How Can You Eat Healthy on a Budget?
Almost every day you hear people complaining about the high prices at the grocery store. And grocery prices are higher, rising over 20% on average from January 2021 to January 2024. In the nutrition classes I taught, students often complained about how much “real” food costs and said it was cheaper to just buy the junk food. But “Cheaper doesn’t have to mean junk food” according to the article, How to Eat Healthy on a Budget by Mary Hunt. What are some ways to save money at the grocery store?
1. Buy protein on sale and don’t pay full price.
Meat, fish, poultry can be an expensive food purchase. Look for sales on tuna, chicken breasts, chicken legs/thighs, lean cuts of beef. Even if you don’t want to store-hop, you can probably find some meat items on sale in your grocery store. My husband often comes home and says the pork chops were on sale. So rather than buy just one package, he often buys 2 and freezes one. Other times a meat package will be marked down for quick sale because it is close to the “sell by” date. No problem. Buy and cook right away or buy and freeze for a later meal.
2. Think beyond just chicken breasts.
Some people think to eat healthy you have to live on boneless chicken breasts. But we enjoy both chicken legs and chicken thighs. Often tastier and usually less expensive. We also like buying a whole chicken especially the rotisserie chicken. Usually a low-price alternative, especially at Costco at $5. We serve the chicken for one meal, then cut up leftovers and use to make some delicious homemade chicken noodle soup. Or, we use a cup to stir fry with green peppers, onion, mushroom and add this to a package of quick cooking quinoa. Very delicious and quick and easy to make.
3. Beans are a healthy choice
Beans like black beans are a cheap protein source and a good source of fiber. Beans are low in fat, have no cholesterol (only animal foods have cholesterol), and low in saturated fat. Add a cup of cooked navy or pinto beans to your diet and you will add about 16 grams of protein. Not a complete protein like animal foods but some protein. Add some meat to your beans, or drink a glass of real milk with your meal and that will boost the protein quality of the meal. Dry beans do require a soaking so if you want more convenience choose some canned beans. Who doesn’t like chili? Chili with kidney beans and other beans is a nutritious meal. Bean soups are hearty and great on a cold winter day. My husband makes a good 10 bean soup with some ham.
4. Enjoy some eggs again
Eggs have gone up in price but are still a bargain and an excellent source of nutrition. Each egg not only provides 7 grams of protein, but the highest quality food protein. In fact, eggs are known as the “Gold Standard” for protein quality. (See: What are some top high quality protein foods? Many Americans lack vitamin D in their diet and an easy way to add some D is eggs. Eggs also add vitamin A and choline to your day. Worried about cholesterol? They now say you can enjoy an egg a day and it won’t harm your cholesterol levels. In summer, enjoy a hard-boiled egg on a salad or make some egg salad for sandwiches. When scrambling eggs for your family, add some cheese to add in some calcium which many kids and adults are also lacking in their diets.
5. Shop with a grocery list
Who doesn’t go into a store to “pick up a few things” and then walk out with a cart full? Buying impulse items can easily break the budget. Once you’ve made your grocery list, stick to it! Shop the perimeter of the store first, where whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins are typically located. Avoid getting side tracked in the middle aisles, which often contain more processed foods. But do check out frozen fruits and vegetables as noted below. And eat before you go. So easy to overbuy when you go into a store hungry.
6. Freeze leftovers or pack up for your lunch
Instead of leaving leftovers in the fridge to throw out days later, either freeze them right away or pack up for your lunch the next day. A Dave Ramsey recommendation. My daughter is often packing some leftovers for her lunch. Eating leftovers for lunch adds variety instead of the sandwich every day. It also saves money if you aren’t buying lunch the next day. My husband will cook extra pork chops, extra soup and we will freeze the extras. Makes for a quick meal at a future time.
7. Skip the conveniently wrapped and prepared food.
One of my students ate a lot of Uncrustables , a prepackaged peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Not only an expensive way to eat, but the ingredients list includes ingredients like Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Peroxide, etc. It is so easy to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What products are you buying already made that you can easily make at home?8. Buy Frozen or Canned Food
Frozen fruits and vegetables are often more affordable than fresh ones and they retain their nutrients. Who doesn’t like fresh fruit and vegetables? But canned or frozen fruits and vegetables are a healthy alternative. They often “cost less and last longer”. Easy to pour out what you need for a meal from a frozen package and store the remainder. Is frozen healthy? Researchers have found frozen foods have just as many vitamins as fresh and maybe even more. Why? Because the frozen food is usually frozen just after harvesting at the peak of the food’s ripeness. My husband prefers frozen blueberries for blueberry pancakes as they taste better and mix better in the batter. When choosing canned fruit, be sure to choose fruit packed in water and not heavy syrup.
9. Try store brands
I am not always a fan of store brands because some don’t taste as good. But we have tried more store brands recently and some like Macaroni and Cheese and some whole grain crackers are just as tasty as the name brand. CDC notes that “buying generic or store brand items can say you 20% to 30% on your food bill”. You may want to try canned tomatoes some frozen fruit and vegetables that aren’t brand names.
10. Grow some of your own food
Before you think of large gardens, it is easy to start small. My daughter sent me a picture of some herbs she is growing indoors. On our deck I grow parsley, chives, rosemary and green peppers. So easy to go out to the deck and cut some chives to put on a baked potato or “harvest” a green pepper off of the green pepper plant. It’s rewarding way to save money and enjoy some fresh produce or herbs.Conclusion: Remember, eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. By making some thoughtful choices and using these tips, you can nourish your body without straining your wallet. Try some of these ideas and see what works for you. How much can you save?
Sources: How to Eat Healthy on a Budget , cooked navy or pinto beans , Gold Standard , What are some top high quality protein foods? , list , Dave Ramsey , Uncrustables , water , bottled water , How much plastic are you eating? , Food , frozen Image Sources: Save money on groceries , Frozen blueberries , Eggland’s Best , Chicken-broth
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe
Want to try some delicious homemade Swanson
Chicken (or Turkey) Noodle Soup? So easy
to make and a great way to use up turkey or chicken leftovers. I double the carrots and celery for more
nutrition and you can use half whole grain and half regular egg noodles to add some
whole grain nutrition.
- 4 c. Swanson Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)
- 1 dash ground black pepper
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- ½ c. Uncooked extra wide egg noodles
- 1 c. shredded cooked chicken or turkey
Heat the broth, black pepper, carrot and celery in a 2-quart medium saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Stir the noodles and chicken into the saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender.
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