People often think that “healthy foods” can be expensive, but the truth is that some of the most nutritious foods can also be the cheapest! Here are 6 of my favorite tips to keep you eating healthy while watching your spending. Stay tuned for Part Two next week.

1. Make soup. I love soups. For one thing, they’re an easy place to throw in a ton of healthy ingredients without a ton of work. It’s also easy to stretch out several meals from one big pot. Another money-saving tip: use water instead of canned broth in soup recipes. I add back in some flavor by sprinkling extra herbs, spices, and sea salt in place of the broth.

2. Eat beans. Dried or canned, beans give you a tremendous bang for your buck. Filled with plant-based protein, beans (or legumes) offer grounding and strengthening properties that enhance endurance. They also contain a highly usable, highly absorbable source of calcium for the body. Beans are a very inexpensive source of serious nutrition. But best of all, beans are delicious, rich, and satisfying. Mix them into salads, soups, and side dishes.

3. Buy bulk bin items. Some health food stores offer bulk bin items. Bulk bins are a great way to save a ton of money. Groceries cost a lot less when they aren’t wrapped in fancy, expensive packages. And less packaging is another way to go green and help the environment. Buy your grains, nuts, beans, and spices this way if you can. Store your grains and nuts in glass jars in the fridge to keep them fresher longer.

4. Buy generic. Whole Foods’ “365″ brand of garbanzo beans costs $1.69. The competitors’ brands on the next shelf cost up to $3.99. ‘Nuff said.

5. Eat eggs. Eggs are a low-cost, delicious protein and they cook up in mere minutes. Sometimes I’ll make a simple dinner of scrambled eggs with a side of veggies and a grain or toasted whole grain bread. Plus, it’s fun to eat breakfast for dinner. Just keep in mind that eggs are the most important food in this list to buy organic, so splurge a little and get the cage-free, organic variety.

6. Eat at home. It’s not a big surprise that it costs a lot more money to eat out than it does to eat at home. But besides saving you money, cooking your own meals gives you a huge health advantage. Plus, it usually doesn’t cost that much more to double a recipe when you’ve already got most of the ingredients on hand. So make a double batch of your dinners and bring the leftovers to work for lunch. Brown-bagging your meal will save you a lot of cash over the year.