"I'd love to start eating better - if only I could afford it." Sound familiar? A common misconception of a balanced diet is that good, wholesome foods are prohibitively expensive.

Because of this, people are often discouraged from weight loss and maintaining a proper diet, opting instead to eat overly processed and junk foods because they assume they are the cheaper alternative.

Thankfully, this all too common idea is pure myth. It is entirely possible to balance both your diet and your checkbook, with much less effort than you would imagine.

Following are just a few examples of cheap healthy meals for you and your family to enjoy.

Fried Egg Toast

We've all had hectic mornings, and finding time to eat a healthy breakfast can be often be difficult. It's easy to just grab a doughnut at the convenience store or quickly chow down a couple pieces of greasy, cold pizza on your way out the door to work.

Sure, you might save money living off 50 cent day-old doughnuts, but there's much healthier ways to start your day, while still being frugal. Consider this cheap — not to mention extremely simple — recipe for fried egg toast.

You will need:

• 2 slices whole grain bread
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 large eggs

Simply heat your oil in a non-stick skillet on medium heat, cut out a 2-inch hole in the middle of each piece of bread, and toast to your preference. Once your toast is just right, crack open your eggs in the center of each piece of bread and cook to your liking. Feel free to garnish with vegetables or low-fat cheese.

Grilled Chicken Pita

It's the middle of the day, and you need something cheap and easy to eat before your lunch hour is up. Choosing your favorites from the fast food dollar menu might seem like a good idea, but after a while your waistline might begin to disagree.

This wonderfully fresh grilled chicken pita will cost you about the same as what you'd pay for a burger and fries, with much more nutritional bang for your buck.

You will need:

• 1 whole-grain pita
• Romaine lettuce
• 4 ounces cooked, skinless chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons low-fat Italian vinaigrette or low-fat Caesar dressing

Combine all your ingredients in a bowl, mix with your desired dressing, and serve them wrapped in two pita halves. Baby carrots or an apple make a great side for this healthy and satisfying lunch.

Black Bean Chili

Cheap, healthy meals aren't limited to easy-to-make breakfasts and nutritious fast food alternatives. You still have plenty of options when it comes to preparing a hearty family meal on the cheap. Take this delicious and satisfying black bean chili recipe for instance.

You will need:

• 1 onion, diced
• ½ lb ground turkey
• 1 bell pepper
• 16 ounce can of black beans
• 14 ounce can of chicken broth
• 16 ounce can of tomatoes

Heat onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ground turkey in a sauce pan on medium heat for 6 minutes or until you are sure the turkey is thoroughly cooked. Crumble the turkey and add canned beans, tomatoes, and half of the chicken broth. Stir until the chili reaches a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for a half an hour. This chili is an incredibly easy, cheap, and healthy option for when you have more than one mouth to feed, and the leftovers make a great lunch the next day. Two cheap healthy meals in one!

What are your favorite budget-friendly and healthy meals? Let us know in the comments below!