Healthy Bodega Bargains
Shopping for healthy food at the local bodega
Can any bodega be a “healthy bodega?” We wanted to see what kinds of snacks and meals were available at our local corner stores, so we did some comparison shopping. Our investigation revealed how far $1, $3, or $5 would take us—in healthy and not-so-healthy directions. To check out nutrition information, nutrition analysis, and health ratings for foods in your local bodega, go to goodguide.com
Under $1
Healthy buys:
Product: One orange
Price: 75 cents
Why it’s good for you: Fresh fruit is a terrific snack or supplement to your meal. Full of vitamins, it’s also rich in fiber, which is good for your digestive system. Eating a variety of fruits is best.
Product: Hansen’s Natural Junior Juice
Price: $1.00 for a single-serving box
Why it’s good for you: As a rule, whole fruit is better for you than juice, which is missing fiber. But looking at the label shows you this product has no added sugar and has added calcium, making it a much better choice than many other juices.
Not-so-healthy options:
Product: Nature Valley Oats N’ Honey Granola Snack Bar
Price: 97 cents
Why it’s not so good for you: The whole grain rolled oats in this bar are good for you—but its four separate sweetening ingredients are not. And one of those ingredients, high-fructose corn syrup, is a controversial concentrated sweetener that’s made in a laboratory.
Product: Swedish Fish (candy)
Price: 85 cents
Why it’s not so good for you: With lots of sweeteners and artificial flavors, and very little in the way of nutrients, products from the candy aisle should be avoided most of the time.
Under $3
Healthy buys:
Product: Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Rotini Whole Wheat Blend Pasta
Price: $2.19 for a box
Why it’s good for you: It’s low in sugar, salt, and saturated fat, and—because it’s whole wheat—it’s high in fiber. It also contains important nutrients like iron and folic acid.
Product: Dole Pineapple Slices with no sugar added
Price: $1.99 a can
Why it’s good for you: While fresh fruit is usually the best choice, canned fruit still contains lots of healthful nutrients—but be sure to look for canned fruit labeled “no sugar added” or “in its own juice.” Some fruits are canned in heavy syrup, which adds lots of concentrated sugar.
Not-so-healthy options:
Product: Nabisco Cheese Nips—Reduced-Fat Cheddar
Price: $2.99 for a box
Why it’s not so good for you: This product has 40% less fat than original Cheese Nips, but it’s high in sodium. It also contains monosodium glutamate and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, two ingredients that have been linked to health problems in some studies.
Product: Progresso Traditional Split Pea Soup
Price: $2.99 a can
Why it’s not so good for you: Peas sound pretty healthy, but many soups—including this one—are high in sodium.
Under $5
Healthy buys:
Product:
Sandwich of sliced turkey with lettuce and tomato on whole-wheat bread; Planter’s Sunflower Seeds
Price: $3.00 for the sandwich; 99 cents for seeds
Why it’s good for you: Whole wheat bread gives you more fiber and nutrients than white bread. Turkey adds protein without a lot of fat, while lettuce and tomato contribute to your recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. And sunflower seeds—like most seed and nut products—are high in protein and unsaturated fats (the “good” kind of fat). Eaten in moderation, they make a healthy snack.
Not-so-healthy options:
Product: Ham and bacon sandwich on white bread; Wise BBQ Potato Chips
Price: $3.50 for the sandwich; 99 cents for the potato chips
Why it’s not so good for you: A healthy sandwich should contain some vegetables or tomato, and two servings of meat is a lot for one meal. White bread is missing the healthy parts of the grain that are present in whole wheat bread. Potato chips are high in saturated fat and sodium, and also contain artificial colorings and monosodium glutamate, a controversial additive.
—Reporting by Rumonat Akinlolu, Suzy Berkowitz, Mohammed Hussain, Chantal Hylton, Parameshwari Maragatham, Sheila Wanda Merino, Eimarc Reyes, Jaminson Robinson, and Annmarie Turton.
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