It’s difficult to eat healthy on a budget. Boxed meals may be cheap now, but your health pays the price later down the road. Think of your health as an investment. You can make wise decisions or poor decisions. It’s best to invest all you can into being healthy while you still can. Not investing in your health means that you will likely have medical problems later in life. Medical bills are expensive and add up very quickly if you are not healthy and need constant care. There are things you can do to make eating healthy on a budget easier, and we’ve got 6 ways to save below.

6 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget

Have a List

If you find yourself always overspending and wondering why junk food gets into your home, take a minute to think about the little choices and things that got thrown mindlessly into the cart. Stay in the fresh food section and the meat section and try not to go in the other isles to avoid temptation. A good rule of thumb if you are trying to eat healthy on a budget is to stick to the outer aisles of the store. This is typically where you’ll find healthy options. Don’t shop each day for what you are going to eat or prepare, but a week or two worth of groceries all at once. This helps you plan ahead and gives you the option to buy in bulk.

Plant a Garden

Having your own home grown vegetables not only saves you money but gives you a sense of satisfaction that you accomplished growing these wonderful vegetables yourself. Tomatoes and zucchini are relatively easy to grow, and you don’t need much room to do so. Pay attention to who in your neighborhood has fruit trees and/or vegetable patches. Chances are they can’t eat the whole tree of fruit before it goes bad. Ask them if you can help them pick them and buy a bag from them.



Another Great Read

How To Break A Soda Addiction: 7 Must Read Tips

Cook at Home

There are so many fun, fast, and easy recipes online that you can try. You can grill your own fish and steak for a fraction of the cost at restaurants. This also gets you outside using that wonderful grill and gives you and your family something fun to do together as you make prepare the meal together. Meals don’t need to be complicated. Stick to simple meals that get their flavor from cheap ingredients like lemons, limes, cilantro, and other herbs.

Support Local Farmers

Attend farmers market or find local stand to get your produce in bulk at great prices. Learn to bottle and freeze fruits and vegetables. Also note that seasonal vegetables and fruit are usually on sale and cheaper than others.

Grill More Veggies & Less Meat

Meat can make your bill go up faster which is a huge deal if you’re eating healthy on a budget. Try to use more sliced vegetables and only add a small amount of meat to the dish. This will help you cut down on your grocery bill. You do not need steak every night unless you are a T-Rex 😉 You can also try using more beans to get your protein. Beans are cheaper than meat and taste great in soups, salads, and stir-fry. Eggs and tuna are also great ways to get protein without hiking up your grocery bill.

Try to Limit Eating Out

There’s a couple reasons you should avoid eating out: 1) Its hard to find healthy options when eating out. 2) It sucks your bank account dry too fast. Try to bring lunch. Buy a bunch of zip-lock baggies and glass Tupperware (they are better for heating up than the toxic plastic) and bring the ingredients to make a salad or sandwich fresh. Bring leftovers! It’s a great way to make sure you’re not wasting food, and it will save you the time and effort of preparing extra meals.

You can eat healthy on a budget, and it doesn’t have to be expensive, in fact it can be cheaper short term and long term. It all depends on how you shop and how you plan!