Eating healthy doesn’t have to break the bank. With careful planning and a creative approach to ingredients, it’s possible to spend less on groceries without sacrificing taste. There are many ways to do this. You can look for coupons at the beginning of the year when grocery stores send out their sales or special offers. You can also sign up for e-mails from stores that will send you coupons when they run specials or have sales. And if you shop online, you can set up a recurring order with your preferred grocery store to save even more money. There are lots of ways to save money on healthy food. You just have to know where to look!If you eat out too often or buy processed food, it can take more of a bite out of your budget than you might expect. According to a survey by Nuance Technologies, the average American household spends about 10 percent of its food budget on eating out, while about 7 percent is spent on processed foods. Other factors that can affect your grocery bill include where you live, your family size and what part of the country you live in. Eating healthy on a budget isn’t impossible, but it does take some planning and careful budgeting. Here are some tips on how eat healthy on a budget:
In-season produce is fresher and often cheaper. You don’t have to eat only apples from New England in October because they’re in season there, but you can almost always find them at a lower price in May. There are lots of other vegetables and fruits that are available year-round. You can make your own frozen veggie mixes with out-of-season produce and swap them out for frozen veggies in your stir fry when they’re on sale. Another way to save on produce is to buy in-season frozen produce like berries, grapes and melon. Frozen fruits are picked at their peak and held at a low temperature to retain their flavor and nutrients. Fresh fruits and vegetables lose vitamins, minerals and fiber when they’re picked and shipped.
The edges of grocery store aisles are where you’ll find the cheapest foods. These are places where you can stock up on items that are high in calories, fat and sugar but are relatively inexpensive. Processed foods with lots of preservatives and additives are also typically found in the peripheries. You can shop the center aisles for fresh produce and lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs and tofu. You can also find produce that isn’t grown in frost-free conditions, which are necessary for growing certain fruits and vegetables. You can find frozen fruits and vegetables in the peripheries, too.
Frying is one of the most expensive ways to cook food, and it also creates a lot of unhealthy oils. Steaming and baking require less oil than frying and are cheaper to make. When you’re cooking meats, try to avoid browning them. You can do this by adding a little bit of oil and then covering the pan with a lid. You can also poach or stew meat instead of frying it. Frozen veggies are a great option if you’re trying to eat more vegetables. They can be added to your morning oatmeal, soups and salads. Frozen fruits can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt and other savory foods.
Cooking at home is a great way to save money and make sure that your food is healthy. You can make your own nut butters, breakfast bars and granola, which are often much cheaper than store-bought versions. You can also save money on lunch by making sandwiches with whole grain breads, lean meats like turkey and fish and vegetables. You can also save money on snacks like trail mix, jerky, nuts and dried fruit. When you shop, be sure to look for sales on items you can make at home. Many grocery stores will offer sales on healthy foods like whole grain pasta and fresh produce during certain times of the year.
There are many ways to eat healthy on a budget. You can shop the peripheries for inexpensive produce, shop the center aisles for lean proteins and purchase frozen fruits and vegetables. You can also make your own nut butters, granola and trail mix with dried fruits and nuts. These tips will help you eat better without breaking your budget.