healthy eating plan: There are ingredients that are usually expensive, but having a balanced diet does not always depend on the price of food. There are several options to eat healthy and at the same time save on your purchases.
Eating healthy when you are on a tight budget, meal planning and shopping have their challenges. Unfortunately, the increase in food prices means that we cannot always eat healthy. Your paycheck may not increase as fast as the price of food. In the worst case, you are a student and that makes it even more difficult.
Here are 8 suggestions for healthy eating if you are on a budget.
1. To eat healthy: Buy products when they are in season
Fresh produce is always great, but cost can affect a short budget. Get what’s in season and consider stocking up when you find a good price.
Seasonally grown food tastes better and is cheaper. Root vegetables in the winter. Apples and pumpkin in the fall. Broccoli and berries in the summer.
2. Go to the farmers market
Depending on where you live, farmers markets may or may not save you money during regular business hours. Consider visiting the market at the end of the day, when you will most likely get good deals.
Go to the public market / farmers market an hour before they close and you can get some really good bargains. This is because sellers want to download as much as possible before closing the day.
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3. Expand your culinary horizons
Kitchens like Mexican, Asian, and Indian rely heavily on cheap ingredients, such as beans and noodles. In these kitchens, rice is also a staple and cheap food. If you like Mexican food, you can make burritos stuffed with anything you want. Or you can make a tortilla- free version . Very abundant, lots of protein and fiber.
Consider taking a look at the local ethnic markets. Not only are you likely to find a bargain on certain products, but you’ll also find really interesting ingredients.
You can buy varied and cheap noodles in an Asian market. That applies to almost all condiments / sauces for Asian foods. Ethnic supermarkets (Chinese, Greek, Lebanese, etc.) are a great source of interesting value-for-money ingredients.
4 . Get less expensive cuts of meat
You can still enjoy meat when you are on a low budget. Look for less expensive cuts of meat, like chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Learn to value the cheapest cuts. The organ cuts and meat cuts that come with bone as well as the harder ones are all very cheap and very nutritious and tasty! Compared to, for example, boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Look for cuts like lamb neck steaks, belly and pork cheeks, pork and veal knuckles, whole chickens that yield enough for leftovers, chicken liver, gizzard, etc.
Save fillets and salmon for special occasions. Buy eggs , milk, buttermilk, tuna, calf liver, cottage cheese.
5. Buy whole grains and beans
Beans and whole grains are a cheap and tasty way to increase meals and can even be a meal in themselves. Black beans are ideal for yielding your meat supply. Mix the cooked black beans with ground beef and make hamburgers using that.
Buy a pack of wheat berries, cook and freeze in individual servings to toss in salads or soups when you need them. Whole grains will also keep you satisfied longer.
6 . Compr to bulk
Especially when they have promotions running. Foods like pasta, rice, and oats are easy to store. If they are for sale, buy everything you can and store.
You often get free shipping and discounts when buying in bulk. You can order 4 months for yourself, your family and friends and divide the costs. Grocery stores frequently cut meats by as much as 70% as they get closer to the expiration date. Buy several pounds and store them in the freezer.
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7. Reuse leftovers
If you don’t like eating the same food over and over again, consider putting leftovers in a whole new and delicious meal. The ingredients of a later meal can work in a sandwich (poached chicken, meatballs, meatloaf, pork, etc.).
When whole chickens are on sale, buy two and cook both. The first night prepare roast chicken and then you can make soup, chicken pie, add a little to fried rice, sandwich … You can really make a couple of chickens yield and prepare a lot of options to eat healthy.
8. Keep l a fridge and pantry organized s
Leftovers are always great, but are totally useless if lost in the back of the fridge. Label leftovers and keep the refrigerator organized to minimize food waste.
Use a strip of tape and an indelible marker to identify the food and the date on the container. Pack foods in the amounts you’ll use, such as freezing two-piece chicken pieces and separately wrapped hamburgers. When freezing food make sure to periodically go through your freezer and eat everything there.
Summarizing…
There are several strategies to improve diet when you are on a low budget. Although it is true that healthy food is associated with more expenses, in reality there are different ways to obtain it at a good price.
Therefore, take advantage of the seasons, go to the local markets and do not let lose those leftovers that you have every day. In this way, you will ensure adequate nutrition without money being a limit. Keep that in mind!