opinion there’s a huge amount of food that fits all three categories. One of the best example of cheap, delicious, healthy, and easy is beans and rice, spiced up however you like.
Yup. Mexican, Indian, a lot of cuisine from poorer countries figured this out long ago. Beans or lentils over rice with the right spices, incredible. The restaurant version will add a lot of fat and heavy cream but if you make it yourself you can adjust that so it’s not unhealthy.
My first thought was just just “Bananas?” Lol
Chick pea curry.
When I was in college, I had the rule of not buying anything that is >$1.50 per pound. This is what I was reduced to (prices may be different now due to inflation and geo area):
- Apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries when they are on sale
- Milk, yogurt
- Pork shoulder, chicken quarters, thighs, drumsticks
- ground pork, ground beef
- Carrots, broccoli, potatoes, cabbage (you’ll be surprised at how good thinly sliced cabbages taste in a sandwich)
Well chicken maybe as it is the most cheap meat. And it is subjective, but something like chicken soup (if cooked at home) can be relativly cheap and really delicious.
Also, just thought about it - fruits and berries also easily break this trinity
While I also like chicken, the more delicious chicken tends to be pricy (as in the cheap chicken is often bland in taste - but I’ll concede that’s kind of splitting the hair.
But you’re probably right about fruits.
Take some cheap dark meat and make Chicken Adobo. You need vinegar, soy, garlic, sugar, black pepper, and bay leaves and eat it with white rice and steamed veggies. You can use pretty much any vinegar and soy, though there is a traditional Filipino brand.
It requires more effort but buying chicken that is minimally processed is fairly cheap and far tastier. The bones can be saved for soups and stocks and at least breast are really easy to debone.
Meat is an expensive luxury product
egg
Hi everyone, this post inspired me to make a community about this topic! https://lemmy.world/c/cheaphealthyfood
Ah yes, a food that you can eat for three days without pooping while you stay in a tent?
