Foodie Friday: Healthy Eats on a Budget

I get kind of frustrated when I hear people say they can't afford to eat a healthy diet. I think people use this as an excuse to do what's easier...buy convenient junk food. Eating healthier might require a bit more effort, but I don't think it should require you to spend your entire paycheck at the grocery store. (Unless you're shopping at Whole Foods of course....that's another story)

Here are a few easy ideas I have. Let me know what else you can think of!

1) Eat more beans. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber and they are CHEAP! If you have the time, you can buy them dried and cook them from scratch in a big batch and then freeze leftovers. But canned beans are still pretty cheap (I try to buy them at 80 cents per can). Rather than eating meat or chicken every night, use beans as your protein a couple nights a week. It will definitely save you money! Some of my favorite meals using beans are burritos, hummus, falafel, lentil soup, split pea soup, vegetable & bean minestrone soup.

2) Buy produce at Farmer's Markets. I have found that prices at farmer's markets are less than those in the grocery store because you are buying directly from the farmer. You can get even better deals if you go towards the end of the day when they are trying to get rid of excess produce. (Newpark Mall Farmer's Market is open Sundays from 9am - 1pm)
3) Eat at home. This one is obvious. It is always cheaper to pack your lunch or cook dinner at home than it is to eat out at a restaurant.

4) As a follow-up to number 3, you need to plan ahead! If you run out to the grocery store just to buy the ingredients for one meal, chances are you will spend a lot. If you plan your meals for the week ahead of time and shop the sales, you can plan on incorporating leftovers into subsequent meals and really stretch your money.

5) Look for discount meat. OK I know this one sounds strange, but I got this great idea from my sister. Many stores cut prices on beef/chicken/pork right before they are about to expire. Safeway has a designated area where you can look through discounted meat, and it is often between 30% and 50% off. As long as you use or freeze it right away you should be fine...just be sure it looks good and that the expiration date is still at least 1 or 2 days out. Just the other day I got some boneless beef ribs 50% off and they were absolutely delicious!

I do believe there are a few things worth spending the extra money on, especially when it comes to what you are putting into your body. One example is the "dirty dozen". These are the 12 fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide levels, and therefore it is smart to buy the organic version. They are:

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach
Kale
Cherries
Potatoes
Grapes

Hopefully some of those tips were helpful. I love talking about this kind of stuff! Planning meals and living on a budget are fun challenge for me. I will admit that eating healthfully takes some extra effort and thought. But ultimately I think it is worth it.