5 Tips To Eat Healthy On A Budget
July 27 2016
Despite its unlimited benefits, healthy food is considered to be more expensive. According to a study by Cambridge University, healthy food costs three times as much as consuming unhealthy food.
So should we use this to justify eating the “unhealthy” food that is often not even fit for human consumption? We also need to ask ourselves if our health is worth the savings and then, should we be even comparing? There are huge savings to be realized by making our own meals, which by far outweighs the “additional” cost for the “healthy” food.
Let’s look at it this way: Would you put cheap oil in your car’s engine to save $20.00, if you knew it could cost you $600 in repairs down the road? And here we are talking about our health, not a car engine.
If money is still an issue, there are plenty of practical ways to reduce expenses.
Here are 5 tips that can help you eat well-balanced foods on a budget:
Buy seasonal produce
Purchase seasonal food to save money. Not only do seasonal fruits and vegetables taste better, they often cost less than off-season items. Since seasonal produce is in abundant supply, it costs less than foods that are out of season.It’s a good idea to stock up on these items.
Buy in bulk
Another great way to save money and time is to purchase food in bulk. Although bulk purchases entail a hefty cost, it really saves money in the long run.
Buy seasonal produce and grains in bulk, whenever possible. Make sure to store them properly in air-tight containers, so that they don’t go bad.
Similarly, you can purchase large quantities of meat and then freeze or use smaller portions for use later on.
Use leftovers
Try to cook large portions. If you are left with leftovers, don’t discard anything. You can reuse dinner leftovers as a scrumptious homemade lunch. Furthermore, you won’t have to make multiple meals throughout the day.
You can even freeze your dinner leftovers and then reheat them later on as convenient lunches or dinners. To help you with this, MealEasy meal plans show you which meals are freezable.
Eat more beans and whole grains
Try to eat more beans and whole grains than meat. Black beans are packed with folic acid, fiber and potassium. They cost $0.30 per 1/2 cup or $1.50 per can. Moreover, quinoa and brown rice are delicious yet economical healthy food items. Purchase these items in bulk. You can use them immediately or store them for later use.
Plan and prep meals
Most importantly, plan your meals ahead of time, to help you not only to balance your nutrition, but also to balance your budget.
Planning ahead not only gives peace of mind knowing what your next meal is going to be,but by having a shopping list generated as part of the plan,you will avoid spontaneous purchases that can add to the cost of groceries,for food you don’t really need.
Making homemade meals has so many benefits vs eating out, as described in this informative guide.
For the most efficient online meal planner, we have got you covered. MealEasy provides an array of low-cost meal plans to help families save on groceries and the cost of unhealthy eating. To keep your costs down, MealEasy indicates which meals are lowest cost, while ensuring they are healthy. In addition, the online portal features other meal plans, which include heart-healthy meal plans, and vegetarian meal plans – among others.
