How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

Eating healthy food is expensive because often fresh fruits and vegetables are more expensive than less healthy options. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, unhealthy food is the leading cause of death in the USA. Approximately 678,000 deaths each year are due to obesity-related and nutrition-related diseases like heart disease, cancer, and type 2 of diabetes. The trend of unhealthy food is gradually increasing and the reason is the most people can’t afford healthy food. Therefore, it can be difficult to eat healthy on a budget. Here are some ways that can help you eat healthy when you are on a tight budget.

If you are interested to know about how you can eat healthy while staying on a budget then this article is for you.

Start Planning your Meal

Planning is an essential part of life, whether it comes to saving money on a grocery list or setting up your weekend. If you want to eat healthy on a budget plan your meals for the upcoming week and then make a grocery list of what you need.
Always check your cabinets and refrigerator before making a list to make sure what you really need to buy. Only add the products on the grocery list that you are planning to use in the upcoming week.

Cook at Home

Eating out can be expensive. Always prefer to cook at home instead of eating out at the last minute. This helps you because while cooking at home you also gain the benefit of knowing exactly what is in your food.
Cooking at home saves money because the entire family can eat for the same price as buying food for two people at a restaurant.

Start cooking larger portions and use your leftovers

Time and money both are important. Cooking larger meals saves both. Always try to cook larger meals and use your leftovers the next day. Leftovers can also be used to make stir-fries and salads, which are also healthy and budget friendly options!

Buy Whole Grains

There are some foods like brown rice and oats that are cheaper in less processed form. Make sure to buy whole foods as they are often sold in large quantities.
For example, you will find whole grains cheaper than processed ones.

Say no to Junk Food

Junk food is easily accessible everywhere: its overwhelming availability sometimes makes it difficult to avoid. However, if you want a healthy diet on a budget then you have to say no to junk food.
Junk food is unhealthy as well as expensive. If you will get to know how much you are spending on sodas, cookies, and other processed foods you might be surprised.

Try to buy in Bulk

This is a tremendous way to eat healthy on a budget because buying in bulk can save a lot of money. Many unprocessed foods such as grains, millet, barley, oats, and brown rice are available in bulk.
These staples food are relatively inexpensive and help in a variety of healthy meals.

Replacing Meat with other proteins

Replacing meat with other proteins could be helpful to save money. However, you could replace the meat with other proteins like eggs, legumes, or canned fish. These are more reasonably priced options that provide a rich amount of proteins needed for your healthy meal.

Buying Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

If you are looking for ways to eat healthy food while staying on budget this could help you. Fresh and new fruits and vegetables in season are usually expensive. However, the same frozen fruits and vegetables are relatively cheaper but as nutritious as the fresh ones.
Moreover, frozen foods can also be used while making smoothies, or as toppings in various cereals. You can use it without wasting and putting it back to the freezer for later use.

There are several ways of eating healthy even on a tight budget however it is all upon you how you manage it. Eating healthier one a big step towards a happy healthier future!