Healthy Eating Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive: 10 Cost-Cutting Tips

Fruits and vegetables in season are often fresher, tastier, and more affordable than foods that are grown out of season.

This is because these seasonal ingredients are harvested at their peak of maturity and not transported that far, minimizing the amount of time it takes to travel from the farm to the grocery store shelf.

There are many guides online that detail what fruits and vegetables are in season near you. You can also get a good idea of ​​what foods are in season by visiting your local farmers market to see what is available.

Many grocery stores offer products in both generic and brand-name varieties.

Opting for generic brands over name brands is an easy way to save money without compromising on quality.

Generic brand foods are often comparable to brand name versions in terms of safety, quality, and nutritional value.

However, it is always a good idea to compare the ingredient list and nutrition labels of your favorite brand name products with those of the generic versions before purchasing.

Planning your meals in advance is a smart way to save time and money.

Try creating a weekly meal plan, writing a shopping list, and setting aside a specific time to prepare your meals for the next week.

One of my favorite methods of meal planning is to find some recipes that use a similar set of ingredients to alternate throughout the week.

I like to focus on a few ingredients with a shorter shelf life, like fresh fruits and vegetables, and switch between various whole grains, legumes, spices, and condiments for each meal.

This can help optimize your shopping list while adding a lot of diversity to your diet as you enjoy ingredients in new and interesting ways every day.

Cooking your own food at home instead of dining at restaurants or buying packaged meals is one of the easiest and most effective ways to eat healthy on a budget.

In fact, a single meal in a restaurant typically costs a lot more than buying the ingredients you need to prepare your own food at home.

Plus, with added fees like delivery fees, service charges, and tips, the cost of dining out or ordering take-out can add up quickly.

Preparing your own food also gives you full control of what you are putting on your plate. This makes it easier to include more fresh, whole foods in your diet.

It also helps decrease the intake of added sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients.

Plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and tempeh are often much cheaper than animal proteins like meat, fish, and poultry.

Additionally, these foods are rich in protein, fiber, and a variety of other essential vitamins and minerals. They are easy to incorporate into recipes like stews, soups, salads, and stir fries.

Keep in mind that eating more plant-based protein doesn’t mean you need to become a full-fledged vegan or cut animal products out of your diet entirely.

If you eat meat now and want to start eating more plant-based protein, consider switching plant-based protein to your diet just a few times a week. This will help you save some money and reduce your meat consumption.

A flexitarian diet like this encourages eating primarily plant-based, but it also allows you to eat animal-based foods here and there.

Most grocery stores offer weekly sales and discounts, which are usually advertised online or circulated in circulars.

Checking for coupons available for your favorite products before you go shopping is a great way to save some money.

You can also look for deals offered by online retailers, such as Thrive Market, Fresh Direct, or Amazon Fresh, which can be helpful if you have limited access to a traditional grocery store.

Personally, I like to stock up on essentials that can’t be shelf-stored when on sale. These include rice, beans, spices, frozen foods, and canned vegetables.

If you are having a hard time consuming all of your fresh fruits and vegetables before they start to spoil, consider buying some frozen items. It is an excellent alternative.

Frozen fruits and vegetables offer the same valuable nutrients as fresh varieties, but have a much longer shelf life to help you reduce food waste (1).

I like to have lots of frozen fruit on hand to mix into smoothies or mix with my yogurt and oatmeal. Frozen veggies also make a great addition to stir fries or can be baked, sautéed, or roasted for a simple side dish.

In general, many parts of meat and produce are thrown away when healthy meals are prepared at home.

However, there are many interesting and creative ways that you can use up food scraps instead of just throwing them away. This can help you save some extra money when shopping for groceries.

Save vegetable stems and stalks to make soup broth, freeze leftover herbs or dice stale bread and bake in the oven to make your own homemade croutons.

Do you need more ideas? Check out this article for other easy ways to use up leftover food.

Storing food properly can extend its shelf life, making your meals last longer to reduce food waste and lower your grocery bill.

Try lining the crisper drawers with paper towels to absorb extra moisture and prevent the fruits and veggies from spoiling.

You should also store non-perishable ingredients, such as pasta, rice, and cereals, in an airtight container and place them in a cool, dry place to maximize their shelf life.

You should also keep dairy products in the main part of your refrigerator rather than on the door, and freeze raw meat or poultry if you don’t plan on using them within a few days.

For example, experts recommend keeping fresh poultry or ground beef in the refrigerator at 40 ° F (4 ° C) or lower for no more than 2 days. Make sure to keep raw meat separate from other foods (2).

You can buy certain foods in bulk at a lower price, which makes it even easier to eat healthy on a budget.

Stable storage options like grains, nuts, seeds, and dried legumes are particularly good foods to stock up and buy in bulk.

Make sure to avoid buying bulk foods that have a shorter shelf life, including:

• fresh products
• prepared meals
• eggs
• meats
• dairy products

Fresh herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavor of your favorite healthy meals at home, but they can also be quite expensive.

Fortunately, growing your own herbs at home can be an easy, fun, and money-saving hobby.

It’s also super easy, even if you don’t have a green thumb: all you need is soil, seeds, and a sunny spot by your window or in your garden. There are many indoor gardening possibilities to consider.

If you’re like me and you live in an apartment with little sunlight, consider trying an indoor hydroponic garden. They are equipped with LED lights for a foolproof way to grow herbs at home.

Incorporating money-saving habits into your shopping routine is a great way to cut costs while eating healthy.

• Write a list ahead of time. To get started, write down what you need before you go to the store. When you’re there, stick to the items on your list.
• Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store. This can make it easier to skip items like processed foods and snacks, which are generally more expensive and less nutritious.
• Buy when you are calm, on a full stomach. You should also avoid going to the store when you’re hungry or stressed, as it could fuel your food cravings and lead to unhealthy shopping selections.

Instead of throwing out the leftovers, try saving them for a simple meal the next day.

Not only can this save you some time, but bringing the leftovers to work or school instead of buying lunch can also help you save money.

I like to double my portion sizes when I cook dinner and then save half to eat for lunch the next day.

Many online grocery services have popped up in recent years, delivering discounted food items right to your doorstep.

Some services, like Imperfect Foods or Misfits Market, offer products with minor cosmetic blemishes at a lower price.

In addition to helping you add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, these services can help you save money and make it easier to stick to your meal plan if you buy only what you need.

This can also be a useful option if you don’t live near a grocery store or have limited access to fresh food in your community.

Although many people believe that eating healthy can be expensive, this is not necessarily true.

In fact, eating a healthy, balanced diet can save you money in the long run.

Try practicing some of the tips outlined above, which can make healthy eating easier than ever without spending a lot of money.