Clever Ways to Eat Healthy on a Tight Budget
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If cost is coming between you and eating healthy, we are here to help with some awesome tips on how to eat healthy on a budget.
Clever Ways to Eat Healthy on a Tight Budget
Have you ever said “Eating healthy is so expensive?” or “Why do fresh fruits and vegetables cost so much?” I would have to say you are completely on point with your observations. The cost of healthier foods is typically more costly.
We can all agree, we want to ensure we are feeding our family healthy meals. And we want to do it as often as possible. However, sometimes the healthier foods at the grocery store can put a strain on the family grocery budget.
So let’s talk about a few ways that you still feed your family healthy foods without breaking the bank.
Grow Your Own Herbs
Herbs grow easily both indoors and out and they don’t take up very much space either. Having fresh herbs to add to your dishes makes them taste great and adds additional health benefits to many of them as well.
Three dollars for a bunch of fresh parsley at the grocery store may not seem like much, and it isn’t, but it adds up over time if it is something you use often.
Plus, you can buy a parsley (or almost any type of herb) plant for the same price and have fresh herbs in perpetuity. You can even think ahead by purchasing your own indoor herb kit.
Meal Plan
Planning your meals before heading to the grocery store can help to save you money and ensure that you have plenty of healthy food on hand for your family.
Meal planning will leave you with a blueprint for the week of each night’s dinner so you know ahead of time what you will be serving. No more wondering what I cook for dinner. And what needs to be prepped, which can save you time in the kitchen?
Use Frozen Veggies
Frozen vegetables are every bit as nutritious and healthy as their fresh counterparts, and you don’t have to worry about them going bad before you can use them. Frozen vegetables have already been cut and washed for you, which means that you aren’t paying for waste, like broccoli stalks.
You may find even deeper savings by purchasing your frozen vegetables in bulk packages, especially for those vegetables that you use the most often.
And when you find them on sale, don’t be afraid to stock up. Just make sure you have plenty of room in your freezer.
Use Your Leftovers
Food waste is not only harmful to the environment, but it’s also harmful to your food budget as well.
Using your leftovers doesn’t mean that you have to have the same meal twice. You can freeze your leftovers to have at another time, or you can turn them into a completely different meal.
Leftover vegetables can be turned into a soup, and leftover salad and protein can be turned into a wrap for lunch. The ways that you can repurpose your leftovers into a new dish are countless if you don’t mind getting creative.
Meatless Meals
Chances are good that meat accounts for a significant portion of your family grocery budget, but it is important to remember that not every family dinner needs to have meat.
There are lots of less expensive protein options that you can use to fill out a meal like eggs, beans or lentils, and tofu. Having meatless meals a couple of nights a week can really make a difference in your grocery budget. Need a couple of healthy meatless recipes to try?
Check out these for Cheesy Vegetable Chowder and Easy Vegetable Stir Fry.
Buy Local
Whenever you have the chance, try buying your fruits, vegetables, meat, and eggs from local farmers.
Not only are you supporting a local small business. But the quality of the goods is also often much higher than what you would find in the grocery store. And if you spot a great deal, stock up! Think about purchasing extra fruits and veggies that can be frozen.
Keep a Well-Stocked Pantry and Freezer
Having a well-stocked pantry and freezer means that you can make a healthy meal for the family anytime. It is a meal planning game changer for sure. This will cut down on ordering out or settling for convenience foods.
You can even try your hand at freezer meals. Where all you have to do is pull a healthy ready made (by you) meal out of the freezer. If you are stuck trying to figure out what common pantry items are, a must-have – you can review this list.
Shop With a Purpose
Some fruits and vegetables are just known for being more expensive. This happens more often when select items are no longer in season. So look for in-season produce. You will also notice that certain vegetables, such as root vegetables, bananas, cabbage, kale, and spinach, are cheaper.
If you can utilize these more often in your meal plan, you will lighten your grocery bill. Plus, these vegetables will also last longer than others.
These tips should have you feeding your family healthy meals every night. No more worrying about overspending on your grocery budget.
Do you have any additional tips for eating healthy on a budget that you would like to share?
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