Get all the fiber you need in a day without breaking the bank and without relying on fiber supplements with this list of cheap high fiber foods.
Fiber making a come back
For several years now, protein has been the hot item that everyone has been chasing to get in their diet. Protein has been making its way into just about everything! While I am a big protein fan myself, I'm glad to see that another player is arriving on the scene as an essential piece of the puzzle that we need in our diets alongside protein: fiber!
People are seeking fiber for its potential health benefits of heart disease prevention, cholesterol control, blood sugar regulation, weight loss, gut health, and more.
My main concern in this space is to help you eat well on a budget, no matter what your diet. So if you are trying to increase your fiber, but it feels out of reach financially, I'd love to help! Most fruits and vegetables contain fiber, but you may be surprised at the fiber content of your food. Spoiler alert: salads are not very high in fiber like I thought! Below are my picks for high fiber foods that provide the most bang for your buck.
Cheap high-fiber foods
Beans: Beans pack a huge fiber punch and they are so cheap, especially if you cook them from dried. Fiber per ½ c. (cannellini beans 10g , pinto beans 8g, kidney beans 8g, black beans 8g, lima beans 6g, chickpeas 6g)
Split peas: Also in the legume family, split peas are very high in fiber as well with 8g of fiber per ½ c.
Lentils: Lentils are so cheap and versatile and come in a variety of colors. Red, brown and green lentils have about 9g of fiber per ½ c.
Oats: If you aren't into beans/legumes, maybe you can get more excited about oats. Also a super economical food, oats contain about 4 g of fiber per ½ c. dried oats.
Apples: Apples are a great inexpensive fresh fruit and an easy portable option for school lunches or snacks. Each medium apple contains 4.4g of fiber.
Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes taste great, are easy on the wallet and are a good side dish for dinner. One cup of sweet potatoes contain 4g fiber.
Quinoa: Quinoa is a grain that contains both protein and fiber. I love to make salads with it to have for lunch throughout the week. One cup of cooked quinoa contains 5g fiber.
Broccoli: Roasted broccoli is awesome for a dinner side dish. A 148g serving contains 3.8g fiber.
Pears: Pears are one of the leading fruit sources of fiber containing 6g per medium pear.
Bananas: You can't beat the price of bananas. While they aren't the highest source of fiber, 3.1g per medium banana is pretty good.
Chia seeds: While you may not see chia seeds as cheap, a bag of chia seeds can last a very long time! A single tablespoon contains 5g of fiber.
Whole grain high fiber bread: Whole grains are another good source of fiber and bread is an easy way to get fiber into the diet. Aldi's Simply Nature Graintastic bread contains 5g per slice.
Whole grain pasta: Including whole grain pasta can bump up the fiber as well, and pasta is almost always economical. Each serving can contain 5-7g per serving depending on the brand.
Avocado: Aldi has great prices on avocados. They also go a long way in the fiber department so they can stretch out over multiple servings. Half an avocado contains 6-7g of fiber.
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of fiber sources, but they are ones that I feel provide the most fiber for the money spent. Berries, especially raspberries, are an excellent source of fiber as well but they are more expensive. If you are on a budget, frozen works great!
How much fiber should I eat a day?
The number of grams of fiber that you should get a day depends on several different things like sex and age.
The current dietary guidelines state 25 g for women, 38g for men daily fiber intake.
How to get 30g of fiber a day
It can feel daunting getting enough fiber if you aren't used to eating many fiber-rich foods. It doesn't have to be complicated or hard though. With some strategic tweaks, you can boost the fiber content of your daily intake easily.
Aim for 7-8 grams of fiber per meal. Try simple swaps like instead of white bread, try a high fiber bread. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in all your meals instead of chips. Opt for higher fiber vegetables instead of salads that don't contain as much fiber. Include beans and legumes as your carb source in at least one of your meals which pack a huge fiber punch!
An easy way to get 30+ g of fiber a day:
- Breakfast: high fiber toast with ¼ avocado, 2 eggs and ¼ c. cottage cheese
- Lunch: Mexican chicken bowl (Mexican spiced chicken, ⅓ c. black beans, shredded cheddar, salsa, ¼ avocado)
- Dinner: 4 oz. protein of choice (chicken, beef, fish, pork), 1 c. sweet potato, 1 c. broccoli
- Snack: apple with 1 T. peanut butter
I hope this helps you see how you can get more fiber in your diet even on a budget!
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