Cost Effective Health the Nutritarian Way, Part 2

So having stated the three foundation principles, here's my very own top ten list of specific practices for cost effective implementation, including foods, techniques, habits and tools. Please feel free to substitute your own.

1. Cabbage. Nothing on grocery store shelves beats it for consistent low price and high nutrient density. I often find it for 25 cents per pound, and I can usually find it for 49 cents or under. I almost never pay as much as 89 cents, partly because when I find it for less, I buy a bunch and just keep it in the fridge.

Oh, sorry there, got ahead of myself.............

2. Buy great stuff in bulk. When you find a great deal on high nutrient food, get lots of it and preserve it. This applies across all other items on the list.

Here's some examples:

About nine months ago when apples were super cheap, I bought five 40 pound cases. They were in my refrigerator and my garage, and the cool weather where I live is a factor in being able to preserve these so long. So is the type of apple - these are Braeburn's and seem to store exceptionally well.

Something else I tend to buy in quantity and keep and use for a long time is bananas. Often I'll go into a store and ask for a case of over-ripe bananas. I take them home and freeze them in zip-lock bags, and use 'em in smoothies and desserts. A case lasts me well over six months.

Cabbage also stores well, especially in a refrigerator.

Dry beans store well for me for five years and beyond.

Flax seeds, sunflower seeds and nuts all store well in my freezer for up to several years.

3. Make it yourself. Sure, you can wander into Whole Paycheck Market (er, I mean Whole Foods Market) and get lots of wonderful, even exquisite pre-made foods, grass-fed, free-range animal products, and certified organic everything. You may not afford a home payment, but you'll eat mighty fine!

Not that I mean to pick on Whole Paycheck. 98% of all foods at all American grocery stores are pre-cooked, pre-packaged, and nutritional junk (Whole Paycheck I rate at 95%).

Dried beans are a very cheap, inexpensive convenience food, if you buy them in a 25 lb. bag, cook them yourself in a pressure cooker (ready in 45 minutes, or takes three to five minutes to pull a container out of the freezer and defrost them, since you'll want to freeze the excess you don't immediately use).

So that's it for now. Next time we'll make it to ten.