Many children and adults in the United States are overweight because of the food they eat. Being overweight and not eating a proper diet has also led to a growing number of health problems. Many overweight, unhealthy people say they eat the things they do because that is all they can afford. But eating a healthy diet doesn't have to be expensive. Plus, it can make people look and feel better, be more productive at work and school, have more fun in their personal lives and have a stronger immune system that better enables them to resist colds, flu and other minor illnesses. Eating healthy not only helps people get and maintain a healthy weight, it also lowers their risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and several types of cancer. Eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive. You can eat healthy even on a limited budget. The following tips can help.
Eight Things You Can Do To Eat Healthy On A Tight Budget:
- Cook Your Own Meals
- Plan Your Meals Weekly
- Create And Follow A Grocery List
- Buy Whole Foods
- Buy Food In Bulk
- Buy Generic Brands
- Purchase Frozen Vegetables And Fruits
- Purchase Less Expensive Cuts Of Meat
The 8 Steps Better Explained
Eating a healthier diet doesn't have to be prohibitively expensive. With some simple changes in your lifestyle and the way you shop, you can eat a very healthy, nutritious, diet with lots of tasty dishes without spending a lot of money. Here is how.
Cooking your own meals can save you money and help ensure you ingest only wholesome ingredients. Restaurant meals and take-out food often contain hidden salt, sugar, fats and other ingredients that can pack on the pounds and ruin your health over time. Plus, preparing your own food to eat at home and take to work or school will save you lots of money and leave you in better health. Planning your meals for an entire week and buying the ingredients in bulk saves money. Stock your cabinets and refrigerator with a week's worth of food and purchase only what you need. This prevents waste and lowers the cost of each meal.
Impulse buying can ruin your budget. Supermarkets use scientific methods to increase impulse buying and they're particularly effective if you're hungry when you go grocery shopping. Instead, make a list of the items you need when you are headed to the supermarket and stick to it. Your grocery bill will end up being a lot lower. When you get to the supermarket, buy whole, unprocessed, foods. You'll get more for your money and whole foods are more nutritious than processed foods. Plus, with unprocessed food you decide what ingredients and how much of them will be in your meal. That will help you eliminate excess preservatives, salt and sugar from your diet and improve your health.
Buying food in bulk is another way to make your food budget go further. When you buy in bulk, you get much more food for your money. You can buy barley, oats, rice, beans and gains on sale, store them in sealable plastic containers and scoop out only as much as you need to prepare each meal. This allows you to have nutritious meals at a very low price. Buying generic brands food products is another way to eat healthy on a small budget. Most generic products taste just as good and contain the same amount of nutrients as brand name foods. The brand name products cost more because of the packaging and the money spent on expensive multimedia marketing campaigns.
Purchasing frozen vegetables and fruits is another way to stretch your food dollar while getting all the nutrients you need in your diet. Flash frozen vegetables and fruits cost a lot less than buying them fresh. Plus, they're usually just as nutritious. Frozen vegetables and fruits are also available year round. Purchase them in large, affordably-priced bags and thaw and use them as needed as part of a low-cost, nutritious diet.
Using less expensive cuts of meat is another way to make your food budget do more. Inexpensive meats can taste great if prepared, seasoned and cooked properly. Tenderizing tough cuts of meat, adding savory spices and using different cooking methods will make them flavorful and juicy. For the price of one expensive piece of meat, you can get enough nutritious, inexpensive cuts of meat for several meals. This will help you eat healthy on a small budget.