Rainbow Blog

Healthy Eating on a Budget!

posted by: Kia

1. Do your grocery shopping once a week. Every time we go to the store for just one or two items we usually end up walking out with a cart full! So basically, by going only once a week, you eliminate the possibility of spending more money!

2. Plan Plan Plan! Come up with some meal and snack ideas for the week. Make a shopping list based on those meals and then stick to the list! Don’t be tempted by impulse items once you are in the store. Having a list and buying just the items on it will help a lot.

3. Do the majority of your shopping around the perimeter of the store where you’ll find all your basics (fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and breads) the middle aisles are where they keep the “convenient” processed food products that aren’t necessarily healthy and can wreck your budget if you’re not careful. Or course this is not to suggest that you have to make all your food from scratch! Just an awareness that the healthier foods that we need are generally found around the outer perimeter of the grocery stores!

4. Make meatless meals one day a week. On those days you can easily get your protein from bean, nuts, seeds and grains.

5. Switch from soft drinks to %100 fruit juices and water. You’ll be surprised how much money that alone will save!

6. Buy produce that is in season whenever possible. Food scientists have shown that frozen fruits and vegetables can be a good alternative to fresh produce when it is unavailable. There have been studies that have shown that by using the quick-freeze method, vegetables and fruits retain most of their nutrients.

7. Make meals at home. Cooking at home can be much healthier and cheaper than eating out. You are then in control of the ingredients (like salt and sugar amounts) and you’ll probably end up with leftovers for another meal! If you’re like me and are not a natural in the kitchen there are ways around that! Learn from people in your life that love to cook and get them to teach you, watch cooking shows on tv or video tutorials on the internet, or just stick with a recipe book if that works for you. You don’t even have to buy one, you could borrow one from a friend or from your local library. Getting the whole family involved with preparing a meal whenever possible is also a great way to spend some time together!

8. If at all possible try growing some produce. You don’t necessarily need a big garden space you could start with some planter boxes or even just a small herb box in a windowsill! This year we thought we’d give it a try and so we grew some strawberries in a small pot. We were all so excited to eat strawberries that we had grown! It’s great for kids to experience firsthand how our food grows. Makes the food taste even better somehow when you’ve grown it yourself!

9. Famer’s Markets can be a great place to get your produce! You are supporting your local farmers and getting fresh produce that hasn’t had to travel for miles and miles. Someone mentioned to me the other day that if you go to the market towards the end of their day you can sometimes get an even better price because they are very interested in getting rid of their stock…just something to consider!

10. Finally…the tried and true tip: Never shop on an empty stomach!

If you have any ideas and tips on how to eat healthy while on a budget please leave us a comment!

Happy Healthy Eating!
Kia