Ally's Fit Tips - Eat Healthy on a Budget!

Ally’s Fit Tips

Healthy Eating on the Cheap

As food prices increase, more people are looking for ways to save money on their food bill but still eat a healthy diet.  While it is true that healthy food can cost more than unhealthy food, you do not have to break the bank in order to feed yourself and your family good nutrition. In fact, with careful planning, you will probably find that you save money by eating healthy.  Prepared and restaurant foods are not only unhealthy, but dollar for dollar it is generally more expensive than cooking from scratch.

Here are some tips to help you eat healthy on a budget.

1.  Eat less meat.  One of the most expensive things in a grocery store, ounce for ounce, is meat.  Unless you find a great sale on meat, you are better off eating meat occasionally rather than daily.  A little meat can go a long way.  For example, instead of putting a whole roast into the oven for one meal, cut it up into four or five smaller portions and freeze them.  The meat can then be used in several meals, rather than just one.  For example, you can use the meat in meals such as vegetable beef soup, stir fry, a casserole, salads and lettuce wraps.

2.  Drink water.   Prepared beverages are not only unhealthy, but they are pricey as well.  You will save a lot of money if you stop purchasing prepared drinks and simply drink water instead.  If you really can’t live without your diet soda or your latte, then make it a once a week treat rather than daily. 

3.  Try generic brands.  Many generic brands of food taste just as good as name brand, but at a fraction of the cost. 

4.  Take your lunch.  You can prepare your lunches at home much more frugally than you can purchase them out.  Invest in a good thermos and cooler, so that you can transport all kinds of food.  Consider preparing extra food at dinner so that there will be leftovers for lunch the next day.

5.  Grow your own food.  If you have a yard or even a patio, you can grow your own vegetables.  Vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and peppers grow just fine in pots. Herbs are easy to grow in pots and great to have on hand as well.  

6.  Shop farmers’ markets.  Local farmers and gardeners often like to sell their extra produce, and you may be able to find great prices on your favorite foods.

7.  Shop online.  You may be able to buy some foods online much more cheaply than you can buy them from your local store.  Check prices and be sure to factor in shipping costs when making your comparison.  I like to purchase organic coconut oil and other products from vitacost.com.