Eating Healthy on a Budget

• • Plan meals around fresh produce, lean proteins, and low fat dairy items that are on sale and utilize sales and coupons. Check store flyers and coupons for additional savings. Compare brands to choose the lowest price. Once you’ve identified the sale items, incorporate them into simple meals—baked, grilled, or broiled meats and fish, add veggies (frozen or canned…or fresh if on sale), and whole grains (brown/wild rice, whole grain noodles, etc…or even a potato—which is cost effective).
• • Create a shopping list and weekly eating plan and stick to it! Prioritize your food dollars with nutrient rich choices. Prepare your meals with similar ingredients to keep your grocery list minimized. Skip highly processed and packaged foods. They are not so healthy and can add up in spending.
• • Choose low-cost recipes and meals. Recipes with fewer ingredients are often cheaper and quick to make.
• • Shop fruits and veggies in season—seasonal produce is at its peak flavor and typically sold at a lower price.
• • Canned and frozen fruits and veggies can be just as nutritious and offer an alternative to fresh in regards to being more budget friendly. Be sure to check the ingredients and label to avoid items with high or added sugars or salt.
• • Meat, chicken, and fish are often the highest dollar ingredient in a recipe. Consider buying a larger quantity of meat that is on sale and preparing extra for a few meals. You can also incorporate more non-meat proteins into meals such as beans, nuts, and eggs.
• • Save leftovers! Freeze them for a later date. Or, keep them in the fridge and eat within a few days.
• • You can also double a recipe so you’ll have extra for easy meals later that week.
• • Reduce waste- make the most of your food spending by cutting down on waste. Plan to use highly perishable items first and save more hearty items for later in the week. Incorporate this into your planning!
• Tips: Low-Cost Healthy Cooking
• • For canned veggies and beans, drain and rinse them before using.
• • For frozen veggies, use those without added sauces.
• • For canned fruit, drain and rinse it if canned in syrup.
• • For frozen fruit, make sure it has no added sugar by checking the ingredient list.
• • Cook with less processed grains like regular oats and rice. They cost less than the instant type.
• • Drink water with meals instead of buying soda and alcohol.
• • For beef, cook with chuck or bottom round roast. These cuts have less fat and cost less. They need to be covered during cooking and cooked longer to make the meat tender.
• • When cooking ground meat, drain and rinse it under hot water after cooking.
• • Use less fat, sugar, and salt when you cook.

-Kelsey