You may be surprised to know that eating a nutritious diet does not have to cost more; on the contrary, it can even save you money. The USDA predicts that food prices will continue to go up this year, which is one good reason to get your grocery spending under control and still eat healthy.
If you want to know how much money you should be spending on groceries, the USDA offers a weekly and monthly food budget and divides them into “thrifty,” “low cost,” “moderate,” and “liberal” plans. Click here, if you want to know how you fare.
Here are five tips to help you eat healthier and keep some money in your wallet:
1. Cook and eat most of your meals at home.
It is challenging to find healthy choices in restaurants and eating out repeatedly can add up. This switch can save you hundreds of calories and a good chunk of money. Reduce your meals away from home to what seems doable for you. If you usually eat out five times a week, try to reduce it to two or three times a week. Remember that your grocery bill will go up a bit since you are now shifting your food budget away from eating out toward home-cooked meals, but you will still save money.
2. Make a meal plan.
I know meal planning sounds as exciting as budgeting, but there is a good reason why this strategy is always recommended. It works! A meal plan keeps you from standing in front of an empty fridge, not knowing what to eat. It keeps food decisions you have to make after a long day to a minimum, and it keeps impromptu takeout orders in check. In other words, it makes your life easier and your meals healthier. It does take a bit of upfront time, but it will save you even more time and money later. Start your meal planning by deciding what meals to make for the week, then make a list of groceries based on what you need for these meals. Then cross-check your pantry and fridge for any items you already have. Now you have a meal plan and final grocery list.
3. Meal prep.
This step will help you cook your meals more quickly. Ideally, you should meal prep right after you get your groceries. This is the time when you wash all fruits, chop and roast some veggies, batch cook some chicken or other protein source and/or precook big pots of pasta, rice, or other grain. You can do as much or as little as is helpful to you. The more prepping you do beforehand, the easier it will be to cook your meals during the week.
4. Eat more plant-based meals.
The price of meat, chicken, fish, and eggs has gone up substantially more than other foods, which is a good reason to include more vegetarian or vegan chilis, mushroom burgers, tofu stir-fries into your meal plan. When you include more plant-based proteins in your diet, such as beans, legumes, peas, tofu, tempeh, you are automatically eating less fat, saturated fat and cholesterol and getting more fiber and, vitamins, and other nutrients. And you are saving a good deal of money.
5. Make one of your meals your favorite take-out food.
Just because you are cooking more at home doesn’t mean you can’t have your favorite foods. Whether it’s pizza ( I have an easy recipe here), stir fry, or hamburger with fries, find an easy recipe online or on my website and make it on a day you have more time, like a Friday or Saturday. It will give you something to look forward to during the week, and you won’t feel like you are missing out. Restaurant meals are generally higher in calories, fat and salt and sugar, so when you cook at home, you will save on calories, boost your nutrition and save money.
Just like any change you make, it may take extra time at first and feel difficult to do. But with time it will get easier. You will also find what strategies work best for you and your family and what will be most sustainable long-term. Happy cooking!
Nutrition counseling is not just about what foods you should include in your diet but also strategies on how to do it. If you liked this post and are interested in getting more personalized information, schedule a 15 min free discovery call with me here.