If the only thing hindering you from truly transforming into a healthy person is your budget, then this is your lucky day! Two dietitians have shared with Buzzfeed their secrets on how to eat healthy without getting broke.
Wendy Lopez, M.S., R.D. and Jessica Jones, M.S., R.D are BFFs, registered dietitians and co-creators of Food Heaven Made Easy, an online campaign and overall program for delicious and nutritious living.
"We live to eat," Lopez and Jones said. Because of their career and passion for food, they agreed to take it upon themselves the duty of guiding people who struggle to change in to the healthier versions of themselves, without compromising their budget and financial standing. "Our mission is to show that healthy eating can blow your taste buds away, and actually be super cheap. We solemnly swear", they shared.
Through their online initiative, people learn how to gradually adjust their bodies while adapting the eating habits of healthy people-from food to lifestyle. For those who are still thinking about making the change, consider the following tips and suggestions:
1. Plan Your Meals like a "Bawse".
This is probably the basic tip every health enthusiast has given you, but according to Lopez and Jones, "It's almost impossible to eat clean without making a plan for what you're going to buy, cook, and eat over the course of a week." Planning should not feel like a drag and don't force yourself in eating what you don't want. Remember, there is no such thing as sudden change.
2. Bookmark Your Favorite Healthy Blogs.
Follow at least three blogs or watch vlogs! The internet is such a blessing for everybody that almost everything you need to know is available in just a few clicks away. "Find three budget-friendly, healthy blogs, and sign up for their newsletters." The best thing about this? It's free and you can do so in the comforts of your home. Use their recipes when planning your meals then add the ingredients to your shopping list.
3. But stick to simple recipes.
Lopez and Jones says that their motto is "less is more when it comes to cooking and eating healthy." The two dietitians believe that the simpler the recipe is and the fewer ingredients it has, the healthier it is. Plus, the cheaper it is to make. Try some of their Healthy Five-Ingredient Dinners. (LINK). Imagine, less prep and cook time plus one step towards healthy living. This is a total win!
4. Eat Oatmeal for Breakfast More Often
This has been said and we will say it again: Oatmeal is one of the best buys ever-it is cheap and is one of the healthiest food. It is a good source of fiber, which lowers the bad cholesterols in your body and keeps you full for a long time.
Lopez and Jones suggest buying Oatmeal in bulk and preparing your Oatmeal breakfast the night before. There are a lot of 'overnight oatmeal' recipes online. Try this peanut butter-banana-and-cinnamon (LINK) variation from their website.
5. Prepare Meals in Batches
"Whoever told you you had to cook a different recipe for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day was lying", Jones and Lopez confessed. You can even cook a single recipe with many servings that could be consumed in a week. Eating a single recipe for a couple of times is not unhealthy at all. Just make sure that your meals are complete with the needed nutrients daily.
"We usually spend a couple hours Saturday or Sunday cooking staples - like grains, beans, and vegetables - to form the base of our weekly meals. That way the main meals for the week are quick and easy to put together," the two masters of science shared.
6. Recycle, Reduce, And Remix.
One good practice to spend less while sticking to your healthy meal plan is focusing on one or two key ingredient/s and making various meals from it.
"Let's take beans and sweet potatoes, for example. This can can be remixed into tacos, burritos, soup, or this delicious stuffed ranchero sweet potato. The possibilities are basically endless."
7. Don't Buy Anything You Don't Have A Plan For.
The purpose of making and having meal plans is that you should stick to it. People in general often spend less because they buy things even if they are of no use. "Yes, the stuff at the farmers market is pretty, but it's not going to do you any good unless you actually have a idea for what to make with it, and the other ingredients you need," Lopez and Jones advised.
8. Learn How To Store Healthy Foods The Right Way.
One of the most common reasons why people spend a lot of money on food because they don't know how to properly store it. Food waste in America is a serious issue. In 2012, almost 40% of produced food went down the drain. To get the best of the things you spend your hard earned money on, it is important that you know how to keep them as fresh as possible.
These tips might be a little helpful:
- Vegetables need room to breathe. Wrap them loosely or punch holes on their containers. Also, chop the ends or the roots before putting them away in the fridge. Soak the ends of herbs in water. Dry washed veggies before storing them in a plastic bag.
- Fruits like bell peppers, grapes, citrus and berries are delicate and could be bruised easily. Put them on top of hard fruits for them to stay in shape until use. Tomatoes, mangoes, melons, apples, pears, and avocados can be left on the countertop.
- Keep in mind that fruits give off high levels of the ripening agent ethylene. This is why avoid storing veggies and fruits together.
9. Arrive fashionably late to the farmers market.
This time, the early birds don't usually catch the worms. "Being first in line at the market will mean you pay bigger bucks for your fresh produce. Come an hour or two before closing and you'll notice farmers tend to slash their prices, because they don't want to take all of the leftover food home," Lopez and Jones shared. You can save up to 50% by actually being not early.
10. Have soup for breakfast.
"A hearty soup is easy to make, cheap as hell, hydrating, and can be the perfect balanced breakfast recipe if you're on a budget", Jones and Lopez said. Some recipes for soup are also apt for lunch.
11. Or Make An "End Of The Week" Soup With Foods That Are About To Spoil.
Prevent leftovers from wasting by transforming them in a brand new meal! Try experimenting by combining ingredients. Lopez and Jones also said that you can put all of the week's leftovers and turn it into a stew. "You can do this with almost anything, from butternut squash to tomatoes to corn or lentils. Put 'em all in a pot and you've got yourself a few days of an appetizer or hearty meal."
12. Instead Of Buying Organic, Stick To The "Clean 15."
A lot of people automatically connects being healthy by eating and buying everything organic. But we need to face it, most of us can't afford that lifestyle. "This is when you focus on the dirty dozen and clean 15 lists of fruits and vegetables. The Environmental Working Group created a list of the foods with the highest and lowest amount of pesticide residue," the dietitians shared. "The goal is to buy the dirty dozen foods organic, and get the clean fifteen foods conventionally grown to save cash."
13. Collect Coupons And Use Them For Bigger Savings And Better Deals.
14. Grow Your Own Veggies Or Start An Herb Garden.
Urban farming is becoming a thing because 1. It is cute and 2. It is practical as hell. Growing vegetables such as kale, cucumbers and onions are not really high maintenance and does not require a lot of attention and effort.
15. Get A Membership At Club Stores.
16. Use Frozen Fruits And Veggies, They Are Much Cheaper.
17. Consider Joining A Farm Share.
"CSA stands for community-supported agriculture, which is also known as a farm share", Jones and Lopez explained. "This is a partnership between a group of customers and a local farmer, where members pay an up-front fee for a weekly share of whatever the farm grows throughout the season." Check Local Harvest to find CSAs near your area.
