One of the most common things I hear from my clients is “healthy food is expensive.” But compared to what? To the gym membership you never use? Cleanses? Packaged food? Fast food? Eating out every day? Food in general can be expensive if you don’t plan ahead. But with a few tips, you can be eating healthy on a budget!
GROW YOUR OWN HERBS AND PRODUCE
Buying fresh fruits and veggies every week can get super expensive, and some of it ends up in your trash...unopened. Eeeek!
Experiment with growing your own at home. We have herbs growing in our house all year round, and a garden in the summer months. We’ve saved tons of money! Small herb plants and vegetable seeds are usually less than $5/piece, and a window box, patio, or fire escape can provide all the light and space you need to grow a few plants.
Another idea: find a local community garden to be a part of. Google search your area to find one near you, or start one of your own!
DON’T AVOID THE CANNED AND FROZEN PRODUCE
Fresh fruits and veggies are ideal, but don’t forget about the frozen section. The canned and frozen produce are picked at their prime so they can be just as healthy. Spinach, for instance, will last longer frozen and is actually packed with more nutrients than raw!
Studies have shown that canned produce retains a similar nutritional value as fresh, and the heating process can make the fiber in canned foods more soluble, or usable, when digested.
Make sure your frozen bags of veggies are just that...only veggies, and no extra sauces or butter. Same goes with fruit...no added sugars!
START YOUR OWN FOOD-SHARING COOPERATIVE
Get together with a few health-conscious people you know and start a mini food-sharing group.
Here are some low stress ideas to get you started:
- Split the cost of a Sam's Club, Costco, or food-delivery membership. Make a monthly list of what you need and share. ie: do you really need 3 big containers of applesauce?
- Share in a produce delivery service that is budget and eco-friendly. There is so much food waste in the US from food that is too “ugly” for market shelves but still good enough to eat. Check out places like Imperfect Produce, or Hungry Harvest.
- Share the cost of a monthly community-supported agriculture subscription box. Look for meat CSA farmers in your area for local sources of farm-fresh and often pasture-raised meat, eggs, and dairy.
- Split the cost of a meat-delivery service. In addition to saving money, you’ll be able to see how your meat and chicken is sourced.
MEAL PREP
Believe me...it sounds scary, complicated, time consuming, and not appetizing. But preparing your meals ahead of time ensures you have a ready-made healthy meal (or snack) when you’re hungry. This encourages you to buy healthy foods in bulk and use them right away so you waste less.
Here are some budget friendly meal prep habits:
-Cook one large batch of meat, beans, or other foods to use them in two to three completely different meals.
- Learn how to measure out your correct healthy portions with the portion container system. (Email me for help AND the containers!)
- The crock pot is your best friend! Soups, stews, meats, the possibilities are endless, and it cooks while you get more important things done.
- Cook a dozen hard boiled eggs on the weekend to use throughout the week as part of breakfast, snacks, or add to a salad or whole-grain bowl.
PORTION FIX YOUR MEALS
Portioning out your food helps you to save money, in addition to helping you dial in on your nutrition because you’ll be prepping more meals at home and eating less overall...and more nutrition whole foods at that!
Each food group has it’s own colored container. The biggest ones are veggies and fruits, which means the bulk of your calories should be coming from these nutrient dense, fiber filled foods.
This will help you to cut way back on processed, packaged, boxed, artificially flavored, and sugar sweetened foods/drinks. These types of convenient foods end up costing the same, or sometimes more, and will negatively impact your health and weight.
THE BOTTOM LINE
With a few small solutions, you can eat healthier foods and save money at the same time.
Komentarze