How To Eat Healthy on A Budget
One of the barriers for individuals who want to prioritise healthy eating is the perceived cost to eat healthily. Sure, buying niche products such as activated brazil nuts, kombucha & organic granola can rack up the bill. But it’s not necessary to purchase these products to eat healthily and it’s definitely easy to shop for ‘healthy foods’ cheaply on a budget. Here are some of a nutrition student’s tips on how to do so:
Buy produce that’s in season & if not, frozen.
Purchase frozen vegetables & fruits as these are often cheaper and maybe fresher than the non-frozen produce as they’re frozen as soon as they’re harvested
Seasonal produce is cheaper and fresher as they’ve spent less time in transit/sitting on shelves
Keep it simple
Don’t get tempted by niche items such as mock meats, pre-prepared salad mixes and instead focus on the basics such as unpackaged fruit & veg, whole grains, canned beans & eggs
The cheapest grocery items are your oats, beans, pasta (preferably wholegrain), rice, root vegetables and seasonal fruit
I would also recommend purchasing from the store brand rather than the name brands & look for the cheapest item per gram on store labels
Have a snack or meal before grocery shopping
Having eaten beforehand & not going into the shops hungry will definitely help you stick to your shopping list & not purchase multiple snack items out of hunger
Prepare & go into a supermarket with a shopping list
Having a shopping list in hand will help you stick to what you need, discourage you from purchasing other unnecessary items & will prevent that dreaded moment when you get home & realise that you’ve forgotten that one item (so frustrating!)
You can choose to download a shopping list app on your mobile device or bring in a physical note to cross out
Don’t be afraid to shop around
Consider shopping at ALDI or other cheaper stores if there’s one local as often products are cheaper compared to the larger chains such as Woolworths & Coles
Flick through the supermarket catalogues to look out for specials
These catalogues are so great to prepare weekly meals & to find the sale items
Stick to the perimeter
By sticking to the perimeter, you’re more likely to be less tempted by snack foods & to eat healthier as the basics (fruit, veg, protein options) will be located on the perimeter of the store
Cook in bulk & freeze leftovers to save on groceries & reduce food waste
By freezing meals, we can prevent food from going off and have quick easy meals to prepare when we’re short on time and energy
Some great ways to add flavour to your leftovers is by using spices (I like purchasing mine from the bulk food store) and herbs
Consider going veg for a few meals for the week
Whilst I respect everyone’s dietary choices, I think consuming more vegetable protein is a great way to add in fibre, plant protein and save on costs.
Legumes, tofu & vegetables can be easily substituted in meat or poultry-based dishes and they’re pretty dang cheap too!
Create your own cleaning products
Using vinegar, bicarbonate soda, lemon juice & (optional) essential oils, you can easily create your own non-toxic cleaning supplies instead of buying multiple expensive chemical cleaners
