A lot of you may want to start eating healthy but is hesitant to do so due to a tight budget. But who says cleaning up your diet means cleaning up your wallet too?
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. With these helpful strategies, you can maintain a healthy diet without breaking the bank.
1. Plan your meals.
Meal planning is the key to a healthy and thrifty diet. First, check your pantry and fridge to see what’s on hand to know what you already have before you create your menu and shopping list. Having your meals planned ahead of time will help you stick to your healthy diet and avoid wasting money on food items and ingredients that you might not end up consuming.
2. Cook meals at home.
This one’s pretty obvious. Eating out often is costly and unhealthy. By cooking your meals at home, you’ll know every ingredient you put in, you can control your portions and it’s cheap. And oh, don’t forget to bring your lunch to work too! Believe me, packed lunches will make a huge difference in your budget.
3. Stay away from pre-packaged food.
Anything that’s already pre-packaged is always more expensive. But for convenience, food items in any form of packaging are of course, more convenient. If you really want to save money, buy fresh fruits and veggies instead of those pre-cut ones… make your own granola from scratch… or whip up a homemade guacamole instead of store-bought ones. It’s healthier, and a lot cheaper.
4. Substitute meat.
Fresh meats and fish may be the main sources of protein but let’s admit it, they can be expensive. To save you money, designate at least two days each week to eat protein from other sources like eggs, soy, etc.
5. Choose in-Season local produce.
When planning your meals, work around in-season local produce – they’re fresher, more nutritious and a lot more affordable.
