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) and vegetables
  • lentils, beans, rice
  • mushrooms
  • chicken
  • just eat in moderation

Edit 2: Thanks for the various answers. Now there are a lot of (mostly bean-based) recipes for everyone to try out!

Also someone made a community for cheap healthy food after seeing this topic!

  • LoafyLemon@kbin.social
    3·
    2 years ago

    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. 🧅

  • GTac@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    2 years ago

    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.

  • hahattpro@lemmy.world
    2·
    1 year ago

    Buy raw material and cook yourself.

    Most premade food is expensive because:

    • labor on cooking
    • restaurant profit
    • rent of the restaurant/owner of the place sell you food
    • service
  • eduardm@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 years ago

    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.

    • nijntjefan@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      2 years ago

      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.

    • bitcrafter@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      0·
      2 years ago

      Completely agreed, though I’d also add that to get the most nutrition out of them you want to make sure that you are also eating the skins. (Personally I like the skins anyway, and not having to remove them makes them easier to cook!)

  • DancingPickle@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    Carrots. Same as potatoes. Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew. Someone already mentioned onions, same idea.

    I know your edit says you were thinking about dishes, and I think carrots can be their own dish with very little preparation. I like to bake mine on a sheet for half hour or so at 425f, and they are wonderful on their own. Also so low-calorie you can eat a practically infinite amount of them without spoiling a diet!

  • Chobbes@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    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.

    • foggenbooty@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      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.

      • Chobbes@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        2 years ago

        Yeah! Exactly! A huge amount of the best food (imo) comes from these cultures. Plus many of these dishes are also really easy to make in bulk, which is a big win too.

  • pineapplefriedrice@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    BEANS

    Addictive carbs and salt, dirt cheap, and healthy as shit. Also convenient and compatible with most dietary/ethical restrictions.

    If you learn to like beans when you’re 20 and throw it into an index fund, you’ll have a modest retirement fund just on the money you saved (yes, I calculated it based on money saved and growth of the S&P).

  • OasisStorm@kbin.social
    1·
    2 years ago

    Sweet potatoes. Very nutritious, very cheap, and taste sweet. Easy to prepare to, you can just boil or bake them for a little while without adding anything and they’re great just like that.

  • Ben@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    It depends where you live (I’m in Bangkok, so grocery choices are quite limited).

    I love Oats. I got massively back into them again this year… now I buy around 3kg every month (instant oats).

    It’s only this year, really, that I discovered that oats are still really good and creamy when not made with milk… and it’s really easy to boil a single cup of water to dump on a cup of oats for a perfect breakfast (left standing for a minute - done… no need to ‘microwave’ oats).

    Also, cheap staples include: carrots, potato, broccoli, spinach…

    Frozen strawberries are dirt cheap here too.

    Breakfast 1:

    • Instant Oats (1 cup, 1/4 tsp salt, 3tsp sugar, 3 tsp creamer)
    • pulsed to powder in the blender with a cup of boiling water poured over.
    • Blend 100ml milk with 3 strawberries and mix that in. The beauty of this is (as my son does NOT like stodgy/thick porridge) I can add an extra 100ml of milk to his breakfast, and it becomes a liquid smoothie.

    Breakfast 2:

    • Weetbix are not too cheap, but ONE biscuit mixed with ONE cup of oats is a massive breakfast - and tastes of Weetbix… and is ridiculously cheap in comparison.

    Breakfast 3

    • Oats work great with eggs…
    • 1 cup oats, some salt, some cumin (maybe a teaspoon)
    • 2/3 cup boiling water (soak a minute)
    • 2 duck eggs mixed in
    • butter up the frying pan and dump it in there, cover and cook gently for 3 minutes, flip and give them another 3 minutes.

    DIsgusting poopy one

    • 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder mixed with 4 teaspoons of non-dairy creamer + 1 cup oats
    • pulse to powder, add a cup of hot water.

    That’s choccie heaven right there.

    • McrRed@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      2 years ago

      Love your enthusiasm! Oats are a great antioxidant. My problem lies in that I was jujjing them up too much; I quickly went from low calorie health to massive oat-fest banquets - and wondered why I was putting on weight!

  • iquanyin@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    the three sisters are very nutritious. corn, beans, squash. add any spices you like, and a good oil (my faves are la tourangelle olive oil and their toasted seasame oil, sold on amazon and not expensive). salt and spices make all the difference.