A lot of us nowadays struggle with eating healthy because of how expensive healthy food options have become. For some, it’s hard to justify choosing a salad that’s double the price of a fast food combo meal. But there are ways to eat healthier and save money at the same time; it just requires a bit more effort. Here’s how you can start your healthy eating journey.
Plan your meals.
Deciding your meals everyday on a whim leads you to ordering more take-out than you should. On the other hand, planning your meals in advance gives you more control of what you put in your body.
Try making weekly meal plans and creating your grocery list based on that. When making a meal plan, it’s best to use recipes with many common ingredients so that you can stick to buying large amounts of the same ingredient. This saves money and prevents waste in one go.
Buy frozen and canned ingredients.
There’s a rumor that you should only get fresh ingredients and that frozen and canned food is filled with chemicals. That can’t be any further from the truth. Frozen and canned options are just as healthy as fresh ingredients, plus they’re cheaper, easier to find, and easier to store. While the nutrients found in frozen and canned goods are slightly less than fresh food, they’re still packed with plenty enough nutrients that it won’t make much of a difference. This makes frozen ingredients ideal for healthy eating.
But that doesn’t mean you can grab any random canned good from the shelf. Be sure to look at the label carefully to make sure there aren’t any unnecessary sugars or empty calories added in. For example, many canned goods come in syrup, which increases its sugar count. Instead, make sure that you buy canned goods that come in water.
Look into cheaper protein options.
Meat has only gotten more and more expensive these days. Even then, too much beef and pork can be more detrimental to your health than you think. You can solve both of these problems at once by looking into other cheaper protein options. Plant proteins, such as beans, tofu, and lentils, are cheap and much better for your healthy eating journey than beef or pork. If plant proteins aren’t your taste, eggs and fish are also great alternatives.
Try growing your own food.
You don’t need a plot of land to grow your own food! A terrace or balcony would be great for starting your own garden, but if not, you can certainly grow vegetables indoors if you find a good window with the right sunlight. Then, you can start growing fruits, vegetables and herbs at home. Some beginner friendly options are tomatoes, eggplants, microgreens, and herbs.
Of course, growing your own food takes a long time. Plus, if you only have a few plant pots to work with, you might not grow enough to be able to constantly rely on it. Even so, a small garden can help you cut a few extra expenses out of your next shopping trip.
Look for healthy desserts.
Just because you’re pursuing a healthy eating lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to stop eating desserts. Instead of reaching for an ice cream cone or a slice of cake, try some frozen yogurt with fruits or oatmeal cookies. If chocolate is your favorite sweet, try limiting yourself to eating just dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidants.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to abstain from traditional desserts entirely. After all, we all have our cravings. What you can do is cut back how much of these sweets you eat, so that you reduce your overall sugar intake.
Hopefully, these tips can help you form healthier eating habits even on a limited budget. Remember that investing in your long-term health can help you avoid heftier costs going to doctors in the future, so healthier options are always worth it in the end.