Healthy Eating on a Budget

“Healthy eating” and “budget-friendly eating” are not typically two phrases that you hear together often, as healthy food tends to be pricier than junk food. With current grocery store prices at a high, it can feel daunting. However, the two are not always mutually exclusive! Here are some tips for eating healthy on a budget.

First, create a plan and commit to it. Something sure to kill your budget faster than anything is going in without a plan. Set aside a little time each week to create a menu for that week. When planning your meals, try to shop the sales. Grocery stores will run sales on different meats and produce each week. Check online or in-store for the sale advertisement, and try to find recipes that use these items.

Try to prepare meals with similar ingredients. For example, if the store is running a sale on chicken, plan a few meals that involve chicken, such as stir fry chicken and vegetables, grilled chicken on a salad, white chicken chili, or chicken spaghetti with a side of green beans. 

Shop your own pantry. Now that you’ve made a meal plan for the week, before you make your grocery list, do a quick inventory of items you already have that can be used in the recipes you selected. You can save a lot of money simply by not duplicating purchases of items you may already have bought before! From there, list out the remaining items that you’ll need to purchase at the grocery store.

Make sure to go to the grocery store after you’ve eaten, and don’t go in on an empty stomach. You’re much more likely to purchase extra snack items that you don’t necessarily need when you go in hungry and everything in the store looks appealing, which can be detrimental to your waistline and your wallet.

Shop produce while it’s in season. Fruits and vegetables in season tend to be cheaper than those that are out of season. A few examples of seasonal items include asparagus, broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms, and pineapple for spring; berries, tomatoes, watermelon, zucchini, and cucumbers in the summer; squash, apples, brussels sprouts, and pears in the fall; and oranges, grapefruit, beets, and sweet potatoes in the winter. 

Try canned or frozen! If one of your favorite fruits or vegetables is out of season, try shopping in the frozen or canned section. Frozen produce is actually picked and frozen at its peak ripeness, so once thawed or cooked, you’ll still get similar nutrient value as eating it fresh. Canned fruits or vegetables can also be a good option. 

Make sure you purchase your produce canned in water or natural juices. Anything canned in salt or heavy syrup will add extra sodium, sugar, or calories to your meal. If you must purchase items canned in salt or syrup, make sure to thoroughly rinse them to remove the excess sodium or sugar before eating. Canned meats such as tuna and chicken can also be great, budget-friendly items to keep on hand. 

Use your freezer space for items bought in bulk. If you or someone in your family is a hunter, then freezing extra deer meat may be a normal practice in your home. You can freeze most meats for several months at a time, so if you found a great sale on a large package of pork chops, for example, and know you’ll only use a few of them for your meals, freeze the rest to eat later.

Buy items in bulk when you can. If you find a sale on whole grains or dried goods—such as rolled oats, rice, quinoa, pasta, or beans—stock up on these items, as they will last longer in your pantry and can be used in many different recipes.

Reduce food waste by using highly perishable items earlier in the week. Everyone has gone through the ritual of buying a bag of leafy greens and throwing it out, unopened a week later. Rather than essentially throwing your money away by wasting unopened or under-used food when it goes bad, try to use or freeze these items earlier in the week before their expiration, and use more shelf-stable items later on in the week.

Pay attention to the brands you buy. Most store brands make products similar if not identical to name-brand items for a fraction of the cost. Also, try to look all around when you’re shopping. Brands and stores will place more expensive items at eye-level, so you are more likely to reach for those. Often, you can find a less expensive but comparable item slightly higher or lower on the shelf. 

Use grocery pickup or a store app if available. You might pay a small fee to use a service such as grocery pickup, but this could be worth the extra money it saves you. When adding items to your cart online, you can quickly see the total you’re spending, which makes it easier to cut any items out that might be busting your budget. This can also be a helpful strategy if you tend to gravitate toward the snack aisles or more highly processed foods while in the store. Sometimes avoiding the temptation altogether is enough to keep your budget in check!

When shopping in the store, be mindful of who goes with you. If your spouse or child tend to cause you to go off the list, it might be easier just to go alone. On the other hand, if they are more likely to keep you accountable to stick to the list and the plan, then it’s a good idea to bring that person along for the trip.

And remember, just because something is on sale, that does not always mean you’re saving money. You save 100% on the items you don’t buy. If it wasn’t on the list before you came in, you probably don’t need it!