Do you feel like you can’t afford to eat healthy? Good news! A nutritious, healthy diet can be affordable if you know how to make it happen. Let’s look at what foods to buy and how to get the most out of what you spend money on.
Foods that are rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, water, and fibre will keep you satiated and are the best prevention from any long-term deficiencies. Nutrient-poor, processed junk foods give you calories but not much else and they make it easy to overeat and spend more. Your best option is to focus on whole foods. Check out the graphic below to see some of the most affordable yet nutrient-dense foods you can find. If these make up the majority of your shopping cart at the store, you’re doing it right.
Cooking at home is simply a lot less expensive than eating out. The cost of ingredients is often less than a third of what you’d pay, even in a cheap restaurant. Cooking big batches on the weekend is probably the most cost-effective thing to do but even if you enjoy whipping up something simple every day, you will still save a lot. Plus, cooking at home makes it easier to make healthier choices. You have to plan, shop, and prep, there’s not much chance for a spontaneous splash just because you passed a pizzeria at your lunch break.
Here's How To Eat Healthy For A Week With Just $50
– Pack your own lunch. Cook in bulk and use the leftovers as your lunch at work. You will be amazed how much this simple change saves in the long run. Make your own sauces, dressings, and seasonings. For example, all vinaigrettes are simply 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar plus the spices and herbs of your choice.
Choose a day to plan your meals for the upcoming week on and stick to it. You will then be able to easily make a grocery list for the ingredients you need, which will eliminate buying too much and letting food go to waste. If you want inspiration, check out one of our previous shopping lists here.
Freezer will be your friend from now on. Especially when you cook in bulk or shop discounted foods that would spoil soon. The trick is to always freeze things in portions so you have an easy time reheating exactly how much you will use. Here are a few ways your freezer will help you save money on healthy food.When you’re on a budget, grocery shopping can provide a lot of financial stress. In fact, the idea that healthy food is expensive is one of the most common objections people have about improving their diet. While the cost of food continues to increase, there are some simple strategies that you can implement to help eat healthy on a budget without forgoing finances.
Creative Ways To Eat Healthy Food Even When Your Budget Is Tight
Put simply, “healthy eating” is consuming a diet of primarily whole foods that provides a good balance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in a calorie intake that supports your overall health, while allowing room for indulgence and treats.
And, while there is a common misconception that eating well needs to cost a lot of money, the reality is that eating healthy does not need to be expensive. In fact, you can eat well without stretching your budget with a little know-how. Ultimately, it comes down to planning, comparing, cooking, and minimizing waste.
Prioritizing whole foods can help you stick to your budget while prioritizing your health at the same time. Unprocessed whole foods, such as grains, legumes, produce, dairy, and meat, are often less expensive than their fully prepared or highly processed counterparts. For instance, per serving, oats are cheaper than cereal, a block of cheese is cheaper than shredded cheese, and a bag of rice of cheaper than a packet of ready rice. Moreover, calorie per calorie, whole foods are more nutrient-dense than hyper-processed foods, which makes them more satisfying, satiating, and filling overall (1, 2). For instance, although a bag of chips may be less than or similar in price to a bag of apples, snacking on apples is far more nourishing and filling than snacking on chips.
Budget Friendly Ways To Eat Healthy
The debate as to whether to buy organic food is a big and complex one and, while there are definitely benefits to supporting local, organic farmers, whether you choose to buy organic food is a personal choice. It’s important to understand that whole foods – organic or not – are nutrient-dense foods. In fact, several independent studies have shown that, while consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, there are no significant health or nutritional differences between food grown conventionally versus organically (3). So, if you’re trying to eat healthy on a budget, just prioritize whole foods and don’t stress over whether they are organic or not.
Here’s the deal, there is no such thing as a superfood. The term “superfood” is not a scientific term, it’s a marketing term used to describe foods thought to be exceptionally dense in nutrition. The reality is, ALL whole foods are “super” foods and while, yes, some whole foods are more nutrient-dense than others, all whole foods contain nutrients. Cacao nibs, spirulina, maca, and bee pollen are all wonderful, but if they are not in the budget you don’t need to stress over it. There is no need for a $20 smoothie with fresh dates from Morocco, organic Mexican chia seeds, and salt from the Himalayan mountains, when a simple bowl of oatmeal will do the trick.
Contrary to popular belief, frozen whole food is healthy. Freezing vegetables, as well as fruit, meat, and seafood, is simply a method of food preservation that allows us to store fresh foods, reduce spoilage, and save food for a later time when they are no longer in season. In fact, freezing food is one of the best methods of food preservation as it puts a hold on moisture loss, nutrient loss, and growth of microorganisms. By the time you pick up a fresh vegetable or fruit at the grocery store, it might have already lost between 15-60% of some vitamins, namely vitamin C, depending on when it was picked, when it was shipped, and how long it’s been sitting on the grocery store shelf, while the same vegetable or fruit usually loses no more than 20% of vitamins when frozen (4). Although fresh, local, seasonal produce is always the best option, frozen is a fantastic choice.
How To Eat Healthily On A Budget
Buying certain foods, such as whole grains, flour, nuts, and seeds, in bulk can save you a ton money. There are lots of stores that specialize in this alone, as well as plenty of online websites you can purchase from. While there might be a larger initial outlay of money, buying in bulk helps you control the cost per serving, as buying them in small quantities can get quite costly since the packaging alone can cost up to 15% of the price.
Although buying prepared foods can save time in the kitchen, raw ingredients are much more budget-friendly. For instance, serving per serving, a bag of raw black beans is much cheaper than a can of black beans. Purchasing non-perishable foods in their raw format, including beans, lentils, chickpeas, pasta, rice, oats, corn, wheat berries, and barley, is a great way to save money on a tight budget. And the same goes for herbs, as dried herbs work just as well in recipes are fresh herbs, are a fraction of the cost, and keep much longer.
Root vegetables are so underrated! Root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, turnips, and celeriac are incredibly nutritious, filling, versatile, and extremely budget-friendly. A bag of potatoes can last for up to several months in a cool pantry and be included in a wide variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while providing a significant of vitamins C, B6, and other nutrients, including fiber, which helps to support digestion and appetite regulation. Root vegetables work well in soups and stews, salads, and roasted as a simple side dish.
Eating On A Budget Poster, N1028
When opting for meats, buy the less popular cuts. Chicken thighs, whole chicken, whole fish, ground meat, stewing cuts, and organ meats are far more affordable than more popular cuts. Ironically, in many cases, the less popular cuts of meat, especially bone-in meats and organ meats, are more nutrient-dense and satiating as well. Plus, if you’re willing to make a long-term investment and get a little creative in the kitchen, buying a whole cow or pig, or opting into a meat share from your local farmer, CSA, or butcher can save you a ton of money.
In addition to buying less popular cuts of meat, eating less meat overall can help you eat healthy on a budget. Swapping your favorite meat proteins for plant-based protein, such as tofu, beans, or lentils, can allow you to create a similar meal for a fraction of the cost. For instance, a humble cup of dry beans can easily cook into a 6-serving bean soup, while some lentils can create
The debate as to whether to buy organic food is a big and complex one and, while there are definitely benefits to supporting local, organic farmers, whether you choose to buy organic food is a personal choice. It’s important to understand that whole foods – organic or not – are nutrient-dense foods. In fact, several independent studies have shown that, while consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, there are no significant health or nutritional differences between food grown conventionally versus organically (3). So, if you’re trying to eat healthy on a budget, just prioritize whole foods and don’t stress over whether they are organic or not.
Here’s the deal, there is no such thing as a superfood. The term “superfood” is not a scientific term, it’s a marketing term used to describe foods thought to be exceptionally dense in nutrition. The reality is, ALL whole foods are “super” foods and while, yes, some whole foods are more nutrient-dense than others, all whole foods contain nutrients. Cacao nibs, spirulina, maca, and bee pollen are all wonderful, but if they are not in the budget you don’t need to stress over it. There is no need for a $20 smoothie with fresh dates from Morocco, organic Mexican chia seeds, and salt from the Himalayan mountains, when a simple bowl of oatmeal will do the trick.
Contrary to popular belief, frozen whole food is healthy. Freezing vegetables, as well as fruit, meat, and seafood, is simply a method of food preservation that allows us to store fresh foods, reduce spoilage, and save food for a later time when they are no longer in season. In fact, freezing food is one of the best methods of food preservation as it puts a hold on moisture loss, nutrient loss, and growth of microorganisms. By the time you pick up a fresh vegetable or fruit at the grocery store, it might have already lost between 15-60% of some vitamins, namely vitamin C, depending on when it was picked, when it was shipped, and how long it’s been sitting on the grocery store shelf, while the same vegetable or fruit usually loses no more than 20% of vitamins when frozen (4). Although fresh, local, seasonal produce is always the best option, frozen is a fantastic choice.
How To Eat Healthily On A Budget
Buying certain foods, such as whole grains, flour, nuts, and seeds, in bulk can save you a ton money. There are lots of stores that specialize in this alone, as well as plenty of online websites you can purchase from. While there might be a larger initial outlay of money, buying in bulk helps you control the cost per serving, as buying them in small quantities can get quite costly since the packaging alone can cost up to 15% of the price.
Although buying prepared foods can save time in the kitchen, raw ingredients are much more budget-friendly. For instance, serving per serving, a bag of raw black beans is much cheaper than a can of black beans. Purchasing non-perishable foods in their raw format, including beans, lentils, chickpeas, pasta, rice, oats, corn, wheat berries, and barley, is a great way to save money on a tight budget. And the same goes for herbs, as dried herbs work just as well in recipes are fresh herbs, are a fraction of the cost, and keep much longer.
Root vegetables are so underrated! Root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, turnips, and celeriac are incredibly nutritious, filling, versatile, and extremely budget-friendly. A bag of potatoes can last for up to several months in a cool pantry and be included in a wide variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while providing a significant of vitamins C, B6, and other nutrients, including fiber, which helps to support digestion and appetite regulation. Root vegetables work well in soups and stews, salads, and roasted as a simple side dish.
Eating On A Budget Poster, N1028
When opting for meats, buy the less popular cuts. Chicken thighs, whole chicken, whole fish, ground meat, stewing cuts, and organ meats are far more affordable than more popular cuts. Ironically, in many cases, the less popular cuts of meat, especially bone-in meats and organ meats, are more nutrient-dense and satiating as well. Plus, if you’re willing to make a long-term investment and get a little creative in the kitchen, buying a whole cow or pig, or opting into a meat share from your local farmer, CSA, or butcher can save you a ton of money.
In addition to buying less popular cuts of meat, eating less meat overall can help you eat healthy on a budget. Swapping your favorite meat proteins for plant-based protein, such as tofu, beans, or lentils, can allow you to create a similar meal for a fraction of the cost. For instance, a humble cup of dry beans can easily cook into a 6-serving bean soup, while some lentils can create
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