Many people tell me that eating healthy is too expensive for them. I am here to tell you it is doable, even on a budget! What is the best way to eat foods that are health-promoting and still stay on a budget? Check out these creative budget-friendly tips to help you improve your health.
Buy seasonal foods. Often foods that are in season are cheaper. Check out this list of Washington’s seasonal foods and farmer’s markets in your area. Foods that are in season can be more nutritious as they can be grown and sold locally. Think fresh!
Shop in the bulk section. Buying from the bulk section saves you money and gives you a chance to try a variety of products without having to buy a large box or bag. Many foods in bulk are 100% natural like quinoa, barley, spelt flour, and brown rice. Check your local market for these ancient grains that are tasty and nutritious, and commonly found in the bulk section.
Take a lunch with you to work. Going out to eat can be expensive, and though eating fast-foods can be inexpensive, they are not the healthiest for you. When you prepare the majority of your meals at home you have control over the ingredients and can save on travel money, sales tax, and tip.
Buy some foods organically grown. Eating organically grown foods allows you to avoid exposure to toxic pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, and genetically modified products (GMOs). Check out the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen Guide and learn which foods are safe when conventionally grown and which organic foods to invest in for your health.
Prepare your own snack foods. Every time you make your own meal or snack, you have control over the ingredients. Over-the-counter prepared snack foods often have many harmful ingredients that are better avoided. Try some of these simple snacks: almonds, cheese, stove-top popcorn, dates with almond butter, smoothie with fresh ingredients, hard-boiled egg.
Cook in large batches. Making foods in large quantities saves you time and money. Refrigerate what you will eat in the first 3 days and freeze the rest for another time. Using glass containers is a great way to store food, as it easily goes from freezer, to oven, to dishwasher. Try making extra homemade pancakes or waffles and store them in the freezer. Reheating will be easy in the toaster!
Try vegetarian sources of protein. Beans, peas, lentils, and nuts are an inexpensive source of vegetable protein. Adding slivered almonds or cashews to a vegetable stir-fry or beans to a vegetable soup adds lots of fiber and protein to your diet.
Go shopping with a list and while you’re not hungry. Whenever I go grocery shopping hungry everything looks good. Plan ahead before you leave for the store—eat a healthy snack and make a list of the ingredients you need for what you plan to make for the week.
Grow your own herbs. No matter the time of year, you can have an indoor herb garden that is low maintenance and that provides you with fresh herbs for your meals. The more fresh foods we add to meals, the healthier our diet becomes.
Look at the store flier for sales. Nearly every grocery store produces a flier with their weekly specials. Scan through it when you enter and check for any products that are on your list. Also, seek out sale items that are fresh like vegetables, fruit, dairy, and meat— foods that are found in the perimeter of the grocery store.
Jenelle
Strine is a health and lifestyle expert in Seattle who loves to share her passions
with others. She works with individuals and teaches classes on
nutrition, fitness, healthy lifestyles, and the mind-body connection to
help transform the lives of others. 
