More for Less | You can find healthy food for cheap at dollar stores

Editor’s Note: Because we’re all feeling the pinch of inflation, the Gazette has begun “More for Less,” a recurring list of budget-friendly things to experience and buy to help stretch your dollar a little further. 

For many Marion County residents, it’s not always easy to gain access to healthy food.

The American Heart Association reports more than 39 million Americans live more than a mile away from a grocery store or supermarket. Areas with limited access are considered food deserts, and areas with mostly processed and high-sugar-content foods available are called food swamps.

According to dietitians interviewed by Eater.com, dollar stores often fill the gap when grocery stores don’t exist in communities but also have the potential to make food inequity even worse. In Marion County, Dollar General is most prevalent in our rural areas.

If you’re a savvy shopper, you can avoid falling into the cheap junk food trap. Knowing what to buy and how to stretch your dollars can transform a mirage into an oasis when living in or traveling through a food desert.

“While you won’t find fresh fruits and veggies in every Dollar Tree location, canned and dried varieties can be just as nutritious as fresh in many cases, and can be more easily found on their shelves,” said an article on EatingWell.com. “In addition, Dollar Tree also carries whole grains, nuts and teas.”

Until another solution arises, Marion County residents in rural areas need to work with what’s available, so we’re taking a more piggy bank half-full approach to provide info on some affordable food worth checking out to feed your family at the local Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and Dollar General.

Chunk light tuna in water

Bumble Bee, 5-ounce can, $1.25 at Dollar Tree

Chestnut Hill, 5-ounce can, $1 at Family Dollar 

Starkist, 5-ounce can, $1 at Dollar General

The American Heart Association recommends one or two seafood-centered meals every week to reduce the risk of congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, stroke and even sudden death due to cardiac-related causes. Eatingwell.com reports this link is especially strong when seafood replaces less-healthy fast/processed food in an overall diet. While you shouldn’t eat it every day due to its trace mercury content (FDA recommends two-to-three times a week), chunk light tuna is keto-friendly and a source of Vitamin D, iron, protein and omega 3 fatty acids. (Note: Starkist and Bumble Bee label their cans “wild caught.”)

Outshine Fruit Bars/Outshine Simply Indulgent Fruit Bars

$4 for six-count box at Dollar General

$4.65 for six-count box at Dollar Tree

(Not available at Family Dollar)

Made with real fruit or fruit juice, Outshine frozen juice treats are refreshing on a summer day and a sensible alternative to chemical-laden popsicles and candy.

Long grain or jasmine white rice, 2-pound bags

Omega, $1.25 at Dollar Tree

Mahatma, $1.50 at Dollar General

(2-pound rice bags not available at Family Dollar)

White rice is the little black dress of cuisine. It can be dressed up fancy in a stir-fry or prepared easily with cheese and broccoli. Look for big bags over instant because you can make a batch and use it in different dishes for three to four days. Keep it in an air-tight container toward the back of the fridge to maintain maximum freshness. Side note:  If you’re not used to cooking rice in a pot on the stove, Family Dollar sells a Bene Rice Cooker for only $17.

Pinto Beans

Goya, 15.5-ounce can, $1.25 at Dollar Tree

Chestnut Hill, 15.5-ounce can, $1 at Family Dollar

Clover Valley Pinto Beans, dried, 16 ounces, $1 at Dollar General

Clover Valley 15.5-ounce can, $1 at Dollar General

“Goya Pinto Beans are an incredibly economical protein source,” said EatingWell.com, adding that pintos can be used to make Vegetarian Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes. Sautee in a drop of olive oil some onions with the beans, add spices and serve over rice. “Since they’re an excellent source of folate, eating pinto beans can support the production of healthy red blood cells. Folate can also help prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy and is an important component of a healthy diet in pregnancy,” the EatingWell article added.

Harvest Snaps Baked Red Lentil or Green Bean Snaps

$1 for 2-ounce green bean bag at Dollar General

$1.25 for 2-ounce red lentil bag at Dollar Tree

Not available at Dollar Tree

A healthier alternative to potato chips, Harvest crisps are made from red lentils that have been baked for a light, airy, and crunchy texture that pops with every bite. You can get them in a tomato basil flavor. Pack them in school lunches, your glove box for road trips or your office drawer to tide you over until dinner.

Canned Sliced Carrots, 14.5-ounce can

Clover Valley, 67 cents at Dollar General

Green Giant, $1 at Dollar General

Chestnut Hill, 85 cents at Family Dollar

(Not available at Dollar Tree)

An easy addition to soups and stews, carrots contain nutrients such as iron, potassium and calcium, and cooked carrots are higher in oxidants than raw because of their digestibility.

Pimiento Stuffed Green Olives

$1.25 for Breckenridge 7.7-ounce jar at Dollar Tree

$2.50 for Clover Valley 7-ounce jar at Dollar General

$2.50 for Chestnut Hill Manzanilla olives, 7-ounce jar at Family Dollar

Olives are a zingy addition to salads and a great ingredient in pasta dishes. They provide healthy fats and a salty thrill that’s not ideal for low-sodium regimens but a more nutritious substitute for Cheetos and other salty snacks. The little red-pepper pimiento adds a skosh of vitamin C.

General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios

$3.65 for a 10.8-ounce box at Dollar General

$3.95 for a 12.25-ounce box at Family Dollar

$1.25 for 3.5-ounce pouch at Dollar Tree

Made with whole-grain oats, which contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan, this breakfast and midnight-snack favorite may help lower the risk of coronary heart disease by possibly reducing cholesterol, research shows.