Six Tips for Eating More Healthfully on a Frugal Budget
Eating healthy on a budget is always important, but after the disaster of 2020, I feel like more people can use a little help in this department.
Less doesn’t mean more, especially when it comes to food. Starving yourself isn’t eating healthy, and it’s easy to fall into a rabbit hole with 1,200 calorie diets that make you want to eat cardboard.
It’s also easy to get into a mentality where you think you can’t AFFORD to eat healthfully. After all, there are memes all over the Internet showing how a fast food burger is so much cheaper than a fast food salad, and that’s true. Fast food salads are VERY expensive because they have to use fresh ingredients for once.
Instead of being a sign that lower income people and families can’t afford more healthful foods, it SHOULD indicate that NO ONE should eat those burgers.
But that’s not how our society works, and I get that. No judgment for eating fast food here.
How DOES a lower income person or family do it then? How can YOU start eating healthy on a budget?
Here are six tips to help you get started!
Buy frozen vegetables
Frozen vegetables get a bad rap. They are just as nutritious – sometimes, more so – than their fresh counterparts, usually cost less, and can be stored for longer. Chopped onions, bell peppers, and stir fry mixes let you create a healthy, filling meal for a fraction of the cost. Designer items like riced cauliflower, however, can cost more than their fresh alternatives.
Buy in bulk
Depending on your income level, this may not be possible. If your situation allows it, buy meat, canned goods, and dry goods in bulk whenever possible. Canned and dry goods can remain in your pantry or
cupboard for months – or even years – and meat can be frozen for later use. Keep an eye on your local grocery store’s weekly ads for sales on family staples and put aside extra funds for when you find a good sale.
Don’t be afraid of starches
Starches are unnecessarily vilified. Unless you have a rare medical condition, your body needs carbohydrates to fuel your brain, kidneys, heart, etc. Potatoes, rice, and pasta are perfectly healthy options in the right portion sizes. Fill 1/4 to 1/2 of your plate with pasta or rice instead of the
whole plate. Eat 1/2 a large potato instead of a whole one.
Avoid pre-packaged “health” foods
Stay away from the organic health food section. There are some delicious choices on those shelves, but much of it is glorified candy. None of it is going to make or break your health journey. You’re better off learning to read nutrition labels and sticking to the cheaper items.
Shop your pantry
One of the best pieces of advice I found in the debt-free community was having a specific day, week, or even month where you shopped your pantry for meals. Many middle to upper lower class families have canned
goods and boxed foods that sit in their pantries and get ignored for newer groceries. Go through your stock and pair them with a side of vegetables to save time and money!
Keep It Super Simple
Don’t over-complicate this. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and say you can’t afford to eat healthy foods because there is so much confusing information
floating around the internet. Keep It Super Simple: replicate meals as often as possible; try to include a vegetable, protein, and grain/legume at every main meal; focus on portion sizes rather than meal times; and, remember that, when money is REALLY tight, FED IS BEST.
