How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
We hear it all the time: "Eating healthy on a budget is impossible!" And the truth is—no, it's not. There are plenty of ways you can stick to eating healthy on a budget.
Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Plan your meals.
It really isn't as time consuming as you might think it is. Making a plan for your meals is kind of like making a plan with your budget. You can set some time aside once a week to prepare your meals for the week.
2. Stop buying processed food.
Hey, you know what isn’t healthy and racks up your food budget? Processed food. We’re talking about things like chicken nuggets and pizza pockets, refined sugars, boxed mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, prepackaged meals, cookies, hot dogs, potato chips and other salty snacks. They’re not cheap, and they’re not doing your health any favors, either. And you’re trying to eat healthy here, remember?
A good rule of thumb: Stick to the outer edges of the grocery store when you shop. The closer you go toward the middle aisles, the more processed the food gets.
3. Make enough food for leftovers.
Making healthy food at home—win. Making healthy food at home with plenty left over for meals during the week—double win. Be on the lookout for meals that can feed you and your family for days on end. Meals like chili, stews and casseroles are going to be your best friends in this department. Slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes are great for this too!
4. Bring your own lunch and snacks.
Think about it: If you’re packing your own snacks, you’ll probably be more likely to reach for the carrot sticks and hummus. If you wait until you’re standing in front of the work vending machine, your options are basically just potato chips or crackers—and it’s going to cost more too.
Getting Started
We know it doesn’t always feel like it, but eating healthy on a budget is totally doable! Just like everything else that truly matters in life, it requires being intentional, planning ahead and making the tough choices. But don’t let that scare you away from giving it a go. Give these tips and tricks a shot and see if you find it easier to figure out how to eat healthy on a budget. You can do it!