Clever Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget
By Sara Butler
Sometimes looking at your bank account can be depressing. Being an adult is an expensive business. But just because you have to put off that Caribbean vacation again doesn’t mean you can’t afford to eat healthy on a budget. If you plan accordingly, eating at home and meal prepping will actually save you money in the long run – even with fresh produce! Here are some tips to get you started – you’ll be on that beach vacation before you know it!
Prep Your Meals
If you can plan out the entire week’s meals on Sunday and prep them, then you’ll be more inclined to actually go home and eat them instead of stopping by the drive-thru. You can plan ahead for healthy meals all week long, preventing you from ordering expensive takeout because you simply are too exhausted at the end of the day to cook a healthy meal.
Start this process by shopping on Sunday for everything you need during the week. Choose a lean protein such as pork, lentils, chicken, or fish, complex carbohydrates such as quinoa and sweet potatoes, and fresh vegetables. Cook them, divide them up into storage containers, and you’re good to go!
For a little variety, you can add something a little different to each meal. Try some cashews or almonds on your rice, or teriyaki sauce on your vegetables. You can even make a sandwich out of your protein if you’re sick of everything else you’ve had this week.
Ditch the Junk
Sure, it’s convenient to grab a snack from the vending machine in the break room when you’re hungry but it’s not worth it for your health or your wallet! These foods are often high in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and sugar. Try to make your own trail mix that you can pack with healthy things and keep in your desk to munch on. Buying the dried fruits and nuts may cost a bit up front but over the course of a week or two, it will just save you money.
Buy in Bulk
When possible buy items you know you’ll use in bulk. There are plenty of healthy foods that can be purchased inexpensively this way such as dried beans, legumes, oats, seeds, and dried fruit. That way you’ll have a supply ready to go for your Sunday meal and snack prep!
You can eat well on a budget -- you just need to plan for it!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Snellville, Ga.