Eat Healthy Cheaply

Do you think eating healthy is too expensive? We really need to keep this in perspective. As a culture (US) we are used to very inexpensive food. And we have come to depend on fast food way too much (how often do you purchase from the dollar menu)? If one is used to purchasing nutritionally desolate, cheap food products and then switches to purchasing healthy, nutritionally dense and thus more expensive products, the tendency may be to complain that eating healthy is too expensive.

Here are some ways to eat healthier and save money.

1. Switch to Water

• It’s healthier
• It’s cheaper

Quit the soda (this includes diet) & drink water. Take a bottle wherever you go.

2. Consume Tap Water. Check the price of water on your tap water bill. Now check the price of bottled water. Quit a difference, isn’t it? So why are you buying bottled water?

• Cleaner? Not necessarily.
• Better taste? No, simply a matter of preference.

Bottled water companies get their supply from the same source you do: municipal water systems. It’s like selling ice to Eskimos. If you don’t trust the quality of tap water, filter it yourself. We (goodfoodlady & hubby) filter our well water and drink that. I will be honest, we keep a case of water in the back of the car so we always have something to drink without having to purchase it more expensively than the case we get from BJ's.

3. Eat Eggs. I always have eggs at breakfast:

• Full of vitamins
• High in proteins
• Low in price

Don’t believe the eggs and cholesterol myth. Dietary cholesterol is not bound to blood cholesterol. Want to make it cheaper? Buy a chicken.

4. Eat Fatty Meats. Fatty meats (I'm not talking processed meats, but the type of cut of fresh meats) are cheaper & more tasty than lean meats. You think it’s not healthy?

• Fat doesn’t make you fat, excess carbohydrates do
• You need a balanced intake of fats: omega 3, 6 & 9

Buy beef chuck instead of sirloin.

5. Get Whey. The cheapest source of protein. 70$ for a 10lbs bag lasting 4 months. Nothing beats that. You can make protein shakes for snacks.

6. Tuna Cans (and sardines!) Canned tuna is cheap & contains as much protein as meat. Alternate tuna with eggs, meat & whey. You’ll easily get to your daily amount of protein.

7. Buy Frozen Veggies.

• Take less time to prepare
• You don’t waste money if not eaten in time
• Can be bought in bulk for discounts & stored in your freezer

If you can afford fresh veggies, then do it.


8. Use a Multivitamin. Pesticides lower the vitamin levels of your fruits & veggies. Two solutions:

• Buy organic food. Expensive.
• Use a multivitamin. $10 a month. Choose one that uses natural vitamins, not synthetic, for better absorption.

Choose what fits your wallet best. I purchase organic when it is on sale and I take vitamins.

9. Fish Oil. Omega-3 is found in fish oil. Benefits of omega-3 consumption include:

• Lowered cholesterol levels
• Decreased body fat
• Reduced inflammation

You need to eat fatty fish 3 times a week to get these benefits. Try Twin-Lab's Cod Liver Oil with Orange Flavor. One tablespoon daily. I also eat sardines, love em.


10. Buy Store Brand Food. The box might be less attractive, it’s certainly more attractive to your wallet. Brand-name food will always be more expensive. You’re paying for the name. Get real. Food is food. Go generic. But remember sometimes you have to comparison shop, check the unit price, sometimes the name brand is cheaper.

11. Buy in Bulk. Think long-term. Buying in bulk is more expensive at the cashier, but cheaper in the long run:

• Gets you discounts
• Saves time
• Saves car fuel

Invest in a big freezer. Buy meats & veggies in bulk and freeze them.

12. Go to One Grocery Store. This grocery store is cheaper for meat, that grocery store is cheaper for veggies, the other grocery store is cheaper for fish… How many grocery stores are you going to, trying to find the cheapest food? Think!

• Time is money. Stop losing a day shopping.
• Cars don’t run on water. Lower your fuel expenses.

13. Make a Plan. A classic, but worth repeating. Everything starts with a plan.

• Make a list of what you need
• Eat a solid meal, don’t go hungry
• Go the grocery, get what’s on your list & get out

No need to take your partner or kids with you. This is not a recreational activity. Just get your food & get back home.

14. Take Food To Work. Ever counted how much money you throw away buying food at work daily? Start preparing your food for the day on waking up:

• Get up earlier
• Eat a solid breakfast
• Prepare your food for work in the meanwhile

Total time 30 minutes. No stress during the day about what you’ll be eating & you get healthy food while sparing money.

15. Don’t Buy Junk Food. Stop buying anything that comes out of a box, it’s:

• Unhealthy
• Expensive

If you actually find junk food that is cheaper than whole food, think long-term, its expensive going to the doctor and buying medicine.

16. Buy Fruit and Vegetables in Season Arugula, Apples, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Collards, Green Onions, Leafy Greens, Peanuts, Pecans, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard and Winter Squash are all in season right now (in North Carolina) and will be less expensive to buy. 


Some of the material for this post came from Get Rich Slowly. org)