How To Create A Healthy (And Tasty) Diet On A Budget: The Ultimate Guide!
Hey everyone! Today I am sharing with you some tips on how to create a diet that’s healthy whilst on a budget. By ‘diet’, I do not mean restrictive eating. I’m all about creating a diet that’s a triple threat – healthy, tasty and affordable! In an ideal world, I’d have fresh groceries delivered to my door every day. But that’s not always practical, from a logistical or financial point of view. So, what do you need to do to eat healthy when you are working on a budget? With a few handy hints and tips, it’s actually easy to eat a nutritious diet and keep those costs down. Here’s my ultimate guide:
Stock check
A great place to start building a money-saving healthy shopping list is to make a note of exactly what you need. Check your cupboards and build your list around the things you either don’t have or that you are running out of, rather than just grabbing your favourites every time. And once you’ve made your list, stick to it!
Cook meals from scratch
Buying healthy ingredients to cook your own meals versus picking up ready-made options is another sure-fire way of eating more healthily. That way you can control the amount of salt, sugar and fat that goes into what you eat. Cooking can also be very relaxing once you’re comfortable, so it’s great for your soul too – healthy mind, healthy body. It can be as simple as your own porridge mix for breakfast.
Eat the colours of the rainbow
Fresh fruit and veg are vital to any healthy diet. They’re highly nutritious and have great flavour at a relatively low cost. Wherever you can, try to go organic, but the key is to eat a variety of fresh produce, as they contain different vitamins and minerals. Bananas, carrots, beetroot, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes… turn your shopping basket into a rainbow of colours!
Another top tip for keeping costs down is to reach for individual items sometimes. Yes, you’ll save money if you eat everything in a multipack, but it’s often these groceries that end up in the bin, and that’s just a false economy.
Limit waste
Limiting waste will really help keep your costs down, and will help the environment too. Rather than throwing away excess, keep an eye on expiry dates and make sure you use foods that are near to their end first. You can always make extra portions and freeze them for later. That stock check before writing your shopping list will help limit waste too. My sunshine stuffed peppers are a great way to use up leftover veggies!
Delicious stuffed peppers
Go for healthy alternatives
Swapping out high cholesterol foods for lighter options is hugely effective in “healthifying” your diet. The great news is there are plenty of alternatives, which are just as tasty and certainly won’t break the bank. Here are 3 top tips:
- Switch to low-fat cheese/butter/cream/yoghurt
- Trim the fat away from red meat, or simply go for leaner cuts
- Replace white bread and cakes with wholemeal and wholegrain versions
Shop smart
Sometimes the easiest way to pick up the best deals is to do it online. That gives you time to browse the virtual aisles and pick up some healthy savings along the way. However, if you prefer to go into a store, another top tip is to shop late in the day. This is when stores often offer up healthy savings on a variety of groceries, especially the fresh healthy kind.
There you go, my straightforward plan to eating a healthy diet on a budget. Give my tips a try and not only will you be able to eat smart, but you could also make healthy savings in your purse too!
*I am not a nutritionist or a health professional. These tips are from my own experiences. If you are wanting to make any drastic changes to your diet, please reach out to a health professional and seek guidance.
What are your essentials for your cupboards? I would love to know!
Jessica, x
