Are you ready to eat healthy, get in shape, and choose foods that nourish you, but… labels like “organic,” or “keto-friendly” all just translate to “big, fat price tag” in your mind? Maybe you’re questioning if eating healthy is really worth it, when fast food is so much cheaper. Perhaps you’re considering just eating less instead of better to save yourself the cost of higher quality food. I totally get it. When I was broke in college, the idea of paying extra for healthier food just didn’t sound worth it. But now I know there are tons of simple ways for how to eat healthy when you’re broke.
After reading this post, you will know how to eat healthy and nutritious meals while on a tight budget by learning the most affordable foods, where to buy them and how to get good deals, so you can eat healthy all year long without sacrificing your paycheck.
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Shop at affordable, healthy grocery stores
If you’re finding it hard to find affordable healthy food, the places you’re shopping might be the problem. For example, Whole Foods is amaaaazing and is basically like Target for my stomach. But, it can get real pricey, real fast.
Try buying your produce somewhere like Aldi, Grocery Outlet, Trader Joe’s,Sam’s Club, Sprouts, WinCo Foods, and Costco. These stores have got lots of organic options, which are oftentimes not that much more expensive than buying regular produce.
Starting out with the right grocery stores is going to be the first step in learning how to eat healthy while broke.
Buy whole foods
Buying processed foods can be tempting, especially when you’re always in a rush and need something to eat STAT. The downside is that processed, pre-prepared foods often contain tons of saturated fats and other unhealthy additives.
Not to mention, you pay extra for ready-to-go meals and food items.
Instead, opt for whole foods. Just to refresh you, whole foods include fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains.
Yes, whole foods will require a bit more preparation to make into a meal or snack, but they’ll be much cheaper and healthier.
For example, instead of buying a bag of frozen chicken wings or chicken nuggets, buy skinless chicken breast. And instead of buying a bag of frozen french fries for a quick side dish, buy whole potatoes to cut up and fry in a pan at home.
Buying whole foods will save you money, and you’ll also save yourself from the artificial ingredients and saturated fats of processed, packaged foods.
Buy frozen veggies and fruits
Have you ever bought a head of lettuce or broccoli at the grocery store, excited and ready to start get your healthy eating and meal prepping on track… only to forget about it after eating one salad? Then 2 weeks later, finding a wilted clump of green in the back of your refrigerator?
Ugh. Me too. I’m always frustrated when I’m in the right mindset to eat healthy, but I find all my veggies have gone bad.
That’s why buying frozen vegetables and frozen fruit is the answer to your problem!
They’re just as healthy as eating them fresh, and this one little tip will save you so much money – simply because your produce won’t go bad and have to be thrown away!
I love to keep frozen cherries, strawberries, and mixed berries in the freezer to blend into morning smoothies. Frozen veggies like broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, and green beans make great sides when steamed and seasoned.
Swap rice or french fries for veggies at restaurants
You know how at restaurants, they often serve you a full meal that would be enough on its own, but they still ask you what you’d like on the side?
Well, on the occasions you do eat out while you’re tight on cash, take this as a chance to get a healthy side dish for your next meal at home.
For example, if you’re getting a burger or some kind of wrap, ask for a side salad, veggies, or a baked potato instead of the french fries or rice they usually offer.
Then, take your healthy side dish home in a to-go box to enjoy later in the day, or eat it for lunch the next day.
Keep your meals simple
Remember: You don’t have to be Gordan Ramsey to make a delicious, healthy meal. Simple and inexpensive ingredients can be paired together to create amazing flavors that will satisfy you and nourish your body.
Try shopping for chicken breast, frozen or canned fish, lean ground beef, and ground chicken.
Pair any of those with organic vegetables like cherry tomatoes, broccoli, kale, spinach, green beans, asparagus, or carrots, or a combination of any of those.
For carbs, throw in some chickpea or whole grain pasta. Then, get weird with the seasonings. (Okay, not weird… but have fun with it!)
Simple ingredients are often overlooked when people try to eat healthy. I used to think I needed to make a beautiful, Instagram-worthy meal in order for a healthy lunch to be delicious.
Turns out, that’s not at all true. Now, a lean beef patty with sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli is one of my favorite go-to meals, and it’s as healthy as it is cheap and affordable.
Get creative with what you like. Find your favorite vegetables, proteins and complex carbs. Then, mix and match what you like to find some simple and delicious budget-friendly meals.
Plan your meals
You’ve heard about meal planning for weight loss/ weight gain purposes, but have you thought about meal planning for budgeting, too?
Hear me out: When you buy food items on impulse, without a plan, you end up wasting a lot more food. Buying random healthy ingredients without any idea of how you want to use them results in wasted, forgotten food.
To eat healthy while you’re broke, plan your meals at the beginning of each week so you know EXACTLY what you want, and which ingredients you’ll need to make it.
Then, when you do your grocery shopping that week, you won’t waste money buying things you don’t need or don’t really want.
Meal planning also means that when your Thursday night gets super crazy with that last minute ___ (fill in the blank: homework assignment/work project/kid’s basketball game/post workout starvation mode), you won’t be tempted to eat out at a fast food restaurant because your brilliant self already made your Thursday evening healthy dinner earlier in the week.
So, you’ll have no reason to drop more cash on a meal that doesn’t fit in with your health goals.
Learn to cook
This is kind of funny to admit considering I’m all gung-ho about eating healthy while staying on a budget… but I’m kind of juuust barely learning how to cook.
I figured I should be straight up about that.
That said, learning to cook is one of the best ways and first steps for eating healthy when broke. But if cooking is something you’re struggling with too, don’t worry! You can start as simple as you need.
And if you’re like, Sav. Girl. I literally don’t know the first thing about cooking.
Then just hop onto YouTube for some beginner cooking videos, or check out Instagram and search “#cookingforbeginners” or “#easymealprep.” The internet is basically just free education at this point, so take advantage of it!
One of my favorite accounts to follow for super easy, super quick and HEALTHY meals is called Wedding Nutritionist. She helps women get ready to feel their best on their wedding day by helping them get lean, lose weight, and decrease bloating. I love her videos on Pinterest, but you can always check out her website, too.
Buy inexpensive ingredients
This list of inexpensive, healthy food items can be a game changer if you’re just not sure what kind of foods are budget-friendly.
Here’s the at-a-glance summary for inexpensive, healthy foods:
Vegetables:
- Broccoli
- Onions
- Bagged spinach
- Russet potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Canned tomatoes
- Carrots
- Green cabbage
- Butternut squash
Grains and Legumes:
- Brown rice
- Oatmeal
- Canned beans
- Dried lentils
- Edamame
- Quinoa
- Air popped popcorn
Fruits:
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Frozen berries
- Apples
- Cantaloupe
- Kiwi
Fish, Meat and Eggs:
- Canned fish
- Pork
- Eggs
- Chicken breast
Dairy
- Cottage cheese
- Yogurt
- Milk
Don’t buy junk food
Do you ever find yourself buying unhealthy foods or snacks that you really don’t need? Sometimes, I buy sugary foods just because I’m hungry while I shop. Or, because I’ve had a stressful day and a sweet treat sounds nice.
But realistically, I know I probably won’t even crave that kettle korn or brownie after I eat a full meal. I’m just spending money on impulse food that doesn’t serve my fitness goals.
If you can stop yourself from instinctively buying junk food, you’ll save yourself some cash and unnecessary calories!
Note: I’m not saying snacks or sweets are bad or shouldn’t be purchased while you’re on a budget. I’m just saying pay attention to where you’re putting your money.
Be open to all protein
I love, love beef, but sometimes it can get expensive to eat all the time. If you’re trying to eat healthy on a budget, feel free to swap for other inexpensive proteins.
Here are some good, protein-rich swaps:
- Ground turkey
- Chicken
- Canned tuna
- Eggs
- Lentils
- Sardines
- Oats
- Black beans
All of these items are fairly inexpensive, and can be a great source of protein when you’re sick and tired of beef.
Make soup with leftovers
I hate when I cook up a bag of frozen green beans, and it makes enough for about 2.5 servings. That leftover half serving size isn’t enough for another meal, but way more than I’d want to throw away.
Soup is the answer, my friends. You can search for “soup ideas with leftovers” on Pinterest or Google, and you’ll find thousands of recipes you can cook up.
Eat healthy when you’re broke by buying in bulk
Buying in bulk is a great way for how to eat healthy when you’re broke. It’s a cheaper option than buying individual servings or boxes, and it can save you money in the long run.
Grains, beans, flour, baking ingredients, fruits, nuts and spices are just a few of the food items you can buy in bulk at grocery stores, like Sprouts.
Using those ingredients, you can cook up your own delicious meals for cheap.
Similarly, Costco is a good option for buying in bulk. Especially frozen fish, nuts, frozen berries, and protein shakes (you can get a 32-pack of Kirkland Signature nutrition shakes for about $34).
Shop in season
Have you ever noticed how pricey strawberries are in fall and winter months, like October?
That’s because fruits and vegetables are priced based on whether they’re in season or not. And of course, strawberries aren’t in season in October.
If something isn’t in season, you can bet it’s going to be significantly more expensive than produce that is in season.
One of the easiest ways to eat healthy when you’re broke is to simply be aware of what’s in season and what isn’t. Buy the produce that’s in season to save yourself a lot of money.
Use this seasonal food guide site to find out what’s in season at any time of the year.
Make a vegetable stock with unused vegetable leftovers
Making your own vegetable stock is a much healthier alternative to store bought stock. Store bought stock will contain artificial ingredients, extra salt, and preservatives. When you make your own, you’re using only ingredients that you want in it.
Plus, it’s a great way to make sure all those extra veggie scraps don’t go to waste.
This article highlights just how to make a veggie stock with scraps, and what vegetables go best in a stock. Plus, what vegetables to avoid using altogether.
Shop with Thrive Market
When you’re broke while trying to eat healthy, signing up for a healthy food delivery service might not sound like a budget friendly idea. But depending on your situation, Thrive Market might be a good option to potentially save you time and money.
Thrive Market is an online, membership-based market that sends you healthy and sustainable items, with options for every lifestyle and diet. Basically, you can pick out your dietary preferences (Keto, paleo, vegan, gluten-free, organic, etc.), and the types of items you typically buy at the store (meat & poultry, vegetables, vitamins & supplements, beauty, grains, etc.).
After answering a few simple questions, Thrive Market will estimate how much money they’ll save you every year.
I haven’t tried Thrive Market yet, but so far here’s a few highlights that are making me consider giving them a try:
- Risk-free 30 day trial to see if Thrive Market is for you. You can cancel any time during your 30 day trial.
- Members save an average of $32 per month. When you purchase an annual membership and you don’t make back your annual membership fee in savings, Thrive Market will pay you the difference in store credit when your next membership renews.
- Every paid membership is matched with a free one for a low-income family, student, teacher, veteran, or first responder.
- Over 6,000 high-quality, organic and non-GMO products to choose from.
Try Thrive Market now!
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Conclusion to How to Eat Healthy When You’re Broke
That wraps up this post on best tips to eat healthy when you’re on a budget! To quickly recap, here are my top tips:
- Shop at affordable, healthy grocery stores
- Buy whole foods
- Swap your side for vegetables at restaurants
- Buy frozen fruits and veggies
- Keep your meals simple
- Plan your meals
- Learn to cook
- Buy inexpensive ingredients
- Don’t buy junk food
- Be open to all protein
- Make soup with leftovers
- Buy in bulk
- Shop in season
- Make vegetable stock from scraps
- Shop with Thrive Market
I hope this post helped you learn how to eat healthy when you’re broke, and that you’re taking away some new ways to shop affordably and still maintain your health goals!
If this post helped you, inspired you, or brought a smile to your face, please share it! It just takes a second and every share is deeply appreciated 🙂
Sending you love, hugs, and good vibes, friend.
