How to eat healthy on a budget

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  • bigbandjohn
    bigbandjohn Posts: 769 Member
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    I would like to focus on shopping and general ideas. I am assuming US for this, though many of the options are international.

    I love Aldi (Sud - Nord is known as Trader Joe's in the US and isn't as cheap), but Lidl is also good if you have one locally near you. I also like to go to Farmer's Markets or Farm Stands near me. That's a great place to get fruit and veg inexpensively.

    Meat is a bit more complicated. I would suggest going a couple times a week to the store. Many stores discount meat when it's near the sell-by date. If you are going to use or freeze it right away, you can get some great deals.

    Another meat option is local processors. Many times they process for local farms and ship to stores, but will also have a store at the local processing plant. In Northern NJ, I use to go to Sussex Meat Packing, and got excellent quality for a reasonable price. That was about 20 years ago, and I can't speak for them today, but back then I felt that way.

    Also, I have Publix near me now. They can be pricey, but many times they have excellent sales on meat. If you check the sale flyers regularly, you can eat very inexpensively.

    Buying in bulk during a sale and freezing is a good way to save. You can prepare multiple meals if you want and have them pre-measured before freezing so you can "pull, heat, and eat" a pre-measured portion within your diet plan. I do that a lot.

    I also have a dairy near me that has a store. You can get quality fresh products at a reasonable price if you need dairy in your diet.

    Lastly, for a couple eat-out options, I like "Stealz" and restaurant.com. Stealz is not in every area, but when they are you can get some good dining options when you visit places regularly. I have one place I visit where every other visit I get a free meal. Restaurant.com has sales regularly for discount vouchers, and I have vouchers to get discounts for a penny on the dollar. Usually it's $5 off of $10, $10 off $20, and $25 off $50. I will also suggest for discounted dining many places have loyalty clubs now, where every few visits you get something free or at a discount. And yes, you can eat out healthy with these programs if you chose wisely.
  • amy19355
    amy19355 Posts: 805 Member
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    alliesmith15 wrote: »
    Fresh meat and assorted veggies really add up when you’re on a very tight budget. What does your weekly shopping list look like? What recipes are staples in your rotation that are healthy and affordable?

    I suggest also looking at food as a price per portion, rather than the price of the package.

    example: I buy $8.50 worth of chicken. It was priced at $1.99/pound. I eat 4 ounces at a time. there are 16 ounces in a pound. That chicken costs $0.12 per ounce, or, just under $0.50 per portion.

  • FitAndLean_5738
    FitAndLean_5738 Posts: 90 Member
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    Definitely look into buying in bulk. Hunt for and use coupons. Pick the cheaper healthier items:

    - Beans
    - Plantains (depends on where you live also where you shop. In my area, Food Lion has very cheap plantains)
    - Eggs are typically fairly affordable
    - Fruits and vegetables in season
    - Frozen fruits and vegetables are typically cheaper than fresh and are just as nutritious
    - Shop at Aldi
    - Buy meats on sale and in bulk
    - Bananas are great, especially in bulk
    - Don't bother buying pre cut or pre washed goods -- they typically cost more and it would be cheaper for you to buy the unaltered version and cut and wash it yourself

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