8 Ways To Eat Healthy With A Tight Budget

Meal planning and food shopping can be challenging when you want to eat healthy on a tight budget. Unfortunately, rising food prices mean that it is not always possible to eat well. There is a good chance that your paycheck will not increase as fast as food prices. In the worst case, you are a student, which will make it even more difficult.

Here are 8 tips for eating healthy on a tight budget.

Eat healthy on a tight budget: Buy products that are in season

Fresh products are always good, but they can really put a stop to a limited budget. Buy foods that are in season and buy large quantities and freeze when you come across good prices.

Food that is in season tastes better and is cheaper. Root vegetables in winter. Apples and squash in the fall. Broccoli and berries in summer.

2. Go to the farmer’s market

Depending on where you live, you can either save or not save money on the farmer’s market at the usual times of the day. Consider going to the market at the end of the day, when you are more likely to get great deals.

Go to the market one hour before they close, then you can get good discounts. This is because suppliers want to sell as much as possible before the end of the day.

Eat healthy on a tight budget: Expand your culinary horizons

Kitchens like those from Mexico, Asia and India use a number of cheaper ingredients, such as beans and noodles. Rice is also a cheap food in these culinary traditions. If you like Mexican food, you can make burritos filled with whatever you want. Or you can make a version without tortilla. It is more than enough and contains a lot of protein and fiber.

Think about checking out local ethnic markets. Not only will you probably find a good deal on certain products, you will probably also find really interesting ingredients.

You can buy a variety of noodles for little money in an Asian market. The same can be said about spices / sauces for Asian food. Ethnic supermarkets (Chinese, Greek, Lebanese, etc.) are a good source of interesting ingredients that provide good value for money.

Buy cheaper pieces of meat

You can still enjoy meat, even on a tight budget. Look for cheap pieces of meat, such as chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. Learn to appreciate cheaper cuts. The bones and pieces of meat that come with the bones, as well as the less tender ones, are all very cheap, nutritious and tasty! On the other hand, chicken breast without skin and bones is expensive.

Look for cuts such as lamb fillet, pork belly and cheeks, pork and veal jam, chicken liver and whole chickens that provide plenty of leftovers, etc.

Save the fillets and salmon for special occasions. Buy eggs, milk, buttermilk, tuna, veal liver and cottage cheese.

Eat healthy on a tight budget: Buy beans and whole grains

Beans and whole grains are a cheap and delicious way to stretch your meals, and can even be a meal on your own. Black beans are ideal to eat with a portion of meat. Mix cooked black beans with minced meat and make burgers.

Buy a packet of cooking wheat, cook and freeze it in individual portions to add to soups or salads when needed. In addition, whole grains will keep you full longer.

6. Buy in bulk

Buy in bulk, especially when goods are on sale. Foods such as pasta, rice and oatmeal are easy to store. If they are for sale, buy as many as you can and save them.

Sometimes you can get free shipping and discounts by buying in bulk. You can order 4 months of consumption for you, your family and friends, and share the costs. Grocery stores often lower prices up to 70% as food approaches expiration. Buy several kilos and store them in the freezer.

Reuse leftovers

If you do not like to eat the same food over and over again, consider using the leftovers to make a new and delicious meal. Ingredients from a meal can later be used in a sandwich (chicken, meatballs, minced meat, pork, etc.). When whole chickens are on sale, buy two and cook them both. Make fried chicken the first night, and you can then make soup, chicken pie, fried rice, sandwiches, etc. You have so many options with a couple of cooked chickens.

8. Keep refrigerators and cabinets organized

Leftovers are always good, but are completely useless if they are just forgotten in the back of the fridge. Label them and keep your refrigerator organized so that food waste is minimized.

Use tape and permanent marker to write the name and date of the food. Store and freeze food in the quantities you are likely to use, such as two chicken pieces and hamburgers separately. When freezing food, it is important to check the freezer regularly and eat what you have stored.