By: Ms. J
Most people seem to consider eating healthy as difficult for many reasons. One of the main reasons people do not eat healthy is that they consider it to be expensive. The price of healthy options such as fruits, vegetables and juices versus junk food such as burgers, snacks and sodas create a disadvantage to those who are on a tight budget or low income. Here are some tips and tricks for lowering the cost of eating healthy.
- Shop at your local supermarkets and farmers markets
- Use the flyers to tell you what is on sale
- Shop for fruits and vegetables in season
- Make a list of everything you need for the weeks ahead before your next trip
- Slice, dice, Ziploc and freeze fruits and veggies to preserve and reduce prep time
- Cook more at home versus eating out
- Reduce portion size of food and increase water intake
- Reduce your intake on meat /chicken once a week by making a meatless dinner or lunch
Some people spend more money eating on the run because of their hectic lifestyles. Take a moment out of your day once a week such as Sunday and with careful planning you can reduce your costs. Use this time to plan your healthy meals for the week. When you know what you will eat in advance, then it is less likely that you will eat junk food and/or spend money outside the home.
Sample daily meal plan:
Breakfast: Oatmeal and fruits
Snack: DIY trail mix (nuts, raisins, semi-sweet chocolate chips)
Lunch: Salad with grilled chicken (keep the chicken separate and warm before topping with salad) lemon juice salad dressing
Snack: Rice cakes (they come in different flavors for a better taste such as caramel or white cheddar)
Dinner: Beef stir fry with a cup of brown rice (optional)
Dessert: 1 scoop of sorbet
Stock up, portion out your servings using Ziploc bags and store for easy retrieval for a grab and run.
For more information on eating healthy check out:
Rated S 