You could start by getting to know the bulk-foods aisle at Madison Market, where you can find whole grains, quinoa, dried fruits, lentils and legumes of every variety, and so forth.

As for the fresh stuff, I hear ya. You probably have heard the standard line about how fair and unsubsidized prices for whole foods can't compete with the processed industrial food products. I guess I would look for some tasty and relatively inexpensive staples--leafy greens, squash, all manner of potatoes, and so forth.

I've been incredibly surprised with the inexpensive prices that go with the high-quality goods at Rain Shadow Meats in the Melrose triangle.

Good luck. I'll watch other responses with interest.

You can pick up a thrift-store crockpot (a pressure cooker would be ideal, but they're less common and more problematic, if SO MUCH EASIER for students) for about 15-20$, some in near-perfect condition.

Use 'em for slow-cooked meats, dried beans (protip: don't cook beans and lentils with acidic liquids, they'll never un-toughen) and such.

Make big stews, chilis, buy a nice pyrex pan and make casseroles. All are good for leftovers.

You can find cheap cheap veggies and cuts of meat in the ID.

free-range/happy meat/organicwise, you're going to have to limit your diet or come to terms with the balance between a student's finances and your desire for choice-y food.

If you're determined to eat everything organic, you could do well at the farmers market. Since the farmers are selling their produce direct, it can be cheaper than buying organic at the grocery store (although not cheaper than buying conventional). Go to a large farmers market (Ballard or Capitol Hill, for example), and do some price comparisons. Some vendors charge a lot for their stuff*, so don't be shy about shopping around.

Trader Joe's has some good deals for organic dairy, eggs, and meat.

You can also think strategically about which fruits and vegetables are more important to eat organic. Some fruits and vegetables are far more saturated in pesticides, you can look up the concentrations here.

You can seek out organics for the worst offenders and eat conventional for everything else. Meat can also harbor more pesticides than any produce because animals that are fed conventional grains wind up with very high concentrations of pesticides in their bodies. If you want to be price savvy, eat vegetarian as much as possible, and those times you do splurge on meat buy only organic.

*There's one guy at the Ballard Market who tries to sell chicken eggs for $10/dozen. Grocery stores rarely charge more than $5 for organic, vegetarian-feed, free-range eggs.

Hey don't knock Top Ramen, you throw an organic egg and some green beans or sprouts in there you got yourself a real meal!!!

But I hear ya, it's tough to eat well on a budget. This is why I fish. No bullshit, you live in a special place where there is still crab, salmon, trout, clams and mussels for the taking, if you're willing to work for it.

The old saying goes "God told the people of Puget Sound that no man need starve, if he can wait for low tide."

I know this isn't a realistic solution on an day-to-day basis when you're looking for a quick cheap meal after work or school, but when you have the time, get yourself out to one of our State Parks and dig some clams, or throw a trout line in Lake Washington.

Seafood is good organic protein. And hell, you don't even have to fish yourself, maybe there's a guy or gal who lives in your building or on your block who will trade you a fillet of fish for a bong rip or a couple beers. Trust me, that happens a lot around here.

Trader Joe's is a great cheap grocery store. I'm always surprised when I check out with how small the bill is.
Also, the Pike Place Market always gives me a deal when I get produce. Frank's is the one I frequent. I'm talking like 30 bucks for 2 grocery bags full of produce! Woah.
Full Circle Farms does a CSA, too. It's like 35 bucks and they can deliver it to your door. You can substitute things you don't like, and either have delivery once a week or every other.
Happy eating!

Dumpster dive at Whole Foods.

This was a big issue for me in college too... and still is, in graduate school. It never ends! But the important thing is that you're thinking about your health during a time when a lot of people definitely aren't! Some suggestions that haven't been touched on much yet: 1. Buy things seasonally. There will always be times when you're craving eggplant in December or whatever, but if you can find out what's available during different times of the year, you can save a lot of money. 2. Related to #1. when you're scoping out a farmer's market, take note of what's there in abundance. If it's new to you and you don't recognize it, take down the name and Google recipes for it to see if you want to try it. Cuts down on waste :) 3. I work in a entomology department where there is a lot of agricultural research and often faculty will instruct their students/interns to bring in excess veggies (often GMOs, just so you know) once they are doing taking samples/weighing/doing whatever with them. If your school has an agro/ento/animal science program, they might have a similar opportunity. A lot of the research here requires farming to see the effect of biocontrol measures on the health of their plants, so they won't be pesticide laden, and if the research is federally funded the veggies cannot be sold (at least in my state). We get corn, tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, squashes, eggplant, and flowers, and they are all awesome. Worth a look!

Cooking with beans and rice and along those lines can help.

Another suggestion is buying whole chickens, roaring them and using them for dinner, lunch and then making soup with a couple of days.

You can do the same with beef stew. You might also check in with the meat counter at Central Coop or the butcher near Marketspice at Pike Place Market to find cheaper cuts for soups and stews.

What about growing any of your own veggies? Or perhaps splitting a share in a CSA.