If your budget's been hit hard during these tough economic times, you might find yourself swapping out expensive foods for cheaper ones. But those costly foods are often the healthier ones, says Marion Nestle, professor in the department of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. So, you might be saving some bucks, but you could be hurting your diet, and your health.

Is it possible to eat healthy on a budget? Yes, but it takes some ingenuity.

"We must avoid the temptation to turn to cheap, empty calories -- the refined grains, added sugars and added fats that give you the most calories you can get for your food dollar," says Adam Drewnowski, epidemiologist at the University of Washington's Center for Public Health Nutrition, who has been studying the cost of food per calorie.

Drewnowski and colleagues, following in the footsteps of research concluding that more affluent people are healthier, thinner and tend to consume higher-quality diets, found that higher-cost diets were lower in energy density and associated with higher nutrient intakes. Conversely, lower-cost diets were higher in energy density and contained more total and saturated fat and were lower in fiber and micronutrients. What exactly does this mean? It means that healthier foods do tend to cost more. Folks from a lower socioeconomic status, therefore, don't have the same access to nutritious and weight-friendly diets.

There are options, however, for filling your plate with healthy foods you can afford. Here are a few:

• Canned and frozen fruits and veggies. They cost less, require less preparation, and the nutrient value is as good or better than fresh varieties.
• Beans. Prepared from scratch or taken from a can, they are low cost and packed with nutrition.
• Cabbage. Shredded and raw, it contains only 17 calories per cup. Cooked: 29 calories.
  
• Apples and bananas. Apples are the perfect year-round snack, and bananas, even when overripe, can be mashed and used for breads or smoothies.
• Potatoes. Baked, boiled or steamed, potatoes are highly versatile and always nutritious.
• Pasta and rice. Make it whole wheat for just pennies more and use as a base for quick, nutritious meals.