The top 5 tips to eat healthy on a budget

16 Aug The top 5 tips to eat healthy on a budget

My previous blog was all about how to stay fit on a budget. But just as important (maybe even more so) is eating healthy and nutritious food.

However it is often thought that eating healthy food is expensive which makes it extra challenging when the price of everything is going up. But trust me, you can still maintain a nutritious diet even on the tightest budget.

1. Plan and shop with a list

Always plan your meals for the week – breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Check out what you already have (and look right at the back of the pantry or fridge – you may be surprised what you find). This helps you work out what groceries you need to buy for the week.

When you go to the supermarket, never go without a list. Not only will you waste time wandering aimlessly down the aisles, but you are guaranteed to buy things you don’t need (which is going to cost you more). So take a list and stick to it!

2. Look for special deals

I’m always on the lookout for discounts (especially those items I buy on a regular basis).

Even if you don’t need the item right then, but you will definitely use it sometime down the track, check out if it is on sale (I like to do this with meat as then I can pop it into the freezer).

And talking about meat, look for less expensive cuts as they are great to use in casseroles, soups, stews, and burritos. These types of recipes usually make big meals and lots of leftovers (see my next tip).

3. Cook big portions and save the leftovers

I love using my slow cooker for either a spaghetti bolognese, meat and veggie dish or a delicious soup. The great thing is that I can cook a large meal and then divide the rest into portions and pop them into the freezer (or the fridge if I am going to have it in a day or two).

This is such a great way to save time and money. Plus when you come home tired and hungry, you just pop it into the microwave rather than grabbing some Uber Eats or something fast and fatty.

4. Take your own lunch to work

As we are starting to go back into the office more frequently, look at taking your own lunch with you. You can easily spend over $20 on lunch and a coffee which can add up to quite a bit of money after a few weeks.

By bringing in your own lunch, not only will you save big, you also know exactly what goes into it.

5. Frozen not fresh

This is often a common misconception that fresh is always better than frozen when it comes to fruit and veggies. The truth is that frozen vegetables and fruits are picked when they are at the peak of their ripeness, and they are snap frozen within hours.

Quick-frozen produce is not only just as nutritious, but it’s also cheaper, available all year, and usually sold in large bags (a big bag of frozen berries is always on my shopping list).

Plus, you have the advantage of being able to take out only what you need and leave the rest in the freezer. A win for your health and hip pocket.

So as you can see, you don’t have to break the bank to eat well. In fact, there are many ways to eat nutrient-rich foods even on a very tight budget.