How to eat healthy on a tight budget?

Kikers123

I'm going to be real here, I'm pretty broke lol. And I know I'm not the only one on a budget! I was watching some of the movie Food Inc today, and in one part they were talking about how cheap bad food is, and how much more expensive good food is! It's a conspiracy! Hahaha, anyway, I would really just love if I could get some tips on how to eat healthy without spending what I don't have.

hesstb15

Aldi has really h elped me in my weight loss. They have some good veggies and dairy items that are half the cost than the big super markets. I don't know if you have one in your area. Also, I know protein is expensive, but just have lost of protein and veggies in the house. once you stop buying the junk for snacking, it might even it out. Farmers markets also have a lot of stuff we use on a daily basis for super cheap. I spent $10 on a bunch of stuff this past weekend. It's worth seeking them out!

Amara15

i go to the local farmers market and buy whatever fruits and veggies are on sale. I got 2lbs of asparagus for a dollar a couple weeks ago and 1lb of green beans for 2 dollars!

MikeRox83

Frozen Vegetables retain all the nutrients/health benefits (arguably better than their fresh equivalents when frozen straight after being picked) last a lot longer so you can keep stocked up and are a lot cheaper than buying fresh

They are a great way of making any meal more satisfying and healthy too and very simple to cook.

whouwannab

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elexichoccyeater

you could become vegetarian!!! that is a great way ... eating veg, eggs, pulses, etc!!!!

MalibuBeth

you HAVE to meal plan. "healthy food" isn't expensive as long as you meal plan, and make your own food. I make a lot of crock pot recipes because I can prepare the night before, and cooks while i'm at work (and i always have leftovers for the rest of the week!).

pick out maybe 2 recipes you'd like to try (hopefully some of them share the same ingredients), and see how it works. skinnytaste.com is a great site, you just have to put in the effort to do the cooking.

sculley

I agree... farmers markets are amazing...

XXXMinnieXXX

Aldi and cooking from scratch and in bulk are the only ways I've found to do it! X

barbaradilisio

I go to the produce stand/market by my house. It's always cheaper than the grocery store and usually better quality.

psiren28

I'm also on a budget, I don't have loads of tips but I find making things in bulk then freezing portions saves me a bit of money. I live on my own so this prevents a lot of wastage as well as over-eating.

I've also replaced meat in a lot of dishes (such as curries) with chick peas and lentils which is a lot cheaper than lean meat.

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread for more tips

Auntzip

Some healthy things to stretch your food dollar:

Beans
Eggs
Pasta
Brown Rice
Frozen Veggies and Fruits (Look for sales and stock up)

Visit your local Farmer's Market for fresh veggies and fruits. I also recently found if you eat fish, your local fish market will probably be less expensive than the supermarket.

Hope that helps. Generally, anything you have to cook yourself will likely be less expensive that something ready to eat.

MikeRox83

Oh another suggestion is to buy versatile ingredients too. So you can use the same things for more than one meal, but in different ways to keep meals interesting.

tinacc1

I hear ya! It's quite expensive to eat healthy. I live on an island in the Atlantic, so getting fresh fruit and veggies is more expensive than most places. For example... a mango-$2, 8 oz bag of spinach-$5, 4 colored peppers-$6 milk-$4 for 2litres(a half gallon)
yet, a 2 litre of pop is under $1. I just make trips to the grocery store early in the morning and buy the salads that they pack from the salad bar from the night before. Check all the flyers for the weekly sales, and watch all the clearance bins. Good luck my friend. Keep trying

MonolithTMA

Here's a great article from a few years ago; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36507576/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/eating-well-week/#.T7QKRcWZ5KM

gumigal82

frozen veggies/fruit, canned beans (low sodium), farmer's markets...frozen raw fish, large tubs of plain greek yogurt...that's what i can think of for now;) But it becomes easier as you learn. Trust me, I very budget wise right now!

mcknz121

get your protein from cheaper sources...beans, eggs, etc. Do some couponing and buy brands that are on sale. like was said above, grab some frozen veggies when they're on sale and use those in dishes. brown rice and whole wheat pasta are good and cheap.

Tropical_Turtle

farmers markets and if you have a Trader Joes, you can get good healthy stuff there cheaper than a lot of larger chain stores. Look for sales, coupons. I am on a very limited budget and I make it work for me. You can do this - it is possible

cuelgirl

I live on a very tight budget... But I am also very lucky and have a wonderful farmer's market close to me. I buy all my vegetables and fruit there. Their prices vary from week to week... so if something is cheaper one week... I buy more and freeze what I won't use during that week... and have it for the future! I know it isn't easy... and being on a very tight budget and eating healthy requires a lot of planning... Good luck!

mmsilvia

Shop sales, clip coupons and stock up when you can. I shop at Aldi's and love them. They have allowed me to cute my grocery bill in half. I use frozen veggies because you tend to be able to pick them up pretty cheap (on sale & stuff) they are great alone or part of another dish. I also, keep any left over veggies I have and freeze them in a freezer bag. I use those to make veggie soup.

Keep tuna, pasta, rice and potatoes on hand to help stretch your meal & buck.

Find a local farm stand or farmers market in your area. You can pick up seasonal fruit & veggies pretty cheap their.

Or join a co-op group. They tend to have pick ups about once a month & you get a box of stuff.

I live on a tight budget it can be hard to get everything you want but, stop and think about what you need. It can be done! Good luck

Lidenbrock

I buy only shop's own brand. Processed cheaper foods can contain lots of gunk so I also tend to buy the basic ingredients for making my own pasta sauce, curry's etc. So for example pasta sauce - shop's own label chopped tomatoes (ingredients on the back the same as the more expensive brands), onion, garlic and basil (usually frozen). I can control the calories and I know what's in it. I gave up buying fresh vegetables in general as they can be expensive and have a short date - which means they more often or not end up in the bin - again frozen vegetables, shop's own label, just as good as the more expensive brands. Just check to make sure they don't have lots of added chemicals in the small print.

wwoelbel

Do you have a bulk foods store near by? We have "The Coop" which is a store serving the organic/healthy/green community. They have a great bulk section where you can get all sorts of excellent staple foods very cheaply. I love to cook with dried beans and whole grains. I can make a pot of very healthy bean/squash soup that will feed me for several days for $5-$6. I purchase my produce from the regular grocer as The Green tax at the Coop is too high for me. In a nut shell, you can do quite well on a low budget as long as you are willing to cook for yourself. Oh, and red meat is darned expensive - I use beef as a "treat" meal.

countrygirlatheart0717

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myfitnessnmhoy

What MalibuBeth just said. Plan your meals and cook them yourself, and you can go healthy and cheap.

Fresh meat has a "sell-by" date and needs to be sold by that date or thrown out. Many stores discount meat if it is shortly before that date, marking them as "Manager's Specials" and the like. The discounts can be pretty steep. Buy them, take them home, cook them right away into healthy meals, and freeze portions for homemade "fast food".

Frozen skinless chicken breasts are a staple of my diet when my wife travels. Grab one, cube it up, sautee it in a little olive oil, throw on some cheap frozen vegetables (get "fresh frozen", not the kind with sauces or butter), serve over rice or pasta, eat.

There are so many relatively inexpensive and convenient ways to prepare healthy meals.

MCinSoCal

The 99cent only store carries produce now and eating a ton of veggies is pretty healthy, plus most such as onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, zuccini, carrots can be chopped and frozen for later use in cooking. I do this all the time, I buy what's on sale that is freezable, chop it up throw it in freezer bags and stuff em in the freezer, it also cuts down on cooking time A LOT!

allifantastical

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laceyvl12

All those unhealthy "convenience" foods are also expensive. We rarely buy those anymore and have cut way back on going out to eat. I buy chicken breasts in bulk when they go on sale and re-package them in smaller quantities. As for fresh fruit and veggies; I usually buy what's on sale for the week. My grocery bill is probably a little more expensive but with how much we have cut back on going out to eat, I'm probably coming out ahead.

nphillips0124

Cooking your own food from bulk ingredients is the way to be frugal! Buy rice, lentils, beans, oatmeal etc. by the bulk... you can use them to make soups/salads/eat them on their own. Buy your meat on sale and freeze what you don't immediately need! Stick with whole grain pastas and breads- maybe not cheaper, but definitely more filling in the long run.

I cut down on a lot of money when I started buying produce for what I only needed immediately... meal planning helps with this :-)

With meat and whole poultry save and freeze the bones after you eat the meat... you can boil the bones down to make a mean stock!

I can't say I'm the healthiest eater, but my biweekly grocery total usually comes to $50-75. But that's with extras and fun stuff!

Staples for me (aka things I actually will eat and use) are wheat tortillas, chicken breasts, lentils, peanut butter, kidney beans, whole grain bread/pasta, tomato sauce, oatmeal, milk/soy milk, honey, eggs, flax seeds, cereal, mozzarella cheese, coffee, hot sauce... limes/banana/avocados.... for just those staples, which is enough for solid meals for two weeks or so, you are probably looking at $50-70, depending on sales!

TheKitsune6

Don't buy processed food. You can buy fresh produce and meats for really cheap - especially if you keep your eye out for sales. Pick up coupons and newspapers that announce what the discounts are that week. A lot of the reason people might think something is expensive is because they only buy a specific brand, so don't be afraid to go generic (unless the brand is having an awesome sale and is cheaper!)

MsMargie1116

I'm going to be real here, I'm pretty broke lol. And I know I'm not the only one on a budget! I was watching some of the movie Food Inc today, and in one part they were talking about how cheap bad food is, and how much more expensive good food is! It's a conspiracy! Hahaha, anyway, I would really just love if I could get some tips on how to eat healthy without spending what I don't have.

Do you have an Aldi's in your area? Their "Fit & Active" brand is REALLY good and very inexpensive!!! I highly suggest that... For fruits and veggies, if you have a farmers market close, you could try there. Or even look for your grocery store's generic brand of name brand foods.

Wal-Mart is GREAT about price matching, you should try that. Look at your sales ads, and when you go to check out, let them know a specific store has that certain item for a cheaper price. They usually know, already, but you have to tell them.

shaundrahudson

Try beans! Beans are an EXCELLENT source of fiber and protein. They are very cheap and can be easily mixed with other foods for variety. Also, they make you feel full very quickly! I eat pinto beans and rice with garlic powder and pepper. I also mix mexican rice with black beans and baked/boiled chicken and corn. That's a great dinner and full of everything you need!