How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
Are you trying to improve your health this year? That’s an amazing self-improvement goal! However, if you’re concerned that eating healthy comes at a price to your wallet, then you will be happy to hear that it’s totally possible to eat healthy regardless of your current financial situation. However, if you aren’t careful and shop only at specialty health stores or frequently eat out at fancy restaurants, then you will rack up quite a bill.
Learn how to eat healthy on a budget by simply following these handy tips and tricks:
- Follow a Meal Plan
Preparing a meal plan for the week is the single most important way you can ensure that you regularly eat healthy while also avoiding spending a lot of money. Plan what meals you will make and eat for the week. By doing this, you also avoid spending unnecessary money on restaurants and takeout.
- Make a Grocery List
Once you have a meal plan put together, you can add those items to your grocery list. Writing a grocery list will save you tons of money at the store. Another helpful trick to remember is to avoid shopping when you are hungry. You will be less likely to buy tons of items you don’t need with higher price tags if you have a full stomach.
- Cook at Home
Stop eating out as much as you can. Healthy options for eating out are particularly expensive. If you are trying to save money on takeout, you will undoubtedly be eating food that is not exactly healthy.
- Buy Whole Foods
When it comes to buying whole foods, this does not mean to buy from Whole Foods. That store is not budget friendly at all! Instead, buy whole foods at your local affordable grocery store. When you buy groceries fresh and not prepackaged, you get food that is both healthy and kind to your wallet. You’ll save money, improve your health, and be kind to the planet!
- Choose Other Proteins Over Meat
Meat is an expensive food purchase, so eating less of it could save you a good amount of money. Plus, replacing red meats and poultry with other forms of protein like legumes, eggs, and canned fish could be really good for improving your overall health.
- Create a Designated Food Budget
Set the amount of money you plan to spend on food aside at the very beginning of the month. If you have a set budget in place, you will be far less likely to exceed your spending since you can keep track of it. After a trip to the grocery store, input your total expenses into your budget plan so you can visually see how much you have left for the month.
It’s important to know that you don’t have to spend a fortune to live and eat healthily. And it’s good to remind yourself that excess stress can have a detrimental effect on your physical health. So, if your tight financial situation is causing you stress, then try to lessen its effects through self-care, budget alteration, or getting some kind of financial leg up through help from friends and family or a loan like a title loan.
Be your best financially and physically healthy self this new year!
