<p>I am a student (ie, low budget, have to pay rent, take a full course load and work 3 part time jobs), but I can cook. I eat extremely healthily. And I guarantee I do not spend any more on food than any of my friends who also live on their own and eat pre-prepared, processed, cheap crap and fast food.</p>
<p>Buy frozen veggies and fruits. That way, you don’t have to worry about anything spoiling, and it 's much more cost-effective.
Buy a bag of potatoes, a bag of brown rice, and a bag of whole-grain (or brown rice) pasta.
Buy olive oil.
Buy cheap proteins: tofu/other soy products, beans, tuna, chicken legs/thighs and don’t forget the cheapest and easiest to cook protein of all… eggs! (buy Omega 3 or farm/free-range if you can)
Buy salt and pepper, garlic, chili and onions.</p>
<p>You could make a million different types of HEALTHY and CHEAP food with the above ingredients. All you need is a bit of planning-ahead and a willingness to sacrifice 15-30 minutes a day (which is really nothing!) to preparing your meals.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>