Healthy Eating on a Budget

How to eat healthy without breaking the bank—or spending your entire paycheck at the grocery store

We all love admiring the Instagram foodie profiles filled with spinach and kale smoothies and fancy acai bowls, dreaming of one day eating as healthy as our Insta-fluencers seem to be. But all of the fresh avocado toast and quinoa dishes can add up fast. Too fast.

Follow these five easy tips to eat healthy on a budget. 

Plan out your grocery list

A good rule of thumb: plan out exactly what food you need for the week so you don’t overshop, overpay, and let food go to waste. It’s also a good idea to shop the perimeter of the store, to focus on the fresh fruits and vegetables, and skip the “empty calories” like chips, cookies, and ice cream. (Especially the mega-delicious, but mega-pricey, ice cream by the pint.)

Meal prep and leverage leftovers

Use leftovers to your advantage. It’s like Thanksgiving! If you’re cookin’ up some veggies, rice or other yummy foods you can save for later, get out your tupperware! Saving a portion of your meals for tomorrow’s lunch or making a little extra of an item so you can use it in tomorrow’s meal can be an easy and cost-effective way to save some cash while eating healthy. Cooking for one? Even better! Cook a normal-sized family portion and parcel out your lunches for the week. 

Make your own dips and dressings

Foods like soups, salads, dips, and dressings can be very yummy but very pricy and unhealthy if store-bought. Making these foods yourself lets you cut out unnecessary fats and sodium, lower the calorie count, and keep your spending to a minimum, since they’re often cheaper than their pre-packaged counterparts. Plus, you know exactly how much you want to make and can prevent any food waste. 

Choose healthy (and cheap!) snacks

Making your own popcorn (not pre-packaged microwavable!) can be a healthy and cheap snack when you’re craving a little something-something. Buy popcorn kernels in bulk to drive the price down even further. Another cheap, easy, and delish snack could be apples or celery and peanut butter—a match made in heaven! 

In-season produce and weekly sales

When a fruit or vegetable is in season, its price usually falls, saving you big bucks! Sign up for your local grocery store’s rewards program to snag deals on the foods you love. Also, check whether your store has any sales each week and plan your meals to incorporate those foods. Saving big + eating healthy = *chef’s kiss*

Eating healthy while on a budget can be a lot easier than it seems. You’ll be whipping up fresh veggie salads and tasty fruit dishes before you know it—while watching your cash stack up!