11 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget

Apr 6 | Grocery Saving Tips

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Eating healthy is already a difficult challenge for most people, but to do so while prices are constantly on the rise, can seem completely impossible.

Fortunately, that isn’t the case.

Today, I've got several simple tips that can help your family eat better and save money at the same time. Check out these tips on eating healthy on a budget:

Plan Out Your Meals

Planning out your meals for the week is an excellent way to save your family money. It’s also a
great way to limit the amount you get take out.

Before you plan your meals, take a quick scan of your pantry/fridge/freezer to see if there are any meals you know you can make with what you already have.

To fill in any gaps take a look in the grocery store flyers to see what is on sale. Choose some meals using sale ingredients.

Planning meals this way will save you big bucks and you'll be eating healthy on a budget in no time.

If you’re wanting to get the most groceries for your dollar, try out the 14-day free trial of $5 Meal Plan! If you decide to continue after your trial period, for just $5 a month, they will send you a delicious meal plan where every meal will cost about $2 per person, and in most cases less.

Stick to Your Grocery List

After you’ve planned out your meals and made a list of everything that you need, it’s time to go shopping.

But don’t stray from the list!

Impulse buys are the number one reason why my grocery bill is often higher than I expect.

Be encouraged to download a shopping app or list app to your phone so you can write your shopping list there. I like the Flipp app for this. Since you most likely have your phone with you at all times, you'll have your grocery list at all times too!

I have also found great success in eliminating impulse buys, by using the grocery pickup services offered by most grocery stores these days!

Avoid Shopping While Hungry

Have you ever made the mistake of taking a trip to the grocery store on an empty
stomach?

If you have, you may have noticed that you not only spent a lot more money than
usual, but that you also purchased more processed foods that were of very little nutritional value.

So if you’re trying to eat healthy on a budget, don’t make the mistake of shopping while you're hungry.

Stock Up on Sale Items

As I mentioned earlier, one of the best things that you can do for your budget is to shop sale items. If you have a little bit of wriggle room in your budget stock up on as many as you can if you know your family will eat it in a timely fashion.

While you’ll be spending more upfront, this keeps you from paying full price on these items later on when you need them.

Shop More for Whole Foods

The perimeter of any grocery store is where you will find the majority of whole foods. Which is what you need to be eating more of when you’re trying to eat healthy.

But I’m not going to lie to you.

These food items are typically more expensive than what you will find in the center aisles.

However, if you make a habit of filling up your grocery cart with more whole foods, you'll discover that there's less need for the more processed, more expensive ingredients of the center aisles.

Skip Out on Processed Foods

When you’re eating healthy on a budget, your grocery store’s center aisles are where you need to be extra cautious.

Why? Because that’s where all your favorite snacks and processed foods are!

Not only do these food items contain hardly any nutritional value, they aren't very filling. You'll find yourself eating more than you should and spending more money than if you made it from scratch.

The less money you spend on these items, the more you can put towards healthier foods that also may not be very cheap.

But if you have to buy certain processed foods (Off the top of my head: pasta sauce, crackers, canned vegetables), try to purchase what's on sale.

Buy in Bulk

Shopping for certain items in bulk can save your family a huge chunk of money. This includes
staple foods like rice, beans, oats, and pasta, all of which can be used to make a
nutritious meal for your family.

Dried fruits and nuts are great snack items that can also be purchased in bulk. These keep well in the freezer if you won't get through them before they go off.

Buy Generic

When you’re on a tight budget, buying generic brand foods can be a smart way to shop. Most grocery stores sell them alongside the national leading brands. But what may be surprising to you is that many of them are of the same quality as your favorite brands, only cheaper!

Just remember to pay attention to the ingredient list and compare it to the leading brands so that you don’t settle for less quality or get something that has unexpected ingredients in it.

Buy Frozen Fruits and Veggies

Do you find that particular fruits and vegetables always seem to go bad before you can eat them? Throwing out rotten produce is no different than throwing your hard-earned money into the trash.

Don’t hesitate to shop for fruits and vegetables in the frozen aisle. You’ll still be getting all of the nutrients as you would with fresh produce.

Buying frozen is cheaper too, especially when these items are no longer in season.

Eat Less Meat But Still Get Your Protein

Meat prices have surely gone up this year.

Instead of eating meat as often, how about seeking out other food sources to get your protein? Some examples include legumes, eggs, hemp seeds, canned fish, and other canned meats.

Not only do most of these items have a long shelf life, but they’re also much cheaper to buy than meat.

Cook Enough to Have Leftovers

As long as your family doesn’t mind eating leftovers, cooking larger portions is a great way to
save you both time and money.

Leftovers can be used to create a completely different meal, or used as lucnh the next day.

Whatever you don’t plan on eating right away, you can place in the freezer for later. I like to do this with our extra spaghetti sauce and taco meat. This is also a great way to keep you from thinking that you have no choice but to eat out when you’re not feeling in the mood to cook a meal from scratch. 🙂

Eating healthy on a budget is possible! You can still find foods that are full of nutrients that won’t break the bank while walking past the ones that aren't the best choice.

It really just comes down to making smarter decisions while you’re shopping at the grocery store. Can you think of any other ways to be eating healthy on a budget?

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