The population of those who are having issues with overweight or obese is on the rise. Many people are realizing that healthy eating is very important to avoid weight issues. As a result of this, most people are looking for ways of eating healthier diets without overspending.
Following a healthy lifestyle is neither as difficult, nor as expensive as one might think. A handy list of simple tips and tricks can help you refocus on your goals, whether it be saving money at the grocery store, making healthy choices, or both.
Here are 10 ways to eat healthy on a budget:
- Avoid impulse buying
Impulse buying arises as a result of succumbing to temptations to buy something you had not planned to purchase. This culture has its own consequences and should be resisted by all means. Next time you are going for your shopping consider sticking to what you need only.
- Portion bulk snacks/avoid overeating
One way of avoiding overeating which can lead to health issues is through storing your bulk snacks in places where you will not see them, or dividing the snacks into individual portions. This way, you will be able to better moderate your snacks consumption, instead of eating the entire contents of the bag or box!
- Eat single portion desserts and snacks
Consider preparing healthy single portion desserts and snacks and storing them in the fridge of freezer for quick and healthy grab n’ go snacks. It pays off to keep your portions in check rather than take them in excess. Many overweight people spend so much due to their culture of eating desserts and snacks in bulk.
- Preplan meals
Preplanning your meals is a vital part of eating a healthy diet on a budget. It is prudent to be self-disciplined in regard to meal planning especially when you are running on a tight budget. This tactic can save you from over-stretching your food budget and opting for take-out meals on busy weeknights. Dining out only stretches your food budget limit and might even expand your hips!
- Stock up on grains and canned legumes
Buying legumes or grains such as beans and lentils will not only guarantee that you will consume nutritious food, but also save you money. The great thing about canned legumes is that they are inexpensive and not easily perishable. These versatile foods are rich in essential nutrients and can come in handy for last-minute meals, since they are pre-cooked and ready to eat.
6. Repurpose leftovers
Instead of throwing your food leftovers in the garbage consider repurposing them. You can save a substantial amount of money by taking this initiative in your home. You can always store your leftovers in the fridge for the following day’s lunch or dinner, or store them in the fridge for future meals. Find some awesome ideas for repurposing leftovers HERE.
- Freeze seasonal produce
Freezing in-season produce can boost your effort of eating healthy on a tight budget. Frozen foods take long to go bad which provides you with an opportunity to enjoy healthy meals without overspending. By freezing seasonal fruits and vegetables, you can use them year-round and take advantage of their freshness.
- Stock up on sale items and store for later
When food products go on sale it does not necessarily mean they are bad. It is worthwhile to take advantage of such opportunities to acquire items at discounted prices for later use. Buy items that can be frozen. Prep meats and fish and store in the freezer for future meals.
- If you let food go bad, buy frozen
Are you tired of overspending on food products that end up going bad? Well, you can make your life much easier by splurging on frozen foods. This will save you time, money and boost your healthy living. By adding fresh spices and herbs you can easily add flavour to frozen vegetables during the cooking process, or take advantage of prepared (healthy) foods for busy weeknights.
- Learn how to read price labels
It is important to develop a habit of reading food products price labels. You can actually save a lot in terms of money through this simple tactic when buying healthy foods for your meals. Also, remember that fat-free, calorie-free, etc, does not necessarily mean ‘healthy.’ Don’t pay more for products that aren’t any healthier for you than traditional products.
Sometimes it seems impossible but its nice to see ways that can make it happen. Eating healthy can be affordable.
I actually buy a lot of frozen vegetables since they ALWAYS go bad before I use them. That was a good tip!
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. You can simply plan meals for your and your family with ingredients that are inexpensive yet not packed with calories or bad fat. These are really useful tips!
I do find that when I purchase a large amount of produce I spend more than I normally would however, it beats take-out 2-3x a week, in terms of money spent and the quality of meals!
These are a great tips and stay to our budget! thanks for the helpful tips.
My produce seemed to go bad so fast so I just started buying frozen. Only thing I really buy fresh now is lettuce and spinach unless I am making it the same day.
A great way to prolong the life of greens is to rinse them as soon as you buy them, pat them dry, and roll them in paper towels! I think it doubles, or even triples, their life span 😉
Eating healthily and inexpensively can prove to be a challenge so thanks for the tips
These are some great tips to stay on budget. I noticed a great savings on my groceries when I stopped going to the grocery store multiple times a week.
I love the new look of the site lisa! Great tips, as always. I need to get on this!
These are some really great tips for staying on a budget. Thanks for sharing
Great tips.. I think Number 1 is always be my problem 🙁 I always spend and buy more !
We all do!! I go in with two things on my list, and end up buying at least ten!
We’re trying to reduce what we spend on eating out and groceries so these tips are super helpful! I need all the help I can get with this since I love food 😉
This is a huge help! We’re trying to reduce our costs for eating out and groceries so this will help us a ton. Thanks so much for sharing these ideas!
This is a great post. I love to eat healthy but it can often get very expensive. My favorite tip is #7, I need to do that more often.
These are all great ideas for eating healthier on a budget. It is an awesome idea to proportion snacks and to make single serve desserts. Thanks for sharing the tips.
I think I’m guilty with impulse buying. You have some great tips here. I’m going to put them to use!
I’m guilty of it too…my go-to snack are veggie chips!
I love your tip on freezing seasonal produce. That is great. I always miss out on veggies I love in the summer when fall and winter come along.
I know! I hate having to wear an entire year to enjoy tomatoes and strawberries. Although they can be frozen, I do prefer fresh strawberries. And tomatoes cannot be frozen (obviously), at least not whole or raw!
These are good tips. I used to think it cost more to eat healthy, but it doesn’t really if you purchase fruits and veggies that are in season.
These are good tips! We have some food allergies and dietary restrictions in our house, but I think not impulse buying is definitely a tip we have got to start utilizing so we can budget better.
I am guilty of it too! I always go grocery shopping after work, and coincidentally forget to bring a snack with me. What happens EVERY time? I end up buying a bag of chips, but ‘healthy’ chips, so it makes it okay, lol!