Planning your meals and doing your grocery shopping on a budget is not always easy and committing to clean eating seems even harder when trying to be cost conscious. If you are living on a tight budget and are still determined to eat healthy for every meal, fear not, as there are several ways to improve your health while staying within your spending limit. Here are ten tips for eating healthy on the cheap and how you can apply them to your diet and food preparation routine.
Contents
- 1 1. Buy Fresh Produce When It’s In Season
- 2 2. Purchase Produce That’s On Sale and Freeze It
- 3 3. Dehydrate Healthy Foods for Easy Snacking
- 4 4. Buy Energy Foods in Bulk
- 5 5. Plan Your Shopping and Meals
- 6 6. Cook Multiple Meals Ahead of Time
- 7 7. Experiment with Cheaper Cuts of Meat
- 8 8. Organize Your Fridge and Cupboard
- 9 9. Embrace Leftovers and Get Creative
- 10 10. Choose Beans and Grains
1. Buy Fresh Produce When It’s In Season
Buying fresh produce when it’s in season is a brilliant way to eat healthy while on a budget, as choosing the fruits and vegetables that are in season will spice up your meals and cost much less over time.
2. Purchase Produce That’s On Sale and Freeze It
Purchasing produce that’s on sale and then freezing it is a clever way to eat well and avoid added expenses, as you can find a deal, stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables and seal them using a vacuum sealer to keep in the freezer for later.
3. Dehydrate Healthy Foods for Easy Snacking
Dehydrating healthy foods for easy snacking using a food dehydrator is an easy way to save money in the long run, as you can create your own fruit and vegetable snacks to nibble on instead of relying on expensive pre-packaged products with added ingredients
4. Buy Energy Foods in Bulk
Buying energy foods in bulk is a smart way to acquire nutritious foods with your budget in mind, as you can fuel up on staples like dried fruit, nuts, and seeds in larger quantities without paying a higher price.
5. Plan Your Shopping and Meals
Planning your shopping according to what you’re planning to eat during the week is a simple way to establish a healthy lifestyle and cut back on your spending. You can buy better foods, stay organized, and avoid buying any unhealthy or unplanned items.
6. Cook Multiple Meals Ahead of Time
Cooking multiple meals ahead of time, using a large pot or frying pan from your ceramic cookware collection is an efficient way to eat better and spend money wisely, as you can prepare a range of hearty lunches or dinners using a common base like pasta or rice to stick to your regiment and save time.
7. Experiment with Cheaper Cuts of Meat
Experimenting with cheaper cuts of meat is a fun way to get your protein without overspending, as you can cook bone-in and skin-on foods like chicken and steak with appliances like an air fryer to make them taste better than more expensive meat products without the extra cost.
8. Organize Your Fridge and Cupboard
Organizing your fridge and cupboard is a sneaky way to ensure that you eat well and avoid spending extra money, as you can stock your kitchen with your health essentials and make sure your food doesn’t go missing or go bad.
9. Embrace Leftovers and Get Creative
Embracing leftovers and getting creative with different ways to use them is an innovative way to eat well from day to day and maximize your spending. You can repurpose your food from previous days to avoid overspending and leaving excessive food to waste.
10. Choose Beans and Grains
Choosing energy-boosting foods like beans and grains is a way to improve your diet and spend less money, as you can get the protein and other nutrients your body craves with products that are much less expensive and overall easier to prepare.