Healthy eating on a budget
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. I value my family’s health and a large part of that is healthy nutritious eating. But I also have a budget to stick to, so check out the easy tips below to eat healthy while staying within your budget.
Healthy eating on a budget:
1) Visit farmer’s markets. Farmer’s markets are great – they have a large variety of local in-season produce, most (if not all) of which is grown organically. And because they don’t have to pay for packaging or for transport, they don’t charge as much as you would have to pay if you got the same item at the grocery store. So, you’re helping to support local farmers, finding great in season produce, and saving money all at once. Bonus: farmer’s markets are a fun family outing, and they often have local flowers, plants, food and snacks, and other goodies to stock up on.
a. Or join a crop share or produce delivery (like Imperfect produce). We have done both of these, and love them both. I prefer the ones that let you customize your boxes so that we don’t get things that we know we won’t eat or use. A crop share is great because they provide you with local produce so you’re supporting local farmers and getting locally in-season produce. Imperfect produce is nice because you get things from all over so you’re not limited to what is currently in season in your area, but then you’re not always getting local produce (you’re still supporting farmers somewhere though). Best thing about either – fresh produce delivered right to your door! We determine what we will be getting in our delivery for the week and then menu plan around that. Click here for $10 off of your imperfect produce subscription.
2) Reduce your waste. Only buy what you need and know you will use. When buying fresh produce and meat, buy what you know you will use within the next few days. Unless it is something that will last a while (like canned beans or chicken stock), don’t buy more than you need. The last thing you want to do is have to throw away good food because you didn’t use it before it spoiled.
a. Utilize every part of your fruits and vegetables.
Leave the peel on when using organic veggies. The skins on vegetables like potatoes and zucchini, and fruits like apples, are not only edible but also contain vitamins and minerals.
Repurpose those trimmings that often get thrown out. Broccoli stems can be diced and put in soups, stews, or even risotto. They can also be grated and added to recipes like our veggies patties with beef, or turned into veggie fritters. Carrot greens can be used as a source of extra greens in soups and stews or can even be turned into a pesto, mixed with basil or on their own.
b. Save leftovers. Utilizing your leftovers are a great way to reduce your waste. If you’re not a big fan of leftovers, like my husband used to be (yep, used to be… now he eats leftovers for lunch every work day!), you’re not alone. The best way to combat this is to repurpose your leftovers into something new. Leftover veggies? Throw them into a breakfast frittata in the morning. Leftover protein such as pulled BBQ chicken or steak from dinner last night? Throw it on a salad, use lettuce to make lettuce wraps with different toppings, or cook up some cauliflower rice and make a rice bowl for a totally different meal, even though you’re using the same protein.
c. Know what’s in your refrigerator. Keep track of what you have in your fridge, especially that fresh produce and meat, and know the expiration dates on everything. Organize your refrigerator and keep things that need to be used first in the front so you will be reminded to use them (and they won’t get lost in the back only to spoil before you can use them).
3) Shop smart.
a. Take advantage of sales. Stock up on pantry staples when they are on sale. They last a while so you don’t have to worry about them going bad like you do with things like fresh produce and meat. But remember, just because something is on sale, doesn’t mean you need to buy it, or buy 14 of it. Buy what you will use in the near future. Check out your local grocery store’s sales for the week and plan your meals based on what is on sale. If they have a great deal on chicken, then pull out your favorite chicken recipes and take advantage of the savings. You can also buy extra of what is on sale (meat or produce) and cook a double batch of whatever you are making to freeze the extra for a ready to go meal when you need it.
b. Shop in bulk. Shopping in bulk often saves you money due to less packaging costs that are passed on to you as the consumer. Shopping in the bulk section at stores like new seasons and whole foods are typically cheaper than buying the same item pre-packaged, such as flours, rice, and spices. This also helps reduce waste since you can get only the amount you need, instead of a full package which may be more than you need, or more than you can use before it goes bad.
c. Shop around. Don’t overpay for something because you don’t want to have to go to multiple stores. Pick the store that will give you the best deals on the items you need now and then wait to buy other items at a store where you can get a better deal. As much as I love saving money, I’m not going to go to three different grocery stores in one day just to save money (at the expense of my time and energy). I check my list, figure out what I need most urgently and where the best deal on it will be, and go to that store. The next time I need something, I do the same thing and will often go to two or three different grocery stores over the week to get what I need at the best value. If you have one store that does this for you, go for it!
4) Organic can cost more…does everything need to be organic? No, definitely not! Not all of your fruits and vegetables need to be organic to avoid pesticides. If it has a thick skin that you’re not going to eat, like a banana or avocado, you can buy conventional and know you’re safe from extra pesticides because you’re not eating the outside. If you are buying things that can’t be peeled like berries, lettuce and greens, and tomatoes, make sure to get organic. If you get something that can be peeled, you can go either way – just make sure to peel it first if you didn’t get organic. A great resource to remember what produce you should buy organic and what’s okay to buy conventional is the dirty dozen clean fifteen list (from the EWG). When it comes to meat, always look for wild-caught fish, grass-fed beef and lamb and at least free-range (if not also organic) chicken and eggs.
5) Menu plan. Check out our blog on Menu planning to help you avoid that nightly question of “what’s for dinner?” while reducing waste and saving money. It’s a win-win-win!
Eating healthy shouldn’t be difficult, or break the bank. Make it easy on yourself and do the best you can get to shop healthy, fresh, and organic whenever possible. Strive for improvement and health, not perfection.