Forget superfoods – these are the cheap everyday foods dietitians love

Staying fit and healthy can feel like it comes with a cost.

We're not just talking about gym memberships and meal plans, either. Food is more expensive than ever, and world events continue to push up the price of the weekly shop, with 'healthier' foods often feeling like the least affordable.

In fact, The Food Foundation's 2023 Broken Plate Report, external says 'more healthy foods are over twice as expensive per calorie as less healthy foods.'

Registered dietitian Tai Ibitoye believes there's no need to fork out for expensive 'superfoods', and that we can still eat a healthy diet on a tight budget.

When we think of 'superfoods', we tend to picture ingredients that come with plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are associated with good health.

But that could apply to any nutrient-dense food. There's isn't even an official definition for the word 'superfood' – lots of experts think it's just a marketing slogan.

To get the most health benefits from food, it's all about eating a varied, balanced diet, not a select few ingredients that some claim have super powers.

The humble potato is an often overlooked healthy and cheap food. The skin is packed with fibre and provides vitamin C,, externalvitamin B6, external, potassium, folate and iron.

If you buy in bulk, they work out cheaper, and you could cook a whole bag and freeze them (ready to reheat in the microwave) to save on energy costs.

Sweet potatoes go one better: they count towards your five-a-day and are a high fibre carb.

Wholegrain versions of things like pasta, bread and rice are also high in fibre – something most of us aren't getting enough of.

"It's recommended we should have 30g of fibre a day, external. However, most of us aren't meeting that recommendation," says Ibitoye.

While supermarkets don't always stock wholegrain varieties of every food in their budget ranges, the 500g supermarket bags of own-brand pasta tend to cost the same regardless of whether wholegrain or white.

Meanwhile, you can get budget brand porridge oats (which are all wholegrain, external) from most supermarkets. As well as porridge you can use them for overnight oats, but they're not just great for breakfast. They're handy for bulking out other meals like vegan meatballs, too.

Root vegetables like onions, carrots, cabbages and celery are often on the more wallet-friendly side. Just because they're not being called superfoods on social media doesn't mean they're not packed with nutrients.

Look for fruits and vegetables labelled 'wonky' at the supermarket – they have the same nutritional value as their more conventional-looking counterparts and are often cheaper.

Frozen and tinned fruit and veg can work out cheaper too – as well as save on waste. And they're still packed with the good stuff.

Tinned tomatoes – a base for everything from spaghetti bolognese to curries – count towards your five-a-day and most supermarkets carry them in their budget range.

Frozen mixes of veg or fruit, will help you reach your five-a-day quickly and can be cheaper than if you bought the same individual items fresh.

Dairy has increased dramatically in price over the last few years, but there are bargains to be had.

Look carefully at labels. Instead of feta, go for 'salad cheese', for instance. It will have similar levels of calcium and protein and can be used in exactly the same way.

Yoghurt is thought to have lots of health-promoting properties. Natural and Greek-style yoghurt (which tends to be higher protein) come with the most health benefits, while those which are packed with sugar are, unsurprisingly, not recommended.

Tinned oily fish and tinned pulses are great budget options that are rich in protein, says Ibitoye. And, they come with other benefits, too.

"We can get some vitamin D from our diet, but the foods that contain it are quite limited. Oily fish like sardines, mackerel and salmon have it, and fish fingers have it added in too – including budget-friendly supermarket ones.

"Oily fish also contains omega-3 fatty acids which play a role in protecting our heart and in reducing our bad cholesterol levels," says Ibitoye.

As for tinned pulses, "Kidney beans, baked beans, black eyed beans and tinned lentils are packed full of nutrients – they come with protein, iron and fibre."

Plus, they're great for padding out meals and for batch cooking, which could help you save more.

You could buy dried beans and lentils which are even cheaper and options such as red split lentils don't require a long soak, just a thorough rinse.

✓ Budget range wholegrain pasta

✓ Budget range potatoes

✓ Budget range porridge

✓ 'Wonky' root veg

✓ Budget range frozen and tinned mixed fruit and veg

✓ Budget range tinned tomatoes

✓ Budget range tinned pulses/red split lentils

✓ Budget range salad cheese

✓ Budget range natural/Greek yoghurt

✓ Tinned fish

If you, or someone you know, has been affected by hardship, debt or homelessness, there are organisations who may be able to help with advice on accessing benefits and services.

Originally published November 2022, updated April 2026.

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