A few weeks ago I saw an article on social media that talked about they were tired of seeing “rich girl fitness”. What if you want to be healthier but money is tight? The good news is that you can improve your nutrition and save money. Over this 4 Part Series I will share some of my best tips to improve Nutrition and not go broke.
Remember: It’s the little things that add up to radical change so you may want to pick one item to focus on each week and then add on from there.
Ways to improve your nutrition while saving $$$
1. Track your food shopping
This was a game changer for me. Once I started tracking my food shopping purchases, I would ask myself: “Do I really need this?” and found that I really didn’t need it. I would also look in my freezer to make sure I wasn’t buying duplicates simply because I was more aware.
If money is an issue for you when it comes to food shopping, then you MUST start tracking. You’ll find you are making much smarter decisions.
2. Menu Plan before going to the grocery store
This habit has saved me so much money because I avoid all the impulse buys or buying food that just goes to waste. If I buy food ON PURPOSE, then it is a lot less likely to sit and rot in the crisper. It also prevents coming home to the dreaded, “What am I gonna eat? Guess I’ll have to eat out” scenario which of course costs you more money.
3. Eat Leftovers for Lunch or better yet…Breakfast
This kills two birds with one stone. First you actually eat breakfast and second your savory leftovers are more than likely to contain a large amount of protein which is one of our 5 nutrition pillars. It is most beneficial to eat protein throughout the day which is the opposite of the American way. We like to load up on carbs and sugar for breakfast. This wreaks havoc with our blood sugar levels and leaves us going for the candy jar and low energy by 3 p.m. Save yourself some money and get quality protein in by eating your leftovers for breakfast. Spending $5 a day on lunch is $100 a month you can save.
4. Go Meatless
I’m a big fan of Meatless Mondays and Meatless Meals. It’s great to give your digestion a break, it forces you to eat more fruits and vegetables, it saves money, and it is good for the planet.
5.Instead of Letting Food Go Bad, Get Creative at the end of the week.
By Friday, Sometimes I’ll have a bunch of leftovers or foods that don’t seem to go together. Instead of throwing the food away, I’ll have a mini buffet for lunch/dinner. This is a great way to get in extra fruits and veggies.
6. Limit Alcohol
When you go out those drinks can really add up! When I was on vacation and had a cocktail with dinner, the drink was about $12! That could be a meal or two at home. Limiting alcohol is one of my 5 Nutrition Pillars because not only is alcohol full of empty calories that add up around your midsection (They don’t call it a beer belly for nothing!), it is also a financial drain!
If money is tight, then don’t waste it on alcohol. It has no nutritional value. Besides, when you drink alcohol, you should drink the good stuff. It leads to less of a hangover and since it’s expensive you will save it for special occasions!
7. Don’t waste money on processed health foods
“The least healthy products tend to have the most health claims on front”
This is the truth. At places like Trader Joes and Whole Foods they have these processed “health foods” that are nothing more than junk food with a healthy claim to it! Don’t waste your money!! Oh and while I’m at it: Chips at Whole Foods are still nutritionally void! Don’t believe the hype!
For instance: I know a lot of people who went gluten free and then they started buying all of these gluten free processed snack items. Unfortunately, those items are even more calorically dense because they had to replace the gluten with something! It’s like the whole fat free business. They replaced the fat with sugar. You are better off eating fresh fruits and veggies (Which don’t have gluten) rather than wasting it on processed health foods.
8. Buy Protein in Bulk
One of the main reasons I am a Costco member is because I like to buy my proteins in Bulk. I save so much money rather than running to the store every week for Proteins. At Costco they also have organic meats available and I do save money that way. For instance the Ground Bison I like is $11 for one package at Whole foods. At Costco I get 2 for $17. Every dollar counts for me.
A trick I have picked up from others is to buy when there is a Big sale on something like Chicken and then Freeze it. That way if things get tight, then I will have protein on reserve.
Visit your local Produce Stand, Farmers Market, Fish Market, or Butcher shop. You will often find better produce than at the grocery store and the prices are often cheaper than in conventional grocery store. For instance at my Local Produce Market, the swiss Chard is $1.49 compared to Whole Foods where the price was $2.49. Farmers Markets are even better because you get to meet and support Farmers while getting fresh produce.
9. Freeze Left Overs
If I have a lot left over of a dish that I know I am not going to want to eat for the next month, I will freeze it and then take it out to eat at another time. This cuts down on Waste and also helps out when you can’t figure out what to make for dinner. BOOM! You already have something prepared. Only need time to DeFrost
10. Invest in a Slow Cooker
Seriously this is one of the best investments that I have made in the past few years. It allows you to make a lot of food at one time AND you just set the timer and forget it. You can cook vegetables, rice, stews, soups, chili, or whatever in it. This is a great way for you to make large portions and save money as well.
For those who say: “I don’t know how to cook” or “I don’t have time to cook” this is a great tool for you! You can find some slow cooker recipes online and you can also dump food in it with spices and let it go!
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