Unfortunately, it often costs more money to eat nutritiously than it does to consume unhealthy food. That doesn’t have to be the case, though. With the proper planning and strategy it’s possible to maintain a quality diet while sticking to a tight budget.
By utilizing the five following techniques, you’ll be able to eat well and save money in the process.
Whether you shop at a membership warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club, an organic market or a traditional grocery store; it’s almost always cheaper to buy in bulk. This is especially true for packaged items such as pasta, quinoa and protein bars.
While buying organic and higher quality packaged foods are generally more expensive, you can offset some of that cost by buying in bulk. For example, getting a big box of organic cereal with healthy ingredients is often cheaper (per ounce) than buying one of those single serve cups of Lucky Charms.
Purchasing already washed bags of greens or packages of sliced pineapples might be more convenient, but that convenience comes at a significant cost. Sometimes a very significant cost. Pay attention the next time you go to the store and you’ll notice the dramatic price difference between buying unpackaged fresh fruits and vegetables and those that are already packaged.
If you are really busy and can’t afford to take the time to prepare your own fruits and veggies, then stick to produce that doesn’t require any preparation such as apples or celery. They offer outstanding nutritional value while requiring very little effort to eat.
A great way to enhance the taste of food without turning to potentially unhealthy sauces and dressings is by adding a few herbs. It’s amazing the difference a little fresh basil, oregano or sage can make on an otherwise bland dish. The problem is that buying fresh herbs can quickly take you beyond budget. Thankfully, there is a somewhat easy solution: Growing your own herbs.
Unlike other fruits and vegetables, many herbs don’t require a garden or even any outdoor space, in order to grow. This makes them ideal for homeowners and apartment dwellers alike. You can buy the seeds and soil for cheap at a store like Home Depot, get a couple of inexpensive or even second-hand pots and you’re good to go. Just set them on the windowsill so they can get the sun exposure they need and water them regularly. Give it a few weeks and you’ll have plenty of fresh herbs to use for a fraction of the cost.
One category of foods in which the healthy option is actually cheaper is snacks. Doritos, potato chips, cheetos and all the rest are really quite expensive. Sunflower seeds, raisins and air-popped popcorn all provide excellent nutritional benefits at a better price. If you really want to get creative, you can bake your own kale chips in the oven. For those that are especially adventurous, you can forage for nuts in the backyard or at the local park.
Juicing is one of the best methods to sneak some extra nutrients in your diet without having to eat something you may not like. Once again, though, your budget is likely to get in the way. Healthy juice brands like Pom Wonderful, Naked Juice and Odwalla are very expensive. Luckily, there is this little invention called a blender that will allow you to make your own juices at home.
Investing in a high-end blender like a Blendtec or Vitamix might be worth it, but at a $400 and up price tag, that might not be an option for many budget shoppers. To be honest, most cheaper blenders are able to get the job done, you just need to be more diligent about cutting the fruits and/or vegetables into smaller pieces. This also gives you a place to use any excess bulk produce you’ve accumulated.
