Ten tips for eating healthy on a budget

March 30, 10:51 AMSeattle Healthy Food ExaminerKristen Rezabek, MS, RD, CD, CDE

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courtesy www.mealsmatter.com

Ten tips for eating healthy on a budget

In these troubled economic tights we are all tightening our belts and watching where we spend our dollars. This is particularly true with our food budget. Many people are limiting the amount they eat out at restaurants and being more frugal with what they buy at the grocery store.
 

Here are ten tips to help you eat healthy on a budget:

1. Make up a weekly menu and a shopping list – using a list helps you buy only the essentials and helps prevent those impulsive purchases for items you probably don’t need. Look at the store flyers before making up your menu to incorporate any items on sale. It goes without saying –don’t shop on an empty stomach either.

2. Stick to the perimeter of the store – the produce section, meat and poultry area, dairy case, and bakery. Make brief forays into the middle to get items such as frozen foods or canned fruits and vegetables.

3. Avoid pre-packaged, processed foods – not only are these more expensive, they are usually higher in sodium and fat. Try and make more items from scratch. Home cooking is not only healthier, it’s also cheaper.

4. Your protein tends to be the most expensive part of your grocery bill – aim for at least one meatless meal each week (pasta with marinara sauce, bean soup, vegetable stir fry with brown rice, etc). You can also stretch your protein by mixing in beans, legumes, or grains. For example I make meatloaf by adding oatmeal to my ground meat. It’s healthier to make meat a side attraction to your meal versus the main star.

5. Use unit pricing – compare what the cost of an item is by weight. The lowest priced product may not necessarily be the cheapest.

6. Buy items in bulk when possible and then repackage into smaller portions at home. This only makes sense if you know your family will go through the item before it spoils. Most meats and poultry items will last 3-4 months in your freezer, eggs up to 5 weeks in the refrigerator. Bulk dried grains, beans, and legumes will typically last a year.

7. Pack snacks with you when heading out of the house. Nothing can ruin your budget faster than being so starved the drive through becomes your only option. Items such as homemade trail mix with dried fruits, nuts and seeds; whole grain crackers and cheese; and a peanut butter sandwich are easy to keep on hand and hold hunger pangs at bay.

8. Frozen fruits and vegetables can often be less expensive than the fresh alternative, plus they are picked at the height of ripeness and flash frozen so the flavor and nutrients are preserved. Keep these stocked in your freezer for an easy addition to a meal.

9. Try growing your own small garden, even if it’s just a few pots for fresh herbs, lettuces, and strawberries. For just a few pennies you can harvest fresh produce all summer long.

10. When cooking make a double batch and freeze half so you have a meal already prepared for another time when you’re just too tired to cook.
 

For more info: 

Healthy Foods Shopping List

Low Cost Recipes

USDA's Eating Right When Money's Tight