Maintaining a healthy, nutritious diet is important for keeping your body, skin, and hair healthy. Unfortunately a reason why people may opt for unhealthy meals is that unhealthy food is cheaper. However, you should not let get this in the way of your health. Here are some ways to eat healthy on a budget:
1- Change Your Perception:
When you eat healthy, you lower your risk of diabetes, obesity, heart diseases, and some types of cancers. Avoiding these illnesses and conditions not only keeps you healthy, it also saves you money that would have otherwise been spent on healthcare. Healthy food also improves your mood and energy levels, making you more productive. So, the next time you are tempted to buy junk food because it is cheaper, think of its long-term repercussions instead.
2- Buy Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables:
Season produce is usually affordable as their supply is high. If your bargaining skills are good, you can get season fruits and vegetables at a very reasonable price as the sellers want to finish their stock instead of hoarding it. Try buying fruits and vegetables from a vender in a less affluent area to get even lower prices. Conversely, avoid buying fruits and vegetables from supermarkets as they are usually more expensive there.
3- Eat Real Food Meals:
We often buy convenience foods like canned vegetables, packaged chips, and frozen meals to save time, but such food items are usually very pricey. You can save a lot of money by forgoing convenience foods and investing in healthier alternatives instead. You can find a lot of recipes online to prepare nutritious meals in no time. Best of all, you will be well aware of the ingredients that go into making those meals as opposed to those shady ingredients on convenience foods that you can neither pronounce nor recognize.
4- Buy in Bulk:
You can stock up on perishable food items like grains and beans, especially when they are on sale. Bulk buyers are usually offered discounts and you should take advantage of this. Discover more ways of preserving food so that you can buy bigger batches of various food items on discounted prices. For instance, you can puree vegetables such as tomatoes and can and freeze them.
5- Plan Your Meals In Advance:
Another good idea to stick to your food budget and not get sidetracked when eating healthy is to plan your meals. This will enable you to make some dishes ahead of time and ensure they are available during meal times. This tip will not just help you save money, but also time. You can go to the store just once a week and get everything you need instead of making more trips.
6- Buy Whole Foods
Some foods are way cheaper in less processed form.
For example, a block of cheese is cheaper than shredded cheese and canned beans are cheaper than refried ones.
Whole grains, like brown rice and oats, are also cheaper per serving than most processed cereals.
The less processed foods are also often sold in larger quantities, and yield more servings per package.
7- Cook Large Portions and Use Your Leftovers
Cooking large meals can save you both time and money.
Leftovers can be used for lunches, in other recipes or frozen in single-portion sizes to be enjoyed later on.
Leftovers usually make very good stews, stir-fries, salads and burritos. These types of food are especially great for people on a budget.
8- Grow Your Own Produce
If you can, it is a great idea to grow your own produce.
Seeds are very cheap to buy. With some time and effort, you may be able to grow your own herbs, sprouts, tomatoes, onions and many more delicious crops.
Having a continuous supply at home saves you money at the store.
Home-grown produce may also taste a lot better than the store-bought varieties. You can also guarantee that it is picked at the peak of ripeness.
9- Pack Your Lunch
Eating out is very expensive, especially if done regularly.
Packing your lunch, snacks, drinks and other meals is less expensive and way healthier than eating out.
If you have adapted to cooking large meals at home, you’ll always have a steady lunch to bring with you without any additional effort or cost.
It does require some planning, but it should save you a lot of money at the end of the month.
It might seem a little difficult to eat healthy on a budget, but with a little planning, it can be a breeze. It is ok to treat yourself to a burger or pizza once in a while, but your goal should be to ensure that most of your meals are healthy. You do not have to break a bank to eat healthily; you just need to be more strategic.
You can consult a nutritionist to for guidance on what foods to include in your diet. You can find and book an appointment with top Nutritionist in Islamabad, Karachi and Multan through oladoc.com. You can also call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT doctor for your health concerns.
