We all know that we need to be eating healthier, we’re told this every day. However, there is a stigma that comes with “healthy eating” that it is too expensive for everyone to do. That it is impossible for anyone on a small food budget to be able to eat better.
This can be true. Those who are from a lower socio-economic background are more likely to suffer from obesity, compared to those who are more affluent. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. A few simple changes to how you eat can make a real difference. Here are a few ways you can eat more healthy foods on a budget.
Shop Seasonal & Local
Locally grown fruit and vegetables are an amazing, and often cheaper, source of nutrition. While buying avocados, mangos, and coconuts add a tropical variety to our diets, they’re not overly cheap nor sustainable.
Buying local produce, even if it is just national, when it is in season usually works out cheaper than opting for imported produce. You also get more food for your money – just look at fresh cauliflowers, they’re small for most of the year and as soon as we get to October, they’re huge. That’s because it is the right season for them.
Your local market is a great source for seasonal produce and will allow you to judge what is and what isn’t in season. Not only are fruits and vegetables great for your diet, they’re also great to give your immune system a boost.
Frozen & Tinned are Just as Good
Continuing from seasonal foods, buying these foods fresh but out of season can also be costly. Luckily, many of the locally grown fruits and vegetables are available tinned or frozen throughout the year. For the most part their nutritional content remains unchanged.
Tinned foods tend to lose a fair chunk of their nutrients during the canning process, due to the amount of heat required. However, they last a long time so are great for keeping in the cupboard and used when needed. One thing you do have to consider with tinned foods is that they’re often stored in syrup, brine or oils. All of which increase the added sugar, salt, and fat content. Where you can, opt for foods stored in water, juice, or olive oil.
Although they’re often considered inferior to fresh, frozen fruits and vegetables retain more of their nutrients. These foods are usually harvested, blanched and flash frozen within hours compared to having to be packed, quality assessed, shipped to stores and displayed on the shelves. Buying frozen usually works out cheaper and they have a longer shelf life than their fresh counterparts, making them a great budget nutritional option.
Home Cook & Batch Cook
Our lives are so much busier now than they were 40-50 years ago. Parents are having to work longer hours, often multiple jobs, to bring in enough household income when years ago, the income from one parent was adequate. Ready meals and convenience foods were practically unheard of, and the family enjoyed meals together that had been prepared from scratch.
Ok, so convenience foods do have their place but often, they’re not the healthiest options for the family, and generally more expensive. It might be difficult but finding the time but cooking from scratch is one of the best ways to eat healthier while on a budget. Not only that, but making excess of a meal, or purposely batch cooking, can ensure you have meals prepared in advance for future dinners. Meals like curry, stew, bolognese, cottage pie and chilli con carne can be made and frozen, then defrosted and reheated at a later date.
Prioritise Protein & Fibre
Meal planning tends to be key when it comes to budgeting for healthy food. Those who go into the supermarket with a plan and shopping list, on average, spend less than those who don’t.
When planning your weekly shop try to focus on getting good quality protein and fibre in at every meal. Both these nutrients take longer for your body to digest which keeps you fuller for longer. Reducing the need to snack between meals – saving you money.
Protein is an essential nutrient for your body. Breaking down into amino acids that your body then uses to build and repair as well as many other processes.
Fibre helps to maintain good gut health as well as keeping you regular. Fibrous foods include beans, whole grains, berries, apples, nuts, and potatoes. As well as fibre, these foods are full of vital vitamins and minerals.
Reduce Meat-Based Meals
Meat doesn’t have to be an important part of your diet. You can get everything your body needs from a fully vegan or vegetarian diet. It’s also likely to be the most expensive part of your food shop.
Instead, replace certain meals with other sources of protein such as legumes, and beans. Family favourites such as bolognese, cottage pie, and chilli can be made with lentils, or quorn, and still taste great.
Eating Healthy On A Budget
It isn’t impossible and may take some planning, but it’s worth doing. You only get one body so it’s worth taking the time to ensure you’re fuelling it to the best your budget can afford.
What are your go to healthy food options?
Guest Post By – Nutircham
Leave a Reply