Healthy On A Budget
These days everyone is talking about the price of groceries and for good reason, they have gone sky high. Although there is not much I can do to lower the price of one of your favorite foods, I can give you tips and pointers on how to shop smarter and how to eat healthily, even on a budget.
There is a big misconception when it comes to eating healthy foods that it is more expensive. This is not necessarily true. If you are eating out at a restaurant, you will get healthier, better quality at a more expensive restaurant, that is true, but if you are eating at home the majority of the time and preparing your own food (which is not only healthier but cheaper) there are many things you can do to drop the total on that grocery bill and still feed your family healthy nutrient dense foods.
Years ago, I discovered that I could spend less on my groceries if I shopped at Whole Foods as opposed to my local regular grocery store. I know this sounds unlikely, but the reason why is one of the first main things you can do to reign in that grocery bill and still be healthy. I realized that when I shopped at my regular local grocery store, I was selecting and purchasing much more ultra processed foods, particularly snack foods for the kids. When I shopped at my local health foods store (for me that is Whole Foods), I wasn’t purchasing nearly as much of that stuff. The lesson here is not only true for your health but for your budget as well – stick to the perimeter of the store as much as you can. The ultra processed, carb heavy stuff in the middle isles typically will not fill you up and provide any satiety and will likely only increase your cost of medical bills down the road. As far as the health food grocery stores like Whole Foods go, if you are buying organic, grass-fed, or pasture raised, you will often find lower prices on those items at these stores because they buy those items in bulk.
Next on the list is to be selective about which foods you buy organic and which you do not. Some foods should almost always be organic (such as strawberries) but other foods are fine to buy conventional. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) website to see the Dirty Dozen list and their Clean Fifteen. These lists will tell you which fruits or vegetables are highest in pesticide residue and should be purchased organic and which are lowest and not much of a concern. Buying organic in everything will certainly make your grocery bill higher and you may find you only need to do this on certain items you buy. As far as buying pasture raised chicken and eggs and grass-fed beef, try, if possible, to do this as research has shown a big difference in these foods versus conventionally raised beef and chicken, however, you can choose cuts of meat that are cheaper. I love a good filet every now and then (what meat eater doesn’t) but I have also fallen in love with flat iron steaks which are much more economical.
The next tip for eating healthy on a budget is to shop local farms and farmers markets. Get involved in a community support agriculture (CSA) group. Local farmers and farmers markets can not only provide you with healthier food that hasn’t lost its nutrient density in long transports to the store, but it will have you eating more seasonally too which is also more cost advantageous than choosing some blueberries that have had to be shipped thousands of miles to get to you. In line with supporting farmers, consider purchasing regenerative meats online (which can sometimes save you if you are buying in bulk) or find a friend that might want to split the meat of a cow from a local farmer.
With regards to pantry items, shop for frozen fruits and vegetables as well as spices, nuts, vinegars, and oils at Costco, Trader Joe’s or Walmart where you can typically get a better value, but be careful not to buy all their ultra processed foods while you are there. Try to buy pantry staples when you see them on sale and of course use your main grocery store’s sales and coupons to your advantage. If your grocery store has bulk bins for nuts and grains, this is almost always cheaper than purchasing those exact same items already packaged.
Finally, cut back on luxuries that take away from your health such as buying sugary coffee drinks on a regular basis or stopping off for breakfast on your way to work.
If you put these steps into action and are careful to plan out your shopping as well as your meals for each week, you will be well on your way to reducing your food costs while not compromising your health! For more information on how to upgrade your health, subscribe for free at the bottom of any of my website pages (thehealthandwellnessnp.com) to receive weekly blog posts and exciting upcoming information and follow along on Instagram, and together, let’s transform your health and reduce your risk for chronic disease!