Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget

Somehow, over the years people have gotten the impression that eating healthy has to be expensive. Blame it on the Gwenyth Paltrows of the world, who go around touting the latest diet fad, only to fail miserably when forced to grocery shop using an actual human budget. Or simply look to the million dollar marketing gurus, just waiting to monopolize on the healthy lifestyle movement with their six dollar bottles of "cleanse" juice. No wonder people feel they have no choice but to give in and buy the two-for-one family packs of macaroni & cheese (at least if they want to keep a roof over their head). It doesn't have to be this way! You can actually save money while feeding your family wholesome, nutritious, real food. Here are my tips to help you get started!

Use spices instead of condiments. Spices last much longer, and go farther than condiments. Not to mention they are typically a fraction of the cost. Try to avoid pre-made spice blends, as these are usually marked up in price. Stick to basic spices and experiment with your own flavors at home. I will often save my old spice containers when I run out, and use them to mix and store my own seasoning blends using what I have in my cupboard. Not only are you saving money this way, but you know exactly what is going into your food.

Avoid packaged snack foods.  I know those 10 for $10 deals on granola bars may seem like a great price, but when you buy pre-packaged foods you are inadvertently paying for all of the marketing and materials that went into that product. Stick to foods that don't have an ad campaign, and aren't designed to last a year at the bottom of your kid's backpack. Things like bananas, carrots, apples, and other whole foods are just as easy to grab on the go, while also being less expensive and more beneficial to your health.

Don't buy pre-cut fruit and vegetables, or pre-marinated meats. Again, you are just paying someone else an exhorbitant amount to do something that you could do for free. Stay away from bagged salads and fruit trays. Cut up your fruits and veggies and try portioning them out ahead of time, so that all you have to do is grab them when you're ready to cook. Or buy individual salad ingredients and make your own to last the week. When it comes to meat, buying the pre-seasoned, already marinated cuts from the butcher section means that you're paying an arbitrary mark up price for a ninety nine cent marinade that you could have made at home.

Add vegetables to your meats.  Make meats go farther by supplementing with inexpensive veggies. Adding mushrooms, tomatoes, and zucchini to your ground meat will make it more filling. Or cut up a chicken breast and toss it into a stir fry with spinach, peppers, onions, you name it! You can add vegetables to almost any dish, making it more of a well rounded meal and saving on your meat budget.

Stock up on flexible foods. Be sure to stock your kitchen with foods that have a variety of uses. For instance, sweet potatoes and eggs can be prepared an infinite number of ways, and they are inexpensive to buy in bulk.

Prepare food ahead of time. This reduces the chances of stopping to buy food while you're out and about during the day. I always keep boiled eggs, mini meatloaves, and other grab and go foods in the fridge so that healthy eating is effortless when I get busy. When I'm away from the house all day I have my six pack bag full of food from home so that I'm not tempted to spend money when I get hungry.

By simply planning ahead and making a few easy adjustments to your shopping list, you can easily cut down on your grocery bill each month.