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I hear over and over and over again how expensive it is to eat healthy so they just don't eat healthy! I am not saying this to offend anybody at all but maybe to bring a little awareness to this (It may or may not be a place where you could use your budget for groceries instead) because I also observe some of the same people purchasing daily coffees at their local coffee shop, eating take out or at restaurants frequently, making frequent runs to the corner store for junk food, or the liquor store, etc. That's all fine and dandy. I love a good tea and an occasional visit to a restaurant myself even on our tiny budget but I would like bring your awareness back to say: you can eat healthy on a budget. You just need to be smart about it by prioritizing your budget. Decide what is important to you. Do you want to eat real, healthy food? If you do then you can't continue filling yourself with that false idea that you can't afford healthy food because you can. Say it with me: "I can afford to provide healthy food for myself and my family"
Budget Tips:
Clearance produce can be your best friend! Bring them home, freeze them for smoothies, or sauces.
Prioritize your budget: make home brew coffee daily, pack your snacks, pack your lunches. Trust me, you will save money and just that could help transform your health too! Do you need liquor or beer? Do you need to drink soda pop? Do you need to binge shop? Do you truly need that new shirt or pants or new shoes? Try to find new habits that don't cost money. Really ask yourself if you truly need the things you purchase.
Eat meatless once a week or even better, a few times a week!
Shop in season and shop sales
Meal planning! plan around sales and what is in season. If you don't meal plan, money can go wasted: fresh foods go bad quickly, time runs out, and you find yourself getting take out or eating convenience foods.
Make a grocery list and stick to it
Live on a cash only budget - this always makes me more conscious of my buying
Are you a student? Are you a senior? Shop on student/senior discount days! I have discovered most stores have these days.
Invest in a water filter and water bottle instead of buying water bottles constantly.
Pack your meals and snacks.
Shop only the perimeter of the store. You will find your produce, bakery, meat, dairy, and frozen products all along here. Only enter aisles with a prepared list! lol I promise this will save money!
NEVER shop hungry!
Stretch ground meat by using vegetables. This works especially well with mincing mushrooms up. Even my veggie hating husband doesn't know the difference.
If you do eat meat, purchase whole. Especially if you have a deep freezer! It is much cheaper. We really enjoy purchasing a few whole chickens and a quarter beef from a local farm that has exclusively grass fed and humanely raised cows. (click on the link to read more about it!) What is great about this too is you can stretch it even further and make soup and bone broth with the bones.
Make extras and freeze for 'fast food' and to prevent take out on a lazy day
Shop at markets, farmers markets, meat markets, directly from farmers, Asian markets, etc. I find the very BEST deals at these stores especially on grains or produce.
For a week or 2 each month, make it a goal to eat what is in the pantry, fridge and freezer only. Only buy necessities and bare minimal that week.
Don't buy convenience foods! Prioritize your time, bake or cook it yourself
Is organic produce best? For sure it is. Is it always realistic or possible? No! Try your best, that is all you can do. For our family, I am a student and we survive off of a small income. I'll be totally honest, good quality meat is more important to us to provide than fully organic vegetables. If you buy conventional produce, peel if possible and wash it really well.
With that last one, look up the clean 15 and the dirty dozen. This will tell you which is most important to buy organic!
Buy generic brands of rice, grains, lentils, beans, flours, frozen vegetables and fruit but be sure to compare prices!
When you find a good sale, stock up and buy extra.
Buy in bulk. It is much cheaper to buy good quality oils, nuts, seeds, rice, lentils, beans, flours, etc. In bulk.
Learn how to preserve food!
Easy fermenting recipes for preserving is a great plan. You can make small amounts and the good bacteria is a huge bonus for gut health.
Grow your own food. Be a part of a community garden.
Choose foods that are naturally cheaper: bananas, eggs, lentils, beans, quinoa, oats, brown rice, frozen vegetables, frozen fruit, whole grain pasta, tuna, sardines, carrots, apples, oranges, frozen berries are much cheaper than fresh, celery, potatoes, stove-top or air popped popcorn, leafy greens like spinach, cucumber, cabbage, onion, any vegetables when in season but especially squash, beets, sweet potatoes. Tortilla chips, Natural peanut butter, some raw seeds bought in bulk. If you consume dairy: cottage cheese and yogurt.
Choose meals that are cheaper: Lentil and bean dishes, oatmeal, whole grain pancakes, smoothies, nachos, eggs, chili, soups, stews, spaghetti sauces, stir-fry, sandwiches, wraps, salads, beans and rice, eggs and toast, tuna melts,
Is there any other tips you would add to this?! Reach out to me or comment on the FB post. :)
-K