Does cheap food have to be fatty food? NO NO NO.

Eating healthy most often costs more. Try and use mostly organic, free-range, wholesome, and non-modified ingredients and the bill adds up.

Dollar menus are just what they seem: CHEAP. Fast food can be a food budget savior. And while there are sensible alternatives at nearly every national chain, the majority of these fast food menus hardly qualify as "healthy" or overly nutritious from a calorie, fat and sodium perspective.

So I was irked when I read my Union Tribune Food section last evening. The front page article is titled "It Pays to Cook at Home." The article does a great job of listing cheap, easy to make meals that will feed the family. But, aside from a quick mention of adding a "steamed vegetable or green salad" the recipes are FATTY and vegetable deficient!

The article should have been titled: "Replicate Fast Food at Home and Save a Few Bucks." Cooking at home can save money and it is a great way to up the health quotient NOT lower it.

Additionally, no nutrition information is provided and 5 of the 9 meals feature red meat. Hellooooooo. Even suggesting lean ground beef, or better yet, lean ground turkey is a no-brainer for anyone trying to be more health-minded.

Let's look at each suggested meal:

1. Black Bean Tostadas with Spanish Rice. Ground beef, deep fried corn tortillas, canned refried beans, and shredded lettuce. What's to like? Nothing.

Alternative: First of all, substitute the deep fried tortillas with a regular 'ol corn tortillas and if you need a little crunch, bake them in the oven. Corn tortillas also typically yield half the calories as a flour tortilla and have less sodium. They are also much more sensible than a ready to eat tostada shell, about half the calories and no saturated fat. Next, add some veggies for crying out loud. The recipe does call for salsa, which is a good thing, but chopping up some other veggies would not spoil the budget. For those with a little time, puree or mash a can of black beans versus the refried beans. This isn't too important, because you can buy perfectly healthy refried beans without lard or other add-ins. Last, chop some spinach versus the "shredded lettuce".

2. Slilders with Onion Rings. Ground beef, American cheese, and fried onions. Well doesn't that sound like a well-rounded meal? Onions do possess antioxidant properties...

Alternative: Ground turkey, chicken or lean ground beef. Carmelize the onions rather than frying. The flavor will sing. So much better for you and better tasting. Let me know if you want a super easy recipe for the onions. They are delicious. Want to go a little more upscale? Carmelize leeks. So very yummy.

3. Potato Tortilla with Crescent Rolls. Hmm, how does a package of INSTANT 3 cheese or au gratin potatoes along with 8 eggs and 1 cup of milk sound to those trying to watch cholesterol levels? Just what the Doc did NOT order. Oh and don't forget the crescent rolls.

Alternative: Pretty much anything else. Eggs are a delightful ingredient and can be used to create wonderfully healthy and tasty meals. The above is not a good example. I personally love this spinach frittata (scroll down for recipe)

4. Italian Pork Roast with Polenta. This one has potential. However, stuffing the pork roast with sliced salami and provolone? We do approve of polenta as a sensible side. Kudos for this one, almost.

Alternative: Stuff the roast with herbs, or something spicy such as chopped spicy Italian chicken sausage. Or what about green chiles and a low-fat monterey jack? Salami? I'm still shaking my head on that one. It is loaded with saturated fat. And top the polenta with your favorite red pasta sauce for the cancer fighting lycopene.

5. Creole Meat Loaf with Mashed Potatoes. Ground beef, and potatoes with milk and butter are the recipe mainstays. (The Creole flavor comes from seasoning, ketchup and garlic.)

Alternative: Easy. First choose lean ground beef, turkey or chicken. Next, why not go South Beach and do the fake mashed potatoes with cauliflower. Or, simply make home-made French fries in the oven.

6. Tilapia with Spicy Mayo and Coconut Rice. Hooray!!! Fish made the list. And tilapia is budget friendly. However, topping this light and delicate fish with mayo?? Yep, you read correctly, the recipe calls for mixing mayonnaise with srirachi hot sauce. Sweetened coconut flakes are not too sensible, but the rice suggestion only calls for 1/2 cup.

Alternative: We like the idea of this recipe and would try the sauce with low-fat mayo. Sirachi sauce is a useful condiment and if you have not tried it, you should. It is also wonderful in home-made Asian inspired salad dressings. In terms of the starchy side, why not brown rice? That is a nutrition no-brainer.

7. Creamy Ham and Beans with Jalapeno Corn Bread. I don't like ham. It's salty and most often rubbery. However, I do like Canadian Bacon, which is basically healthy ham. I know, makes no sense.

Alternative: Use Canadian Bacon. It's very inexpensive and major grocery stores and Trader Joe's sell it packaged -- usually near the deli meats. Dice it up and throw it into soups, tortillas, egg dishes, and anywhere you fancy some salty, lean protein.

8. Linguine with Bacon and Cheese. Need we say more..."bacon" and "cheese" do not a meal make. Oh and it's in a white sauce too! And I'm sure it tastes good. Fatty and fried foods do taste good but they are not good for you!

Alternative: Anything else!

9. Fried Chicken with Baked Beans and Biscuits. Note to readers, biscuits are one of the most trans-fat laden bread items available. Skip all fast food biscuits. The store-bought variety are typically just as bad unless specifically marked as low-fat and/or trans-fat free. One Pillsbury Grand biscuit has nearly 200 calories and 9 grams of fat.

Alternative: Grill the chicken. Why fry? Unless one is quite competent at frying, grilling with spices, bbq sauce or using a marinade yields more flavor. Skip the nutritionally bankrupt biscuits and go for roasted red potatoes, brown rice mixed with salsa and black beans, or home made garlic bread using something, anything, other than a biscuit!

SO THAT IS MY RANT. Eating cheap does not have to mean eating poorly. And this article seems to suggest it does.