Nowadays, keeping up a balanced routine and eating healthy can seem challenging for a lot of people. Especially, when life’s daily hectic and demanding tasks are ahead of us, we tend to think that it is almost impossible to keep up with a healthy eating regimen and schedule. Also, we usually worry that eating healthy could be way out of our budget. The truth is, you can achieve your healthy eating regime goals and it doesn’t have to be expensive! I’ll give you the most important tips that worked for me.

Plan ahead of time

Planning is essential when it comes to balance and saving money. If you cook at home, you might want to determine first whether you want to plan your meals daily or weekly. I usually go with a weekly plan for my favorite foods, as it is more practical and less complicated for me. You can consider setting up menus for each meal. Make sure to include all the types of foods you should consume to make it balanced: Meat, poultry and seafood, dairy products, cereals and whole grains, fruits, vegetables and oils. Don’t forget to include the snacks! These should also be part of our eating schedule, and we sometimes tend to overlook them. This also ensures that everything is included in our food budget.

If you usually eat out on a daily basis, then it’s important to start by choosing the places where you will frequent. I usually look around at different menus being offered and compare prices. For me, a place that offers variety and quality is a must! You can also take advantage of the “today’s menu” or “executive menu” for cheaper options. Avoid the fast food restaurants! Instead check for “homemade style” food restaurants or places where you can have healthier food options; for example, sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups and natural beverages.

Invest in fresh food rather than processed

This works really great with perishables like fruits, vegetables and meats. There are usually fresh foods that you can find at the grocery store or local market. These have a higher nutritious value than the packaged foods, so you can be sure that you’ll get all the nutrients! Another great advantage is that you don’t have to worry about the additives or preservatives, the extra salt or sodium that could result in harming your health if consumed in excess.

Visit your local market sometimes instead of a grocery store

Something I really love about going to the market for my basic groceries is the huge variety and affordable prices I can find. Most likely the foods are fresher, you can pick different amounts and sizes for half the price. As well, I’ve seen vendors provide samples, discounts and giveaways, which is a great chance of getting more quality products. Now at the markets, you can also find more organic fruits and vegetables, which is a great alternative for those who want to have the most benefit of nutritious foods or for who follow a strict vegetarian regime.

Set a schedule and avoid waste

Committing to a schedule is the hardest part for some of us, but once we set small habits, it’s a matter of discipline. For me, setting aside a schedule for grocery shopping is really important, as it allows me to be careful with spending and also taking the necessary amount of time to make good food choices. Program yourself for cooking, making sure that you follow the menus or the meals you already planned. When eating out, this aspect becomes easier as you can readily find prepared meals at different locations.

Preserving food as much as you can is also a must when it comes to saving from our budget. Besides being time consuming, getting rid of damaged food is wasting more money. So, here are some of the ways I avoid waste:

• Read food labels, paying close attention to the expiration dates.
• Taste or check the stored foods on a regular basis, to see if they are still “fresh” or in good condition.
• Purchase fruits and vegetables only for a week or mostly 10 days, as these usually get sour or damaged after that period.
• Measure the amount of food that I consume for a specific timeframe, so that there isn’t over spending.
• Follow instructions on how to properly store food in refrigerator.
• Don’t overload the refrigerator, so that enough air can keep food fresh

Limit to your budget and avoid the “extras”

Shop with a list or with your items in mind. Has it ever happened to you that you go grocery shopping and you end up picking up extra things you really didn’t need? This is one of the most common mistakes we make, I’ve become guilty of that as well. Making an effort to only stick to your basic food needs will definitely make your life easier and financially healthier. I do recommend; however, that from time to time you also take advantage of bargains and discount prices, it is a huge help when looking to save on items you regularly consume.

Finally…

Keeping up to a healthy eating regime within a low budget can be possible. Just follow these simple steps. You’ll see that in the long run, it is better to stick to small daily habits than not caring. You want to avoid spending on curing diseases. Prevention and care are always better, by far! So just bear in mind that with careful planning and proper food choices, you can get along. Take advantage of market and local grocery supply stores. Have a regular schedule for shopping and eating, check the stored food regularly to avoid waste. Make sure to limit budget range to your needs. 

I will be sharing more helpful tips and ideas about healthy eating lifestyle and how to maximize your health benefits naturally! Let me know your thoughts about eating healthy on a low budget, what are some of your experiences? Feel free to comment, share and follow! We’ll keep in touch, see you soon!