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
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    25
    ·
    1 year 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.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    15
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year 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.

  • eduardm@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    1 year 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.

    • bitcrafter@lemmy.sdf.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year 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!)

    • nijntjefan@lemmy.worldOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      1 year 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.

  • Chobbes@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    1 year 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.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year 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.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year 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.

    • lemonadebunny@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Thank you so much for the share! I love chickpeas so I’ll definitely be adding this to my recipes :)

  • ElectroVagrant@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    …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!

  • andrei_chiffa@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    1 year ago

    Yes - generally beans are both healthy (33% protein, 33% fiber, 33% carbs), cheap (dried or in cans), and can be pretty tasty, even out of cans, but if not with eggs, as part of a soup (tomatoes + grain + spices + veggies).

  • PM_ME_FEET_PICS@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    1 year ago

    Oatmeal with bananas, cinnamon, soy milk(unsweetened), flaxseed and sugar + extra fruits according to preference.

    I eat it everyday for breakfast and I never get tired of the flavor. Sometimes I even get a bit greedy and eat it more than once. It’s very filling, healthy, and cheap.

  • gon@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    1 year ago

    Mushrooms!!

    The thing with mushrooms is that they can get pretty expensive in stores, especially if you’re looking for a specific kind of mushroom. They can also be very easy to forage though, which does make them free! This is different from growing them in a private garden (which is something you can do with most produce, and requires time and resources). DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY OH YEAH BABY!!

    Fruit is definitely the best answer though.

    Also, beans!

    • ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      1 year ago

      My local LiDL often sells slightly-old 8 oz. containers of button mushrooms for $1 - much better than the $4 or $5 they cost in the higher-end grocery stores. Once they’re fried up and nicely caramelized you can’t tell the difference, and they keep for a week or more in the fridge that way.

      • macrocephalic@lemmy.fmhy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        I could eat for a week in what I’d costs to buy one McD meal. It’s wouldn’t be a very varied diet for the week but it would probably be healthier than the one McD meal.

      • hyper@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Not in Germany lol. A cheeseburger used to be 1€ now it’s at 2,29€ 💀. Cheeseburger menu costs 5,99€

    • Double_A@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      I wonder if they are actually that unhealthy. After all a burger is just meat, bread, and some veggies. Doesn’t seem that unbalanced.

      I assume the most unhealthy part there is the gallon of sugar soda that people also drink there ._.

      • ComeScoglio@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        1 year ago

        undefined> Kebab

        It’s all the additives to these otherwise quite wholesome ingredients that make them less healthy and not as nutritionally dense as they should be. McDonald’s burgers are not JUST meat, bread, and some veggies unfortunately.