One of the biggest obstacles I hear from people in regards to eating healthy is that they have financial constraints that make it harder to eat healthy foods.

Let’s be frank:  The processed foods that are full of preservatives are more affordable due to longer shelf life and not so great ingredients.

A Protein Box from Peets will run you about $10.  A Value Meal from a Fast Food Place may run you about $3-4 and there are also dollar menus available.

I want to stress that this isn’t all in people’s heads as I’ve heard some people say.  There are ways to eat healthy and still be on a budget.

HOWEVER

If you’re going to spend money on anything, then you should spend it on the fuel that goes into your body.  Nothing will go well if you aren’t fueling yourself properly and performing at an optimal level.  Healthy Fuel should be a priority.

Here are some tips that you may not have thought of when it comes to eating healthy on a limited budget.

Tips for Eating Healthy when you’re on a limited budget

See what’s on Sale at the Grocery store and Make a Menu for the week

No lie.

Sometimes my menu revolves around what’s on sale that week.  If you have a menu, then you’re a lot less likely to grab food on the fly and you’re a lot less likely to make impulse purchases at the supermarket which can often lead to wasting food.

This will require some planning on your part but it will end up saving you money in the long run.

Pay for your Groceries in Cash and Track how much you spend

When you pay for your groceries in cash you are a lot more likely to stay on target and not buy all of those convenient foods waiting by the register for you.  Those items are there for impulsive shoppers and those impulses can add anywhere from $5-$10 onto your grocery bill.

I also notice that I spend more when I’m swiping a card because it doesn’t feel like real money.  My grocery bill has decreased about 15-20% since I instituted this rule.

It also stops me from running to the grocery store every day.  If there is no cash on hand then I don’t buy food and make due with what I have.

Tracking is the key to being able to expand your food budget and making wiser choices.  You can look for trends and also figure out how to prune your grocery budget.

You cannot change what you don’t track.

Buy High Usage Items in Bulk

Which items are you constantly running to the store to purchase?

Take notice of these items and then go to Costco, Sam’s Club, or whatever warehouse store is available to you and buy those items in bulk.  I find that I save so much money if I buy my high usage items in bulk rather than running to the grocery store weekly.  A good Warehouse store run can last me a month and for people with families it can last 1-2 weeks which is certainly better than running to the store daily.

Cut the Snack Foods

Those snack foods do not fill you up, you have to eat more in order to feel satisfied, and that’s more money wasted.  This is one of the reasons I tell people to stop snacking.

Buying chips, cookies, etc. may seem like a good investment because they aren’t expensive(on the surface) but these foods are not satisfying or filling unless you eat a LOT of them and so that means it’s costing you more in the long run.

Many of these foods are fillers and not good for you (even the so called “healthy” options which are FAR too expensive in many cases)

You would do much better to eat enough at your meals and cut the snacking.

Think Long Game

Yes you can go to a fast food joint and get a meal for 4 people for $20 but that’s ONE meal.

If you take $20 to a grocery store and do some smart shopping you may be able to squeeze 2 meals out of that which will save you money in the end.

Price vs Cost

The price may be cheap up front but the cost is much more in the end.

This is also true when it comes to your health.  You may say I cannot afford to eat healthy now but will you be able to afford to lose pay when you’re in the hospital because you’re sick or not be able to go for a promotion because you just don’t have the energy to perform well at work.

It’s all about priorities.  People will say that they cannot afford to eat healthy but they can afford to buy new sneakers.  Your health is an investment that will pay compound interest over time.

It’s not about weight loss so much as it is about a mindset towards a healthy lifestyle and optimal performance in your life!

That is what the Fiercely Fit Lifestyle is all about!