Eating well does not have to cost a fortune! I know this first hand.
When I went back to school to become a Dietitian I was on a strict budget. However, I still was able to maintain my healthy eating habits. Here are my 6 tips on how to eat healthy on a budget:
- Buy dry goods in bulk – look for large packages of dry goods. You can get dry beans, lentils, whole grains, in larger quantities. This is also true of organic meats. Usually things are cheaper in large quantities. You can go to stores like Costco, BJ’s or another warehouse store that you can buy things in bulk.
- Look for non meat sources of protein: if you can tolerate beans, lentils, and legumes I would say incorporate more of these foods in your diet along with the regular meat sources.
- Frozen is a good option if you can’t get it fresh. Now we are in summer so there is a lot more option of veggies. When the fall and winter months set in I like to opt for frozen veggies if I can’t get fresh. Frozen is fresher than fresh sometimes and flash frozen on the spot. I like to get frozen veggies to have in my freezer for those last minute dishes.
- Order online- sometimes online retailers have better deals than the food stores. Especially for those organic products. Companies like VitaCost, Thrive Market, and Amazon
offer great deals on a ton of dry goods and organic products that may be expensive in your local supermarket. You can also use Ebates and get money back for shopping at some retailers like (VitaCost) - Eat at home– eating out can add up and be expensive even when you are getting lunch deals. I have also come to find that organic or healthy places tend to be more expensive. You can eat well at home on a budget. If you like eating out at limit it to only once in awhile if you can.
- Buy local and only what is in season – The seasonal produce is a lot cheaper than out of season. You can get cabbage for only 0.70-0.90 a pound. Now we are lucky because it is summer and there are a lot more local vegetables for sale. Go to farmer’s markets and local farms to get the best prices. Better yet start your own garden and get them for the best price FREE! Worried about organic just stick to the dirty dozen? I know a lot of people are worried about pesticides in their produce but you really only need to buy organic for the dirty dozen, grass fed meat, and dairy (these you can buy in bulk to save)
offer great deals on a ton of dry goods and organic products that may be expensive in your local supermarket. You can also use 12 Most Contaminated
Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Grapes (Imported)
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes
12 Least Contaminated
Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn (Frozen)
Pineapples
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas (Frozen)
Kiwi Fruit
Bananas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Papaya
Want more tips on how to make the most of your budget with a healthy diet? Comment below or send me a message!