Top 10 Ways to Eat Well - And Spend Less
How can it be fair that it often costs less to eat junk, processed, refined food than it does to buy healthy, fresh, locally grown or organic food?
But if you are tempted to go for junk food because it is cheaper than real, living food, then remember the cost to your health.
For example, here in the UK a report by the Academy for Medical Sciences claims that, in recent years, progress on child health has stalled.
Key concerns outlined in the report include:
-
More than a fifth of children aged five are overweight or obese.
-
Nearly a quarter of five-year-olds in England are affected by tooth decay.
-
A decrease in the proportion of children having vaccinations.
-
A rise in demand for children’s mental health services.
It is a tall order, making sure you AND your family eat well and spend less, but it can be done.
Here are 10 ways eat more healthily on a budget
1. Plan your meals for the coming week, making a list of the ingredients you need so it means just one trip to the store - most of us will spend more when we shop more frequently. At the same time, be flexible because if you see items on special, you can always build a meal or meals around them. This same planning prevents the need to buy “last minute” food items in convenience stores or drug stores, where healthy options are limited and prices are higher. Remember to try to avoid going food shopping with your partner and/or children – you will always spend much more than you planned to do and they will want to choose the less healthy options!
2. Look for healthy options and specials at your regular supermarket first because many stock organic alternatives and fresh foods that may be cheaper than the brands. While high end organic stores are often more expensive, they may have sales or their own brands which are more affordable. Some consumers are able to save costs by collecting coupons. It is important to go for organic meat whenever possible, avoiding those meats and poultry where the animals and birds are factory farmed and pumped full of antibiotics and other chemicals.
3. Always save money by choosing in-season fruits and vegetables, preferably locally produced. Farmers Markets can be a good source of local products in season - often extremely fresh. If you become a regular customer, you will get to know your local producers on a personal level for even better service and prices. There are some fruit and vegetables that are more important to buy organic than others. Known as the dirty dozen because of the high level of pesticides used in their production, the most contaminated are peach, apple, bell pepper, celery, nectarine, strawberries, cherries, imported grapes, lettuce and carrots. You can go ahead and enjoy the clean fifteen without worrying about organic – they are just as healthy – onion, avocado, sweet corn (except GM corn), pin asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomato and sweet potato. Buying frozen produce in bulk is the second best bet to save money.
4. Save on cooking, preparation costs and time by having one raw meal each day. Suggestions are a lunchtime plate of fresh salad with avocado, lettuce, tomato, raw almonds or walnuts, chives, peppers, cucumber, parsley, celery with a olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing OR a coleslaw with finely chopped raw cabbage, carrot, celery, grated apple mixed with mayonnaise and a dash of apple of vinegar.
5. Buy inexpensive sources of protein, such as beans, lentils, nuts or meat in large packages, which you can divide up and freeze in smaller portions if your family will not eat it all at once. Purchasing staples like nuts, grains and dried fruit from the bulk bins at your grocery store will save you money.
6. Stock your pantry with cost-effective, non-perishable ingredients so you can make healthy last-minute meals when you need to. Examples include: whole wheat tortillas, canned beans, pasta, spaghetti sauce, frozen vegetables, frozen organic chicken breasts, whole wheat bread, nuts/nut butter and whole grain cereals so you always have something to fall back on.
7. Encourage your family to steer clear of the expense and poor nutrition of vending machines for their food and drink when they are away from home. Pack them healthy snacks to take with them when they go off to school or to work.
8. Add lemon slices to a refillable bottle of water to keep your drink tasting fresh all day. If you filter your water and keep it in the fridge, it will taste as good as bottled water and cost way less in terms of cost both to you and to the environment. You and your family members should take a bottle wherever you go for a healthier option.
9. Eat Eggs. Of course they should be free range or organic but eggs are full of vitamins, high in proteins but low in price. Eat them just lightly cooked for maximum benefit. Great for breakfast and you can alternate with your own homemade muesli made with a big box of raw oats as the basis and add other ingredients like dried fruit, sunflower seeds and more. An omelette with different fillings such as grated cheese makes an inexpensive supper.
10. How you store in your fridge can make a difference to your costs. Go to this link for some great ideas on how you can save money while keeping your food in the fridge at optimum freshness.
Eating healthily means lowered disease risks, increases your productivity and gives you more energy. Eating well and spending less means a win/win situation.
SOURCES:
Experts lament ‘appalling decline’ in health of under-fives in UK | Children | The Guardian
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.