I’m sure you have heard people say that it is not cheap to eat healthy. Buying at whole food stores is expensive. Fruits and vegetables are more expensive than eating from a fast food. But, the reality is, if you plan better, you CAN eat healthy food at lower cost.
Here are some tips:
- Buy seasonally. Visit local farmers market or produce junction and buy seasonal vegetables and fruits. They are much cheaper!
- Learn to cook veggies. Avoid adding high calories ingredients, such as butter and use stir-fry or boiling or baking options to minimize calories.
- Get frozen veggies. Fresh is not the only option for healthy vegetables. Many frozen vegetables are harvested and then frozen at peak ripeness, so they can be a flavorful option that’s often a better value and will last for months longer than fresh. Canned vegetables may also be full of nutrients, but watch out for added salt in cans.
- Cut your vegetables at home. Pre-cut produce adds to the cost of the vegetables.
- Cook in bulk and freeze. That way you don’t let food go bad and end up wasting it.
- Not everything has to be organic. For example, avocados, bananas and other fruits and veggies with thick skin are totally OK to buy conventional. You end up saving quite a bit.
Learn to add some fruits or vegetables with each meal. This will add fiber and you will get feeling of satiety sooner without consuming high calorie foods.
Additional Reading:
- [amazon text=Eating Healthy on a Budget: A How-To Guide (Dr. Vuong’s Small Bites Books) (Volume 2)&asin=0692778969]
- [amazon text=The Everyday Cookbook: A Healthy Cookbook with 130 Amazing Whole-Food Recipes that are Easy on the Budget Vol. 2: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Made Simple (Healthy Cooking and Eating)&asin=152036752X]
