Welcome back to DealDash Blog’s Living Healthy series. Today’s blog is all about sharing ideas of how you can eat healthfully, even when you’re on a budget.
Most people have a basic idea of what it means to be a healthy eater – everyone is familiar with the Food Pyramid from elementary school, right? The problem is, sometimes making healthy food choices can really put a strain on your budget, especially if you are feeding a family of four or even more. Luckily, I have some easy strategies for you to try to incorporate into your daily life.
1 – Meal Planning. Strategy number one is really important to staying on budget – when you plan your meals out ahead of time (I like to do a week’s worth at a time) it allows you to buy healthy food in bulk at your local wholesale club and spread the goodness out over multiple meals. For example, if I were to buy the single mixed-greens bag of salad at the local supermarket it would cost me approximately $3, and last my family of four for just one meal. However, if I plan my meals ahead of time and I know that we are going to have salads three nights in the upcoming week I can buy the large box of mixed-greens at the wholesale club for $6 and have enough salad for all three nights. See? I just saved myself $3 by planning ahead.
2- Home Cooking. Strategy number two is really beneficial for both your health and your wallet. If my family of four decided that we would all like to have lasagna and we went to any of the mid-priced Italian restaurants in my area we would spend approximately $60 (I live right outside of Boston, it might be cheaper near you), and in addition to that the lasagna would most likely be made with lots of oil, white pasta, and full-fat cheese. However, if I were to make the exact same meal at home it costs less than $15, and I am able to use fat-free cheese, whole wheat pasta noodles, and even substitute some of the ricotta for cottage cheese. It tastes absolutely delicious, and it’s very healthy as well. In a quest to get my children to eat more veggies I also add mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and zucchini slices (Shhhhh…Don’t tell!)
3- Farmer’s Markets. Strategy number three may or may not work for you depending on where you live. In my area, there is a farmer’s market going on in my town and every small town around me. When you go to the farmer’s market you are getting delicious fruits and veggies that are extremely fresh because they are grown locally. In addition to that, the prices are definitely better than any supermarket around, especially if there are multiple vendors selling the same fruits and veggies. If you want to make your trip to the farmer’s market even healthier, try walking there! The weather is beautiful in August, and the fresh air is great for your body and mind.
I hope this article has encouraged you to try some of my strategies for living healthy on a budget. If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make you and your family a little bit healthier. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!
