With the rising expense of living, healthy eating is becoming more expensive. As part of an occasional new series, Good Health requested dietitian, Dr. Sarah Schenker, to develop a series of inexpensive, healthy meals utilizing a variety of inexpensive pantry goods, beginning with cans this week.
Sarah Schenker states, “You can reduce the cost of any meal and increase its nutritional value by substituting fresh food for canned food.”
Canned food is typically economical, convenient, and has a lengthy shelf life, minimizing food waste costs and environmental impact. Moreover, the canning process renders many foods nutritious powerhouses.
Sarah Schenker explains, “During the canning process, cans and their contents are heated, which reduces the quantities of certain vitamins, mainly vitamin C, but locks in the remaining nutrients until the can is opened.”
This retains numerous water-soluble vitamins (including B and C), which are sensitive to heat and air and are typically lost during standard cooking and storing procedures. Protein, carbs, and fat are not altered by the process of canning. And the majority of minerals and vitamins A, D, E, and K are maintained.
Some canned foods have more nutrients than their fresh counterparts. Fish, for example, is canned hours after being caught, so you know it is fresher (and should have more water-soluble B vitamins) than fresh fish, which may have traveled substantial distances before reaching your grocery store.
Sarah Schenker asserts that the key to preparing a balanced, nutritious meal is to include a good source of protein (meat, fish, eggs, pulses), a healthy wholegrain carbohydrate (brown bread, rice, or pasta), and an abundance of veggies.
When it comes to canned foods, prices might range from 28 pence to £1.10 for a can of tomatoes. Sarah Schenker asserts that bargain cans are typically just as nutritious as luxury brands and that they are less expensive. Although the price may affect flavor due to the quality of the canned product, it does not affect nutrition.
Shakshuka
This high-protein, low-fat dish provides four of the recommended daily servings of vegetables and satisfies nutritional recommendations for a balanced, healthy meal by balancing protein (12g-17g), carbohydrates (30g-80g), fat (10g-25g), and fiber (5g-8g).
275 calories, 14g protein, 11g fat, 33g carbs, and 7g fiber per serving
Cost per portion: £1.25
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 spring onions
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 tsp each of chili flakes, cumin, and paprika
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 eggs
- A handful of chopped parsley
- 4 slices of rye bread
Cook leeks, garlic, and seasonings for 4 minutes. Add red pepper and continue cooking for 6 minutes.
Add tomatoes and purée, bring to a boil, and reduce for 5 minutes. Season as desired. Cover the mixture with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Serve with bread and garnish with parsley.
Chickpeas
About 60 pence a can
The NHS recommends 45g of protein per day for women and 55g per day for men. One can of chickpeas has 30g of protein and 24g of fiber. The NHS recommends 30g of fiber per day. Chickpeas also contain the minerals manganese, copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium.
Three heaping tablespoons constitute one of your five-a-day servings. Pulses have a low glycemic index, so they can help regulate blood sugar levels; studies indicate that regular eating may reduce the incidence of some diseases, such as colon cancer.
These can be eaten directly from the can, added to soups and stews as a substitute for meat, combined with tahini to make hummus, mashed with herbs to make falafels, or sprinkled over salads (which provide the vitamin C to help boost absorption of the iron in the chickpeas).
Curry of chickpeas and sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and spinach are rich in vitamin C and beta carotene, which are essential for a healthy immune system. This dish is high in fiber, which lowers cholesterol and aids digestion; each serving contains four of your daily five servings.
460 calories, 17g protein, 7g fat, 87g carbs, and 12g fiber per serving
Cost per portion: £1.65
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 2 tsp ginger powder (or a knob of fresh ginger peeled and grated)
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 x 400g cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 400g can of tomatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 1 bag of spinach leaves
- 200g basmati rice
- A handful of fresh coriander leaves
Seven minutes, or until the onion is soft, sauté cumin seeds, chili flakes, and onion. Add garlic and ginger and cook for an additional three minutes. To the pan, add chickpeas, tomatoes, and sweet potato.
Pour the vegetable stock over the vegetables, stir, then cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the spinach leaves, and let them wilt for one minute.
Cook the rice per the instructions on the package. Serve over rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Cans of tomatoes
About 40 pence a can
Vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium and antioxidants, including lycopene and beta carotene, are present.
One-fifth of a can counts as one of your daily five servings.
Tomatoes include antioxidants that decrease inflammation and lower blood pressure.
The canning process breaks down the cell walls of tomatoes, making their nutrients more accessible.
Cooking tomatoes with a small amount of olive oil increases the absorption of “fat-soluble” lycopene and beta-carotene.
Sardine Bolognese
This zesty pasta sauce contains affordable sardines as a protein source; oily fish is a high source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory effects and help prevent heart disease. With the addition of two cans of tomatoes and mushrooms, this dish offers three of your five-a-day servings per serving.
441 calories, 25g protein, 13g fat, 60g carbs, and 12g fiber per serving
Cost per portion: 95p
- 350g wholewheat spaghetti
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 200g mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 x 120g tin sardines in tomato sauce
- 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
- A large handful of fresh parsley, chopped
While the pasta is cooking, soften the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery by sautéing them over low heat for five minutes. Increase the heat, add the mushrooms, and simmer for an additional five minutes. Add canned sardines and tomatoes.
Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium and bubble fish for 5 minutes while stirring regularly. Serve with spaghetti topped with chopped parsley.
