Affordable, Healthy Eating Tips for Homemakers

Affordable, Healthy Eating: Produce

1. Frozen produce 

If you want to eat more vegetables and fruit, but struggle with them going bad, buying frozen is my best tip. You can buy almost anything frozen and it will keep indefinitely, and the nutritional difference between fresh and frozen is pretty negligible. Sometimes frozen can be more expensive than the same amount of produce as fresh, but in the long run you will get more for your money by buying the frozen produce that you will finish rather than the fresh produce you will end up throwing away.  

2. Root vegetables and seasonal squashes  

Root vegetables and squashes are very filling and nutrient dense, while being able to keep for a lot longer than leafy greens. Potatoes, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and acorn squash  are some of the more easily accessible root vegetables and squashes. 

3. Discounted produce 

With the low waste/ zero waste movement rising in popularity a lot of grocery stores are starting to sell discounted produce or “naturally imperfect” produce. While these products aren’t the prettiest , their nutrients remain the same, at half or more of the original produce. You can also get a lot of things that are otherwise unaffordable such as exotic fruits, avocados, or organic produce. 

4. In season 

In season produce will always be cheaper than out of season produce. Planning your meals around what is in season will save you in the long run. Focusing on fresh fruits and leafy greens in summer when they’re easier to grow, and focusing on root vegetables and squashes in the fall and winter is the easiest way to shop seasonal. If you don’t know what is in season in your area check out local farmers markets, and grocery store shelves to see what is on sale or simply lower in price. 

Affordable, Healthy Eating: Protein

1. “Lesser” cuts 

When it comes to meat, there are many ways to save money. One of these ways is to opt for a “lesser” cut of meat. This is most relevant to beef as there are many lesser beef cuts that can be made just as tasty as t-bone steaks. 

2. Bulk 

If you do want steaks over lesser cuts or chicken thighs over breasts, the cheapest way is to buy in bulk. Buying a whole chicken and dividing it at home is often more affordable while also offering variety. You can also buy a whole striploin to cut into steaks at home. 

3. Extending protein and alternatives.

It’s also very easy to extend the meat that you do have. Adding other high protein things, such as beans, lentils, cheeses and other dairy products (If tolerated) can add some extra protein to any dish.

If you have dietary restrictions or meat just isn’t in the budget, try opting for plant proteins tofu, lentils, beans, and even nuts are all great options for adding protein to any meal.

Affordable, Healthy Eating: Other Tips

1. Don’t like, don’t buy 

With all the information about food and diets and health etc, it’s easy to feel like there are things you should be getting in order to live a “healthy” lifestyle, but is that really the case? Health is about more than just what you eat; it’s everything about your lifestyle. So when it comes to health food… if you don’t want it or don’t like it, don’t buy it. Not that the Health foods are bad, but they won’t do you any good if you end up throwing it out. When you’re trying to eat in a healthy and affordable way, stick to the things that you know you will like. 

2. Processed or not?

Another hot button topic is processed food. There are a lot of people out there trying to scare you into not buying processed food, and while I think most people would agree that whole foods are better than hot cheetos, there are a lot of “processed foods” that people can’t get by without. Things like pastas, canned foods, frozen foods, even breads are all processed foods, but not everyone has time to make these things at home. Don’t stress too much about whether it’s processed or not, as it’s better to eat something than nothing.

3. The scoop on bulk 

I have two opinions on bulk foods, both of which might be hot takes. First: it’s not always worth it. Yup, I’m sorry, but buying a flat of canned tomatoes at Costco simply because it’s cheaper per can that way is not going to save you money if that flat sits in the back of your pantry for months – maybe years– true story. If you only need one can of tomatoes buy only one can. The only time buying in bulk like this is worth it is if you have a large family or you know you will use it. 

Second: bulk doesn’t have to mean more. There are bulk food sections or whole stores, like Bulk Barn, that allow you to purchase exact amounts of a product. This means you can buy a large amount if you want to, but it also means you can buy exactly a serving size of something you know you will only use once. Bulk food aisles and bulk food stores are also sometimes cheaper because you save on the cost of the packaging. (and they have the added benefit of being low waste which is a plus for me personally). 

4. Does expensive mean better? 

When it comes to eating healthy, there are a lot of products that label themselves as “health foods” or “super foods”  while charging double for less products. And all i have to say about this is do want feels best for you. There are sometimes legitimate products you will want to spend more money on to get better quality such as buying organic produce when possible, but there is a lot of green-washing in marketing nowadays which means those healthy protein bars may have just as much sugar as a regular granola bar. Neither of those products are inherently bad either. Choose according to your lifestyle and your needs. 

Conclusion 

There are no “magic bullet” affordable healthy eating tips; it all comes down to what you buy, what you use, and how much. If you really want to save money on groceries and also eat better, assess your habits and figure out what works for you, and what doesn’t. I hope you learn a little bit from these Affordable, healthy eating tips are able to help you shop healthfully and affordably.