Control Your Financial Destiny
Eating healthy is a growing concern for Millennials. The only problem is that it can be quite expensive and burdensome. This week's guest writer, Jennifer Espinosa-Goswami, gives easy tips to help regular young adults learn how to eat healthy on a reasonable budget. Don't just listen to what she has to say, try some of these tips on your next grocery trip. Take it away Jennifer...
Do you have to be rich to eat healthy? Some people I know drop $200 at Whole Foods every week while other people I know are cutting coupons to feed their family convenience meals on a limited budget.
No matter which side you fall on, you can still eat healthy on a budget!
First of all, let me tell you which side I’m on.
I grew up as the youngest in a family of four. Coupons and packaged meals were the norm for us. That was before Wal-Mart offered fresh produce, and farmer’s markets were not available where I lived.
By the time I graduated college, I was 100 pounds overweight. This was due to ignorance about healthy eating. I spent about $50 a week on food for just me for staples such as mac and cheese, soda, and pretzels.
Today, I am 100 pounds lighter. I am not a regular visitor to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. I feed my family of four healthy food without busting my budget.
Try these 7 tips to eat healthy on a budget:
1. Buy in bulk- Join Sam’s Club or Costco. It may seem silly to buy a 20-pound bag of rice, but would you rather pay $1 or $3 for a single serving? If you won’t eat the food before it goes bad, split the membership with a friend and share the wealth.
2. Buy superfoods at ethnic stores- Asian, African, or Hispanic food offer serious discounts on superfoods. For example, a jar of coconut oil is only $1.50 at an Indian store, as opposed to upwards of $5 at a local chain. As a bonus, many ethnic food products are made with ingredients you can actually pronounce.
3. Eat less meat- ounce for ounce, vegetarian meals are cheaper than their meatier counterparts. For you hard-core carnivores, never fear! Replace 1/3 or ½ or your normal meat portion with a complementary vegetable. Or, use a cut of meat that packs more flavor with a smaller serving, such as bacon or pancetta.
4. Organic only for the Dirty Dozen- see this picture for the 12 fruits and veggies that absorb the most toxins and pesticides from farming. Buy organic for those 12.
5. Prep, cook, and store fresh produce- Chop your vegetables and store in small containers for grab-and-go convenience, keep your fruit on your table, and freeze anything that you will not eat within a few days. Frozen vegetables are also budget-friendly when your favorites are not in season. Most bags of frozen vegetables sell for less than $2.
6. Diss the drinks- our bodies are made of 70% water, so why do we hydrate with coffee, juice, pop and alcohol? Hydrate with water when you’re thirsty. Your wallet will thank you.
7. Turn down the heat- braise, roast and slow cook food in larger quantities for your weekly needs. If you are strapped for time, or away from home all day, invest in a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers allow you to cook tasty, tender meat and vegetables in a sliver of the time.
Jennifer Espinosa-Goswami was a poor college graduate when she lost 100 pounds. A member of the National Weight Control Registry and featured success story on a national magazine, she inspires people to ditch the diet and escape the gym to a healthier and happier lifestyle. Join her at www.weightlesschronicles.com/go/lose5now/ to get started.
