When it comes to our food budget, sticking to it can be the most difficult part. Of course, we have 5 kids, so that doesn’t help at all! But, what helps us save money the most is stocking up on some of our favorite superfoods. These foods help build our immunity, which keeps us healthy, which in turn, means very little, to no, medical bills. I am all about saving money wherever I can, so these awesome budget friendly foods really help out.
Turmeric
Turmeric is one of my absolute favorite spices to keep on hand. I even put it in my coffee in the morning!
This is because it is extremely diverse in its uses. But, the flavor profile is quite pronounced. So, for some of us, it may take a little while to become accustomed. But once you do, you will love what it does for your body!
Turmeric has been used in Eastern cultures for thousands of years for its medicinal properties. When you see Indian food dishes that have a yellowish tint to them, you know there is turmeric in there.
There are so many health benefits to adding turmeric to your diet, that you really can’t go wrong. Some of the major health benefits of turmeric are:
- Antioxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Increases neural function
- Increases memory
- Reduces risk of heart disease
- Reduces and potentially eliminates cancer cells
- Anti-depressant
- Delay aging and aging related diseases
This little yellow spice is really a huge superfood! However, in order to get the best benefits out of adding turmeric to your diet, make sure you consume it with a fatty meal (or coconut milk in your coffee) or black pepper.
Black Pepper
Black pepper is a go-to spice for us. We use it in pretty much every dish we make, including some desserts. And, as previously mentioned, it should be used with any turmeric dishes in order to activate the turmeric. When the two are combined, the amount of turmeric that is bioavailable to you goes from approximately 3% to 2000%. That is a huge jump in bioavailability!
But that is not the only thing black pepper is good for. In fact, black pepper has a lot of the same health benefits as turmeric. Some of the most common health benefits of black pepper are:
- Antioxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Increases memory
- Decreases degenerative brain diseases
- Improves blood sugar metabolism
- Lowers cholesterol levels
- Fights cancer cells
- Boosts nutrient absorption
- Increases good gut bacteria
- Reduces pain
- Appetite suppressant
Now, I don’t know about you, but I like all of those things! And, black pepper can be extremely cheap to purchase. So, why on earth wouldn’t you put it in everything you could?
Cinnamon
One of my other favorite spices to add to my morning coffee is cinnamon. I just love the flavor of it, especially when it is combined with turmeric. While we have a lot of cinnamon on hand, we don’t use it as much as the other two previously mentioned spices. But, it can be just as budget friendly to pick up at the store. So that is a huge bonus!
Our favorite thing to put cinnamon in, besides coffee, is overnight oats. The kids love it in the morning and have no idea that we are giving them a ton of medicinal benefits with their breakfast. This is what I call a parenting win!
Some of the most common health benefits of cinnamon are:
- Antioxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Reduces risk of heart disease
- Reduces insulin resistance (Great for those with Type II Diabetes)
- Decreases degenerative brain diseases
- Fights cancer cells
- Anti-fungal
- Anti-bacterial
We not only use it in food, but make our own cleaning spray with cinnamon essential oil in it. This is due to its extremely strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. And it works like a charm!
Star Anise
While star anise does not seemed to be used as widely, including in our house, it is also a powerhouse. Star anise has a licorice flavor profile, so it can be a bit harder to use on a daily basis. Unless you are a big lover of licorice, that is!
However, it can still be added to coffee, savory dishes and desserts. So this is a spice to help you get creative with your cooking.
It can be found at most grocery stores, so it’s not too difficult to track down. And the cost is similar to cinnamon, so you won’t be breaking the bank.
Some of the best health affects of star anise are:
- Antioxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antimicrobial
- Antiviral
- Antifungal
- Antibacterial
Since it has so many great properties, this is another essential oil that we include in our household spray. The combination of cinnamon and star anise alone will kill anything our kids drag in.
Algae
Algae is one of my more recent superfood additions. A couple of years ago I ran across some really great information, including a wealth of scientific studies, about algae. The nutritional and health benefits of spirulina and chlorella are out of this world!
Since I found this information, and did more of my own scientific digging, we now incorporate algae every morning before our coffee. In fact, some of the kids ask for it too! Which is really great for our picky eaters. At least then, I know they are getting some essential vitamins, minerals and nutrition into them for the day.
Some of the most common health benefits of algae are:
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin A
- Iron
- Omega 3
- Vitamin K
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Protein
- Anti-depressant
- Reduces and potentially eliminates cancer cells
- Boosts immune system response
- Helps with proper digestion
- Boosts energy levels
- Reduces appetite
- Builds muscle
- Strengthens hair, nails, skin and bones
As you can see, when it comes to superfoods, algae really is the OG! But, algae can be a bit more expensive than the other items on this list. So, we take it in moderation just to maintain our level of wellness, which helps keep withing our budget.
Most awesome budget friendly foods
Overall, there are some really awesome budget friendly foods our there that you can incorporate in your daily regimen. And most of these are so cheap, and stretch really far, so you won’t even feel it. This means you get to boost your overall health, reduce potential illness and medical bills and stick within your budget. So what’s not to love?
Have you tried any of these awesome budget friendly foods yet? If so, what are your favorites and how do you usually incorporate them into your diet?