Budget healthy...can it be done?

kommodevaran wrote: »

Eating healthy, tasty and cheap can be done, easy, if you're willing to work with some parameters.

You have to look at your diet as a whole, and in connection with need. When you stop working out, you may experience that you need fewer calories, aka less food. But one car instead of two means that you'll be walking more, so maybe you can't cut down on food. Cars and gyms cost money, walking is free. It could take more time to get things done, but maybe it doesn't make a negative impact, maybe it just "steals" time from watching excessive TV.

You have to consider value, not just cost. Ramen noodles and bananas offer a different range of nutrients. A human needs a wide range of nutrients every day, and an appropriate amount of calories. A variety of foods will provide you with what you need. The main challenge in our world, is to not eat too much. We are often tempted to eat or buy too much, and that's why you have to think about what you get for your money, not just what it costs in dollars.

Cooking from scratch using simple single food ingredients can be easy and cheap, but you have to know how to cook, how to plan and not be fussy. You have to balance your meals so they are appealing and nutritious. Low carb and high protein will be expensive, not just boring. You can't rely on vegetables for calories. Use oil, grains, potatoes to get enough calories, add fruit and vegetables for vitamins, and meat and fish for variety and supplementing protein. Buy cheap foods often and in larger amounts, buy more expensive items more occasionally and in smaller amounts. This has the unexpected but wonderful side effect that you'll appreciate all food more.

Other tips, or expanding on this, is to plan meals you want to eat, and eat up everything. Buy just what you can store, store it properly, and eat it before it spoils. Mostly stick to what you know you like, but try new things occasionally too. Buy store brand and in season. Buy the cheapest alternative of otherwise equal items. Don't pay extra for things you don't need. Rotate and alternate. Learn to cook and free yourself from recipes. Peruse sales and stock up, but don't be fooled, look at price per pound and compare with other package sizes and brands.

Most of this is about attitude. If you don't want to change the way you're eating, you can just tell yourself that "healthy eating is boring, difficult and expensive".

toxikon wrote: »

Thr33N1N3 wrote: »

toxikon wrote: »

Thr33N1N3 wrote: »

OMAD

How does eating all your calories in one meal make it cheaper?

Easier to plan. You can stick to your budget easier and have less waste. You can't eat the same bulk you do in 3 meals, so you will be forced to eat less.

I found OMAD more expensive because I'd be so ravenous by the time I was leaving work that I'd often just grab fast food or quick ready-to-eat meals instead of cooking. But of course, it's different for everyone. I just don't see the inherent savings in different meal timing/frequency choices.