How to Eat Healthy on a Tight Budget

How well do you cope when you`re broke and desire to eat healthy meals? Sounds almost impossible, right? Maybe it`s actually not. Eating healthy on a tight budget requires some planning and extra effort, however, it is possible. How do people achieve this? Let`s help you find out; keep reading.

13 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Tight Budget

Don`t Throw Leftovers Away

You`s be amazed at how much food you waste every time you throw food away. What if you packed your leftovers in a container and ate then the following day? All you need is proper storage and discipline not to eat anything new until you`ve c=onsumed your leftovers.

Plan your Meals

Planning your meal helps you put various factors into consideration early enough and saves you from making the wrong food choices. People who don`t plan their meals make choices based on speed and ease, and such food choices, many times, aren`t healthy.  You could compile a shopping list for all the meals each week and buy only the things you need. You may also prepare your fruits and vegetables early enough and refrigerate them so you don`t settle for mediocre meals due to insufficient time.

Stock Up During Sale Time

Get enough room for storage, and stock up on healthy foods when sales are on. You spend less that way. Various kinds of foods are on sale at different times each year. Go for the most healthy food options and buy them at such times.

Stop Eating Out

Stop eating out if you can, or cut down on it. People who eat out do not only spend more but also stand the risk of weight gain. Try as much as possible to eat at home and plan to take your meals to work.

Enrich your Meals with Fiber

Fiber is super healthy as it reduces food cravings, regulates blood sugar level, delays gastric emptying, and makes you feel full faster. What`s more? Fiber-rich foods aren`t so expensive. So go for some leafy greens, nuts, avocado, seeds, and legumes, store them properly, and enjoy healthy meals on a tight budget.

Make your Nut Butter at Home

We have got accustomed to buying certain things without ever considering that we can make them ourselves. Nut butter falls in this category. They`re expensive, however, we almost can`t do without them. So why not make yours at home? That way, you sure save some money.

Buy Frozen Food

Fruits and vegetables are available all through the year, however, the prices vary based on the time of the year you buy them. Try buying your fruits and vegetables when they`re most affordable and store them so you always have them available, and don`t have to spend a lot of money to get them.

Patronize Local Farmers

People who buy their foodstuff from local farmers spend less on food. Your fruits, eggs, meats, and vegetables will come cheaper from the local farmers. Try them out!

Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk sure saves a lot of money. Check for food stores that have a bulk food section and go stock up on organic foods. Get good storage for them and watch yourself bask in the ei=uphoria of healthy meals while on a lean budget.

Grow your Own Produce

Yes, you actually can. Never thought of it? Now you have! Seeds are probably more affordable than you imagine. Dedicate the time and put in the effort to grow your own sprouts, herbs, tomatoes, onions, and other crops that you eat often. You`d be amazed at how much less you`d spend on food.

Stop Buying Junk Food

Junk food is more expensive and unhealthy. Have you tried calculating how much you spend on soda, burger, and cookies? Try as much as possible to avoid prepackaged meals and processed foods. They offer less nutrition and are contain lots of unhealthy ingredients.

Stay Organized

There are times when you are just so busy and you need to get things done quickly. You value the benefits of being organized at such times because you know where everything is and find cooking easier. Keep your cupboard, pantry, freezer, and fridge organized at all times, and see how much better you will feel about making your meals at home.

Buy Whole Foods

Some foods are more affordable in a less processed form. That`s why you`d find a block of cheese cheaper than shredded cheese, while canned beans are cheaper than refried ones. You may also buy whole grains, like brown rice and oats, instead of processed cereals. It is also advantageous that the less processed foods are available in larger quantities and yield more servings per package.

Here`s what you Should Know About Unhealthy Foods

Facts About Junk Food

• A single fast-food hamburger can contain meat from hundreds of different cattle.
• On average, Americans consume 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, mostly in the form of high-fructose corn syrup in candy bars and soft drinks.
• The main ingredient of chicken nuggets is not chicken meat, rather it is epithelium, fat, bone, and nerve and connective tissue.
• Fats from junk food trigger the brain to want more of it
• Eating too much junk food while pregnant can cause gestational diabetes
  Some studies claim that women who eat junk food during pregnancy increase the likelihood that their children eating unhealthy.

Facts About Processed and Oily Food

• Foods are processed to kill harmful microorganisms, and also to make their shelf life longer.
• Processing removes some of the nutrients in food.
• Regular consumption of processed foods increases the risk of early aging and kidney damage due to the presence of phosphates and genetically engineered ingredients.
• Processed foods can be highly addictive, and that is why people are advised not to engage in eatingthem at all in the first olace.
• Trans fats and sugar in some processed foods can cause inflammation that leads to asthma.
• Some processed foods like blueberry jam, peanut butter, homemade cranberry juice, grape juice, and apple juice are healthy.
• Processing may affect the taste of food, as manufacturers may add some artificial salts, sugar, additives, or fats to it.
• Processed foods cost more than fresh foods and do more harm to the body.
• October 25th is National Greasy Foods Day.
• Fried chicken is the most ordered meal in American restaurants.
• Studies show that consuming fatty acids activates regions of the brain that regulate emotions, and as a result, reducing feelings of sadness by about 50%.
• Trans fat is an unhealthy fat made out of liquid oil that is converted into solid fat.
• Trans fat adds texture and flavor to food.
• Trans fat is usually found in commercially fried foods, baked goods, frozen foods, and processed foods like packaged salty snacks.
• Saturated fat is an unhealthy fat that is naturally present in foods from animal sources, such as poultry with the skin on, fatty cuts of meat, higher fat milk, cheese, and yogurt.
• Saturated fat is also found in tropical oils such as palm kernel and coconut oils.
• There are small amounts of natural trans fat in meat, milk, and butter.
• The trans fat found naturally in foods is healthy, and does not increase the risk of heart disease like the one found in manufactured trans fat.