So often I””ve heard people tell me that eating healthy is too expensive. And with our current economy, healthy eating can be even more challenging. However, it is possible to eat healthy and not break the bank. Here are a few tips to help you stick to your budget and your healthy eating plan.
1. Choose whole foods whenever possible. Foods found as close as possible to their natural state are not only healthier for us but less expensive. As food becomes more processed, more refined the price increases.
2. Have plants be the focus of your meal. Plant foods such as whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables provide a lot of important nutrition and generally cost much less than animal foods.
3. Find your way back to the kitchen. Not only will you have more control over what you””re eating but you””ll save a lot of money by cooking at home. This also includes spending a little more time in the kitchen preparing food. Pre-washed, pre-cut, pre-prepared foods always cost more. What you save in convenience you will make up for in cost. Additionally this includes cooking when you have the time and keeping ready-to-go foods in your freezer instead of take-out on nights that you don””t have time to cook.
4. Appropriate portion sizes. By eating only as much as you need you will save money and save inches around your waist.
5. Less “Empty-Calorie” foods, like chips, soda, cookies and candy will improve your health and prevent unnecessary spending. You can buy a lot of apples, carrots, potatoes, bananas, etc for the price of a large bag of chips or a box of cookies.
6. More water. Don””t waste money on beverages. Water is the best source of hydration and the cheapest. Buy a reusable water bottle and a filter if you””re concerned about the water quality from your tap. You can also make your own ice tea, lemonade or even smoothies if that””s where you spend your money.
7. Plan your meals. It is important to plan ahead, buy what you need and ultimately decrease the number of times you have to swing by the grocery store in a week. The more you plan ahead the more money you””ll save and the better you will be able to stick to you healthy eating plan. Don””t forget about breakfasts, lunches and snacks too.
8. Stick to a list. Once you””ve planned your meals check your pantry, freezer, and refrigerator take note of things you have so you won””t buy extras of things you don””t need. At the grocery store don””t be tempted by all the fancy signs, displays and product sampling. Stick to your list and resist temptations.
9. Check unit pricing. The unit price of an item is found on the grocery store shelf and generally below the item. This tells you how much you spend per unit. An item that is “on sale” may still have a higher per unit price that the product that is not on sale.
10. Buy produce in season. Seasonal produce is not only tastier and arguably more nutritious but it is also more affordable. Consider canned or frozen fruits and vegetables when they are no longer in season. In the winter time, don””t waste money on mediocre tomatoes from Central America buy them canned.
11. Use coupons and sales wisely. Plan ahead to incorporate sale items into your week””s meal plan. Don””t be tempted by sale items just because they are a good deal if you won””t actually eat them before they go bad.
12. Wasted Food = Wasted Money! At the end of the day you want to use what you bought. Don””t let food get lost and spoil in your refrigerator or cupboards. Only buy what you need and make it a point to incorporate leftovers into your meal plan. Be creative and find other uses for food. For example, overripe fruit can be used for smoothies or muffins and stale bread makes great breadcrumbs.
Nutrition Consultations are available at Synergy+ with Dionne Detraz, RD.
Contact Dionne directly to schedule an appointment at 415-250-0567 or dionnedetraz@comcast.net.