7 ways to eat healthy on a budget: Doing your body + your wallet a favour
"I'M TOO BROKE TO BE HEALTHY...I WOULD EAT ORGANIC, BUT IT'S JUST NOT IN MY BUDGET"
As a health + wellness coach, I hear this all. the. time.
& I get it. totally. when a quick slice of pizza is a dollar, how can we justify the $11 smoothie bowl? my roommate often jokes that millennials can't manage money because we are addicted to overpriced avocado toast {it's a tough world out there, ok?} but, luckily, there is an in-between that is healthy and accessible for most: just eating REAL whole food and cooking whenever you can. and you can do that on the cheap -- we'll show ya!
7 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON HEALTHY, REAL FOOD:
1. Buy dry goods from the bulk section.
Most grocery stores have a bulk section where nuts, seeds, dried fruit, dried beans, and healthy grains (like quinoa, amaranth, barley) can be purchased per-pound. The savings here can be considerable. Plus, you’ll be skipping out on extra unnecessary packaging {which can be toxic anyway -- google phthalates} and, by using your own reusable produce bags, you'll be reducing your environmental footprint, which we LOVE!
2. Buy dry goods + kitchen supplies online
Since using Thrive Market {without a doubt my personal favourite tip} and Amazon {PRAISE}, I’ve been able to shave my overall grocery expenses down by about 25%.
Thrive Market is, in a word, awesome. It's essentially an online wholesale club for health foods and natural products that often gives free products with orders over a certain amount. The annual membership fee is $59 or just $5 a month, but this pays for itself with your first couple orders. It also keeps a record of your overall savings which is SO satisfying.
3. Buy whole produce rather than pre-cut or pre-washed produce.
While it can be more convenient to purchase pre-cut and pre-washed produce (think salad mix, watermelon, veggies...), you’ll save a buck if you buy whole produce and do the washing and cutting yourself instead. Once, again, you’ll also be skipping out on extra unnecessary plastic + packaging, {get on it with reusable produce bags, friends}
4. Prioritize which produce you purchase organic.
This is a big one, people! Some crops are heavily sprayed with toxic herbicides and pesticides while others aren’t {or at least not as excessively}. Similarly, some crops are often genetically-modified while others are not. Head to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) website and get to know the "Dirty Dozen" — those crops with the most trace pesticides — and the "Clean Fifteen" — those crops with the least trace pesticides — as well as the common GMOs. To save on your grocery bill, prioritize buying the Dirty Dozen and common GMOs "organically-grown" while buying the Clean Fifteen "conventionally-grown". As it turns out, sometimes the word "organic" doesn't make a huge difference, except to your bank statement!
5. Avoid wasted food by meal planning ahead of time.
Meal planning not only saves you time and energy, but it also saves you money by ensuring you don’t buy more than you need and end up wasting food! Blast some fun jams and make it a Sunday night ritual with your pals. Plus, home-cooked lunches are often way healthier than going out to eat or ordering in to your cubicle... so this is a double-whammy for your wallet and your waistline!
6. Don’t discount the frozen section for produce.
Nutritionally speaking, frozen produce is very similar to fresh produce… sometimes even better! This is because frozen fruits and vegetables are often picked in the peak of their growing seasons and flash-frozen — which halts their “aging” and nutrient losses — immediately after being harvested. For this reason, frozen fruits and vegetables have been shown to have higher vitamin and antioxidant content than their fresh counterparts.
What works frozen?
For smoothie drinkers, frozen fruit will be your new best friend (plus spinach + kale for extra superfood greens boost). Frozen veggies like brussel sprouts, pearl onions, and broccoli are awesome as side dishes. The world is your oyster! {actually pretty sure I have some frozen oyster mushrooms in my freezer come to think of it...}
7. Buy seasonal produce from a local farm or farmer’s market.
Seasonal produce is often cheaper since the supply is greater. Prices are GOLD at local farms or farmer’s markets because fruits and vegetables pass directly from producer to consumer, cutting out retail markups. You can even have the farm come to you by joining a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), which you KNOW I am obsessed with! 10/10 recommend. Do some research to see if there’s one in your area, and look into pricing and details for joining.
I hope some of these tips add value and encourage you into a healthier, happier week! We want you thriving, not just surviving!
Yours in supernatural wellness,
Regan