I know that one of the reasons that some people are hesitant to get started with healthier eating habits is that they think it may be either difficult or expensive, especially in this time of inflation where we are seeing prices increase for almost everything.
How To Save Money When Eating Healthily
Below I share with you my simple tips on how you CAN eat healthily on a budget.
Buy in bulk
Buying in bulk is one of the simplest ways to save money, since you pay less per unit. It’s important to choose the items you buy in bulk carefully, making sure to choose items that you are sure you will actually use, so nothing is wasted. For instance, getting a big bag of rice or flour as those will be used.
You can also choose to buy foods that have a longer shelf life in bulk, as you can store them away for when you’ll need them, without having to worry about it expiring. For instance, getting pasta, canned salmon or lentils in bulk.
And buy in bulk the foods you eat regularly to save both money and time, so you won’t have to constantly make trips to the supermarket. For example, I get larger bags of fresh produce like peppers, carrots, pears, apples, oranges, etc.
Prepare your own meals
By preparing most of your own meals, you’ll find that you save a lot of money and are also able to eat healthier, because you know what ingredients have been used.
Often, the cost of meals eaten out adds up over time. Instead of buying breakfast, lunch or snacks daily, you can make some of these and take with you to work. When buying food on the go, our options can be limited when it comes to finding wholesome satisfying nutritious meals. So, it is a much better idea to take a packed lunch with you to work, that is delicious and healthy, costing a fraction of how much it would have cost you to eat out. Easy ideas for packed lunches are salads, wraps or soups.
Eat seasonally
Eating seasonally is a great way to save money as certain foods become cheaper in seasons when they are grown, as are available in abundance. When fruits and vegetables are out of season, they are either grown in managed conditions or transported from faraway countries, which results in us paying more for this produce. For example, enjoy seasonal foods like berries in the summer time, adding them to breakfast meals like porridge or overnight oats or making desserts like ice-cream or eat as a snack.
Buy frozen produce
Often we buy fresh foods and may not use them before the “use by date”, which means we are wasting food. Some foods can be bought frozen as this gives it a longer “use by date”, therefore reducing wastage and saves money. You can get a variety of fruits and vegetables frozen, e.g. peas, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, mango, pineapple, berries, etc.
Get supermarket brands
Branded foods are usually more expensive than the supermarket’s own brand of the same food. And often the taste is not that different either! So instead buy the supermarkets own brands of cereals like muesli or corn flakes and grains like rice, oats or pasta and you will save money. Be sure to check the nutritional information on the packaging, to ensure the options that you are choosing are healthy and don’t contain more sugar, salt or fat.
Shop around
Nowadays most of the major supermarkets sell online, so you can save time and money, by checking the prices online to compare. By doing some quick research, you know what is being sold where and at what price. And with the supermarket loyalty cards or coupons you may also get extra discounts, so do look at what is being offered. If necessary, you can go to more than one supermarket to do your shopping.
Do use these simple tips when doing your grocery shopping to save money and time too, whilst making better choices for a healthier lifestyle .