By Larkin Clark for Well+GOOD
When Leanne Brown, then a master's degree candidate in food studies at New York University, posted her capstone project online, she had no idea it would go viral, let alone turn into an actual book.
The collection of healthy, budget-friendly recipes was originally geared toward those living on the daily $4 allowance provided by the U.S. government's food stamp program. But--judging from the 100,000 downloads her PDF cookbook received in the first few weeks--it clearly spoke to a wider audience.
That early success prompted Brown to launch a Kickstarter campaign to self-publish it as an actual book; the second edition, Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day was released this summer with Workman Press, again to rave reviews.
Why is has it been so successful? Brown thinks one reason is that she busts through the myths that cooking is hard and eating well is expensive.
"Healthy foods are actually really inexpensive in this country, and it takes very little time and know-how to make something even better than the boxed and fast foods out there," says Brown. "That's something I so badly want to share with people. I want to make them feel empowered in the kitchen."
Good and Cheap isn't just about sticking to a budget--it's also about finding pleasure in making and eating nutritious meals. The recipes drive that home: think breakfast quinoa, hearty potato leek pizza, salads where popcorn plays a culinary role. And with the help of her publisher, Brown has partnered with hundreds of non-profits to donate a copy of Good and Cheap to someone in need for every copy that's sold.
Brown gave us five super helpful tips for getting the most out of your next trip to the grocery store--no matter what budget you're working with. Click here to see them all!
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