Eating Better On A Budget

One of the most common reasons that people do not eat as healthy as they should is because they feel as though eating healthy is too expensive. If you are on a budget and still want to eat healthy, you can! You just need to know a few smart tips to guide you to getting the most for your food budget!

There are many steps that you can take when looking to save money on your groceries. To start, there are 6 main steps: Plan, Buy In Season, Buy Local, Go Back To The Basics, Spice Up Your Creativity, Always Consume Leftovers.

#1. PLAN

Plan, Plan, Plan. I can not stress this word enough. Like all things in life, in order to succeed in something you must have a plan beforehand. Therefore, before you head out to the grocery store, take the 5-10 minutes prior to make a list of what it is exactly that you're shopping for. Never go into a grocery store without a plan, you will 100% be more likely to be impulsive with your purchasing and in result, spend more money than you need to.

#2. BUY IN SEASON

Who doesn't love to eat fresh vegetables and fruits while they are IN season. You'll know what is in season based upon what vegetables and fruits that are on sale that week in your local store. Buying fruits and vegetables in season can lower your cost and add so much nutritional benefit to your day!

#3. BUY LOCAL

Stop by your local farm and see what type of CSA packages they offer. You purchase a season worth of goodies for a flat fee delivering fresh-picked and in season food products. Nothing beats quality and straight out of the ground produce!

#4. GO BACK TO THE BASICS

Convenience foods like frozen dinners (yuck!), pre-cut vegetables (yuck!) and instant rice/oatmeal (yuck!!) can cost you more than if you were to make them from scratch. Purchasing your ingredients in bulk, planning (there's that word again), prepping and cooking your own food not only saves you money but it saves you from consuming foods that are unnatural, highly processed and loaded with sodium.

#5. SPICE UP YOUR CREATIVITY

Don't fear mixing together ingredients and getting creative in the kitchen. It's amazing what great meals result from taking simple, inexpensive ingredients and blending them all together.

#6. ALWAYS CONSUME LEFTOVERS.

Keep that creativity flowing with your left overs. For example, if you have left over chicken, use the chicken to mix up a stir fry or create an avocado chicken salad. The options are endless! Remember, throwing away food is throwing away money!

Now all you have to do is make a plan and stick to it! Start making healthy shopping a lifestyle and no longer an excuse!

For more guidance, tips and advice feel free to contact me katie@thedailydiehl.com.