How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you consider changing
your diet. It can help to focus on making one small change at a time. Don’t try
to overhaul your family’s eating habits all at once — this is a recipe for
failure. Instead, change one habit, food, or purchase a week and see how it
goes.
1. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
According to the Centers for Disease Control, only 1 in 10
Americans eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Eating more
fruits and vegetables is an essential part of a healthy diet.
The amount of fruits and vegetables you need depends on your
age, sex, and physical activity level. However, the USDA recommends that adults
need 1 to 2 cups of fruit per day and 1 to 3 cups of vegetables.
There are many ways you can up your fruit and vegetable
consumption.
Snack More
Slip in more fruits and vegetables during the day by eating
them as snacks. Instead of pulling out a bag of chips, eat some carrots, fresh
broccoli with low-fat ranch dressing, or an apple.
Drink Your Veggies
Vegetable drinks, such as V8, provide two full servings of
vegetables in every 11-ounce can. Drinking a can a day is an easy way to
increase your veggie intake. If the taste of V8 doesn’t appeal to you, try
adding some Tabasco sauce to spice it up.
V8 is more expensive than regular tomato juice, so wait for
it to go on sale and stock up when it does, or look for coupons. You can also
sometimes find lower prices online through Amazon or Walmart, or at warehouse
stores like Costco.
Buy In-Season
In-season produce is less expensive than food that’s grown
somewhere else and then shipped to the store. Epicurious has a useful map that
shows in-season fruits and vegetables in your area. Refer to it before you head
to the store.
Use Frozen Produce
According to a report by NPR, frozen fruits and vegetables
are just as healthy as fresh produce. They also have a much longer shelf-life,
which is a huge benefit for busy families who don’t have time to make frequent
trips to the store to buy fresh produce.
Another benefit is that frozen fruits and vegetables often
go on sale. If you invest in a stand-alone freezer, you can stock up on frozen
items when they go on sale and save even more.
You can also save money if you balance fresh and frozen
produce around the seasons. For instance, it’s often less expensive to eat
fresh produce in the summer because it’s in-season, and some stores source
these foods from local farms. It’s usually cheaper to eat frozen vegetables in
the winter because much of the fresh produce that’s in stock has to be shipped
in from warmer climates.
Pro tip: You can also plan your meals ahead and freeze
enough for the entire month. MyFreezEasy will give you meal plans and show you
how to successfully cut meal prep time and cost.
Shop at a Farmers Market
Search for fruits and vegetables at farmers markets.
Typically, prices at farmers markets are lower than what you’d pay at the
grocery store, but not always. Plus, locally grown produce is often healthier
because it’s fresh and often organic.
You can find many unusual items at farmers markets that you
can’t find in regular stores, like wasabi radishes or kohlrabi. Trying new
fruits and vegetables is fun and can make eating healthy more interesting.
To save money, try shopping at the farmers market during the
last 15 to 30 minutes before they close. Many vendors will be willing to sell
unsold food at a discount simply so they don’t have to take it back home or
risk it going to waste.
You can also use companies like Farm Fresh To You to have
organic fruits and vegetables shipped to your door any time of the year. You
can save $10 off your first four boxes when you use code EATFRESH40.
2. Eat More Whole Grains
According to the USDA, any food made with oats, cornmeal,
wheat, rice, barley, or other cereal grain is considered a grain product. And
grains are divided into two categories: refined grains and whole grains.
Refined grains are milled to remove the bran, germ, and
endosperm. Milling gives the product a finer texture, but removing the bran and
germ means the product has less fiber, iron, and B vitamins. Some examples of
refined grains include:
-White rice
-White flour products such as breads and pastries
-Regular pasta
Whole grains are the complete grain, which includes the bran
and germ. Whole grains are a great source of fiber, and they contain many other
nutrients absent in refined grains. Some examples of whole grains include:
-Wild rice
-Brown rice
-Bulgar wheat
-Whole or rolled oats
-Whole wheat
-Buckwheat
-Millet
-Whole-grain barley
-Quinoa
-Popcorn
-Whole-grain sorghum
-Whole-grain corn
-Whole rye
According to the Mayo Clinic, eating whole grains lowers
your risk of heart disease. Whole grains are full of fiber, which helps keep
your digestive system healthy and moving, and they expand once inside your
stomach to help you feel full. The USDA recommends that each person consumes 3
to 8 ounces of grains every day, 50% of which should be whole grains.
Make Easy Switches
There are many ways to work more whole grains into your
diet. For example:
-Instead of white rice, buy brown rice
-Instead of white bread, purchase whole grain bread
-Instead of regular pasta, try whole-grain pasta
-When making pancakes or bread, substitute 50% of the white
flour with whole-wheat flour
-Use old-fashioned oats instead of quick one-minute oats for
your morning oatmeal
-Buy whole-grain crackers instead of white flour crackers
-Make homemade popcorn
Buy In Bulk
Many supermarkets sell whole grains in bulk, and these can
be significantly cheaper than buying them bagged. Next time you’re at the
store, compare the price of a prepackaged whole-grain, such as oats, to the
bulk variety to see how much you can save.
Pro tip: Before you head to the grocery store, make sure you
download the Ibotta or Fetch Rewards app. With these, you’ll be able to scan
your grocery receipt and earn cash back.
3. Eat Healthier Proteins
The World Economic Forum reports that Americans eat more
meat than any other country in the world. Many people love sitting down to a steak
dinner or biting into a juicy hamburger. However, these protein sources are not
only unhealthy, but they’re also expensive.
According to the American Heart Association, red meat (from
beef, pork, and lamb) has more saturated fat than chicken, fish, and vegetable
proteins. And our meat comes at a premium price that only keeps rising.
According to CNBC, April 2020 grocery store prices rose 2.6%, the highest
increase since February 1974. This jump was led mostly by the price increase in
meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, which rose 4.3%, in large part due to
panic-buying and supply disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The amount of protein you need varies depending on your age,
sex, and activity level. And, you need less protein than you probably think.
The USDA states that the average adult needs just 2 to 6.5 ounces of protein
each day, or, according to Harvard Health, you need 0.8 grams of protein per
kilogram of body weight. See this protein calculator to figure out how much
protein you need based on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level.
While most Americans get enough protein each day, the USDA
states that we need to choose leaner, healthier proteins, such as those found
in fish, chicken, beans, dairy, and whole grains.
Protein hides in a lot of places you might not expect. For
example:
-1 cup of milk: 8 grams of protein
-1 cup of dried beans: 16 grams of protein
-2 tablespoons of peanut butter: 8 grams of protein
-2 slices of whole-grain bread: 8 grams of protein
-1 ounce of walnuts: 4 grams of protein
-1/2 cup of cottage cheese: 16 grams of protein
-1 cup of tofu: 16 grams of protein
-5 ounces of Greek yogurt: 15 grams of protein
-1 cup of chicken: 38 grams of protein
-3 ounces of cod: 19 grams of protein
There are plenty of ways to sneak some cheaper, meatless
protein into your diet and increase your daily total. You can also save money
with these tips.
Go Whole
The more processed your meat is, the more expensive it’s
going to be. A practical way to save money is to buy whole meats and trim them
yourself.
For example, according to the USDA’s Retail Price Spreads,
one pound of boneless chicken breasts cost $3.15, while a whole chicken costs
$1.57 per pound. You could find an easy roast chicken recipe and have dinner on
the table for half the price.
Learn What’s Lean
According to the USDA, the leanest cuts of beef are round
steaks, roasts (which include eye of round, top round, bottom round, and round
tip), top sirloin, and chuck shoulder. The leanest cuts of pork include pork
tenderloin, tenderloin, ham, and center loin.
Check your grocery store’s sale flyer every week to see if
any of these cuts are on sale.
Eat Tuna
Tuna is a good source of lean protein, and it costs less per
ounce than many other meats. You can often save even more if you purchase
canned tuna in bulk.
Eat More Beans and Legumes
Beans and legumes are affordable and high in protein. There
are plenty of ways to incorporate more beans into your diet.
Add black beans or chickpeas to a salad.
Cook a great vegetarian chili recipe once a week.
Make black bean burgers instead of hamburgers. Pioneer Woman
has a great recipe that’s delicious, cheap, and straightforward to make.
Grab your slow cooker and make some mean black bean
enchiladas.
Roast chickpeas in the oven. These are an excellent
replacement for chips.
For more ideas on incorporating non-meat protein into your
diet, invest in a vegetarian or vegan cookbook or borrow one from the library.
The classic “Veganomicon” by Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero is a great
choice because most recipes are approachable and use ingredients found in most
supermarkets. If you have an Instant Pot, “The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook” by
Nisha Vora offers ethnic variety and plenty of delicious, approachable recipes.
Get Out Your Slow Cooker
Your slow cooker can be an invaluable companion in the
kitchen because it allows you to turn inexpensive cuts of meat, like roasts and
sirloins, into delicious and healthy meals for your family. You can also
purchase less meat and stretch it farther by adding more beans, vegetables, and
rice.
There are plenty of easy slow cooker recipes that will help
you save money and eat a healthier diet.
4. Make Homemade Sauces
It’s relatively easy and affordable to make homemade dips,
sauces, salad dressings, soups, and spreads for wraps and sandwiches. When you
make these items at home, you can reduce or eliminate the sodium and fat and
cut the calories found in prepackaged products.
Homemade sauces and dips are inexpensive to make, and they
add spice to your healthy eating plan. When you make these items as you need
them, they’re fresh and better tasting. It might also help you reduce food
waste because you’ll only make as much as you need or as much as you can eat
within a few days.
5. Make Homemade Popcorn
This popular whole-grain snack is low in calories, high in
fiber, and cheap. The loose kernels cost much less than bagged popcorn, and
buying them enables you to skip the extra calories from the butter as well as
the high salt content of prepackaged popcorn.
Making stove-top popcorn at home is easy and fun. My family
and I use coconut oil and sea salt on our popcorn at home, and it’s far more
delicious than any popcorn I’ve purchased in a bag. Try this recipe from
popular food blogger Cookie + Kate to start making stove-top popcorn.
6. Make Homemade Granola
Granola is full of heart-healthy whole grains and plenty of
nuts and dried fruits, which makes it a perfect breakfast or snack.
Store-bought granola is incredibly expensive, and most of
the time it’s loaded with plenty of added sugar. Fortunately, it’s easy and
inexpensive to make granola at home. You can also customize the recipe to
reduce your sugar intake and add whatever nuts and dried fruits you like. Most
of the time, you can make granola using ingredients you already have in your
pantry.
Cookie + Kate’s Healthy Granola Recipe is one of the best,
and there are dozens of ways to customize it. You can change out the nuts, nix
or mix the sweeteners, swap the dried fruits, change up the spices, and even
add extras like chocolate chips or toasted coconut. Once you see how easy and
affordable it is to make homemade granola, you’ll never go back to buying it in
a bag.
Tips for Making Healthier Restaurant Choices
Everyone needs a break from cooking at home, and it’s fun to
go out to eat with family and friends. However, the food you eat at restaurants
is often higher in calories, sodium, and saturated fats. It’s also more
expensive than what you’d pay to cook the same meal at home.
However, eating out is a treat. There are ways to save money
and make healthier choices when you visit a restaurant.
1. Eat Before You Go Out
Before meeting friends or family at a restaurant, have a
healthy snack at home. You can stave off cravings and reduce hunger by eating
an apple or a banana 30 minutes before you leave.
This tip also works well during the holiday season, when
food-laden parties are scheduled every week.
2. Do Your Homework on Restaurant Options
Most restaurants have their menu readily available online,
and some even have nutrition charts posted on their websites. You can also call
the restaurant and ask if they have healthy or low-fat meals available.
Depending on the restaurant’s size and popularity, you may
find online reviews with healthy meal suggestions. Two great websites to review
include Yelp and Zomato.
Restaurant and fast food meals often contain high amounts of
fat, salt, and calories. Even when restaurants reveal calorie counts for meals,
USA Today reports that they often underestimate them by as much as 20%.
3. Look for a Healthy or Smaller-Portion Section on the Menu
Most restaurants have added a special section to their menus
that makes finding healthy choices easier than ever. If the menu doesn’t
highlight heart-healthy or low-fat options, order grilled chicken or broiled
fish, and avoid fried foods and cream-based salad dressings, sauces, and soups.
Your server can provide more details about healthy options on the menu.
You can also ask for a child-sized portion at many
restaurants. Some restaurants, including Olive Garden, allow diners to order a
lunch portion for dinner. Most restaurants offer oversized portions, so order a
lunch-sized portion or a children’s meal to save money and stay on track with
your healthy eating plan.
You can also save calories and money by dividing the food at
a restaurant. Ask for a to-go box, and divide the food into two portions before
you eat. This ensures you won’t overindulge and that you have leftovers for
lunch the following day. Decline the server’s offer of a bread basket, and fill
up on salad instead.
4. Go to Independently Owned Restaurants
Restaurant chains such as Denny’s, Chili’s, and Applebee’s
often serve gigantic portions. You can get reasonably sized meals at smaller,
independently-run restaurants. You might get a healthier meal since many
smaller restaurants, especially those in bigger cities, source fresh produce
locally.
Because many of the smaller restaurants use fresh, local
produce, the food often tastes better. Larger chains often don’t go through the
trouble and expense to source food locally. Instead, they may use lower-quality
ingredients and rely on salt and fat to improve the taste of the food.
5. Practice Moderation
Restaurants often serve you more food than you need. Try to
practice moderation whenever you dine out, and don’t feel pressured to eat
everything. Resist bread, soup, and dessert, and eat more salad instead.
Ask your server if they can cook your meal with oil instead
of butter. Try substituting french fries with a dish of fruit or a salad.
6. Try Mediterranean Restaurants
Mediterranean restaurants are a budget-conscious dieter’s
best friend. Hummus, tabbouleh, whole-wheat pita bread, Greek salads, chicken
kebabs, and rice are delicious, heart-healthy standard fare.
The food is high in protein and inexpensive, especially if
you order appetizer portions instead of full meals. Always verify calorie
counts online or in a restaurant before ordering your meal.
Final Word
Many people are looking for ways to eat healthy on a budget.
Although eating healthy can be more expensive than buying less-healthy,
prepackaged food, there are plenty of ways to cut costs and stick to your
grocery budget.
An added benefit to healthy eating is that it can boost your
immune system and give you more energy.
What healthy foods are you cooking and eating at home right
now?
