Are you running on a tight budget but want to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle? Then I’ve got news for you! Eating whole, healthy foods isn’t something reserved for the wealthy. While there are certainly some limitations when it comes to your options, you can still stay on track and continue nourishing your health and fitness performance. Although it will require more effort and discipline on your part, the payoff will be well worth it. Don’t give in to the temptations of dollar menus or cheap processed foods, which in the long run can slow down your progress and pave the way for poor health.
Take a look at these tips on how you can eat healthy while still staying on a budget!

#1: Plan Ahead

By failing to plan you plan to fail. If you truly want to start adopting a healthier diet and you’re aware of your financial situation, then take the time to sit down and get down to details. First, assess your budget. Where is most of your money going to? Is it for multiple trips to the coffee shop, or dining out when you truly could have eaten at home? See if you can cut corners here. Maybe instead of eating out every day, you save it for the weekends, or special occasions. If you’ve got any unnecessary expenses, tighten the belt and relegate those dollars to your food budget. After that, set a designated budget for your groceries, and how often you plan on getting them. Set a number and try to stay within it. Another useful tip is to create an account for your groceries. You can do this with your card or set aside some money in cash and put it into an envelope for this purpose. Finally, when it comes to actually going out and buying food, create a meal plan and corresponding shopping list for it. For example, if you’re going to be making a stir fry for dinner, write down all of the ingredients you’ll need to be buy and in what quantities (this could look something like 8 oz of chicken thighs and 2 ½ cups of frozen mixed vegetables- be specific). By writing everything down and keeping track, you’ll be less likely to buy any spontaneous items that are off the list, thus keeping you from going over your budget. (This is something I’ve benefitted from in the past, and have incorporated into my meal plans, where you receive programmed weekly meals and shopping lists to go with them. You end up saving more time in the end while keeping organized.)

#2: Keep an Eye Out for Deals

Again, you’re going to have to get your head in the game. You’d be surprised how much money you can save just be digging around and seeking out special deals at various grocery chains. I know the thought of driving around doesn’t sound fun, but if it saves you a significant amount of money in the end, then it’s well worth the extra effort. Pay attention for sales and keep those coupons you receive in the mail. The numbers can really start to add up! A very useful website that I can recommend is MyGroceryDeals.com, which helps you to find grocery deals locally (so you don’t have to drive around town looking for them yourself!). Another website you can check out is ThriveMarket.com. I personally use this one all the time, and it’s saved me tons of money. Think of it like a cross between Costco and Whole Foods. They offer wholesale prices on everything from wild caught canned fish to coconut oil. Thrive Market is also a great place to order some of your favorite supplements, like probiotics and multivitamins, at an affordable cost. You can even customize your search options on their site according to your dietary needs! And as if it couldn’t get any better, there’s always a weekly deal going on, so the savings never stop!

#3: Make These Swaps

I get it, organic produce and grass-fed, wild meat isn’t always cheap. Luckily, you can make a few swaps. Let’s start with produce. Instead of buying most of your vegetables and fruits fresh, buy them frozen. First of all, they’re less expensive. Second, the nutrients stay preserved well after they’ve been picked. And third, you tend to get more product for what you may normally pay for. (For example, you can pay more for a small container of blueberries than you would for a larger, frozen bag of them.)
Another option is to follow the Environmental Working Group’s annual shopper’s guide. This guide gives you the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen of produce, showing you which foods are ok to buy non-organic and which ones are not (at the time of this article, the 2019 guide is still pending, but keep an eye out for when it’s released). With this guide, you can make better choices in regard to quality with your produce.
Alternatively, you can buy some of your produce at your local farmer’s market, which not only enables you to support small businesses but helps you to get to know where your food is coming from and how it’s grown. You’ll also have the opportunity to get a good deal on fresh produce if you negotiate right.
Now onto animal products. With things like fish, your best bet is to stick mainly with canned fish while occasionally taking advantage of deals for fresh cuts at the store. Just beware that with things like canned tuna you’re going to have to exercise some moderation, since having too much can potentially cause mercury toxicity. A better swap is going for fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines. With beef and poultry, aim for leaner cuts, and add more fat to them from foods like coconut, olive, and avocado oil, or butter. Conventional, non-organic dark meat is higher in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats, and could potentially contain residue growth hormones, antibiotics, and pesticide residue. [1] So, your safest bet is by sticking with leaner cuts and adding the fat later. And if there’s a sale for grass-fed meat, then, by all means, take advantage of it!

#4: B.I.B (Buy in Bulk!)

You hear this phrase all the time, but it’s worth repeating: Buy in Bulk! This works for a number of reasons. It reduces the number of trips and purchases you have to make per month, gives you plenty of “back up” food in cases of emergencies or low supply (during that period right before you know you have to stock up and have limited options), and makes the most out of your dollar. Nuts and seeds, grains (if you eat them), legumes (again, if you eat them), and even frozen vegetables and meat can all be bought and larger amounts and stored for later use. If you go through tons of spinach and leafy greens every week, then those huge containers really come in handy. Eggs can also be bought in large cartons and last a good while (perfect for when you need to use a large batch in recipes like frittatas, omelets, and muffins; you can also batch cook some hard-boiled eggs for an easy, grab and go snack).

#5: Make it Yourself

While store items such as kale chips, salad dressings, and sauces are very convenient, they can soon prove to become costly for those on a tight budget. (And not all of them contain good ingredients! Beware of hidden sugars, processed oils, and preservatives!) Instead of paying an exorbitant amount of money for a measly bag of kale chips, make it yourself at home! The same goes for dressings and most condiments. If you can, make them yourself. For instance, the easiest dressing in the world could simply be a splash of olive oil with vinegar and a squeeze of lemon. Making your own dressings, sauces and snacks gives you control over the quality and types of ingredients. And depending on how much you make, you might be able to make them last for a lot longer than you normally would with their store-bought counterparts.

There you have it, everyone! Some simple tips on how to eat healthy without breaking the bank. If you’ve got any tips of your own, share them in the comments below. And by the way, in case you’re looking for even more tips, check out my Budget Friendly Superfoods post to find which foods are superb for both your body and your wallet!

Sources:

[1] https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/a20506385/conventional-meat-versus-grass-fed/