Follow these helpful tips to eat healthy within a budget and still lose weight! And it doesn’t mean starving yourself!
With these tough economic times, many of us are trying to find ways of cutting back on our monthly outgoings and shopping on a budget. We have prioritised what is necessary and what is not. Some of us have put ourselves on a serious budget–and that should include a serious food budget as well.
Although it may be necessary to cancel a gym membership, it doesn’t mean that you have to sacrafice your quest for losing weight. There are still many ways to lose weight and eat on a budget–and it doesn’t mean eating less!
While looking for bargains in the supermarket, many people end up purchasing cheap food that has little nutritional benefit. You want to change a few shopping and eating habits.
Table of Contents
Budget Eating Tips
- Start by deciding not to eat out anymore (or at least limit it to once a month)! It is surprising how often we choose to do a quick takeaway or pizza delivery instead of cooking something for ourselves. All of those takeaways and deliveries can quickly add up and not only will they hurt your bank balance but also your waistline! Try cooking at home. With some recipe research and planning, you can create healthy and nutritious meals in 20 to 30 minutes. You don’t have to be a famous chef. Learn to love cooking from scratch.
- Pack your lunch. Again, it is surprising how much money we spend on a quick lunch out of the office. You are more likely to impulse buy expensive junk food that is no good for your health or your wallet. And your lunch doesn’t have to be a soggy tuna sandwich! Pack up last night’s dinner instead! By packing your lunch you will be pleasantly surprised how much money you save each month. Also, you’ll be able to pack food that will be able to sustain you through the rest of the day and help prevent those sugar cravings when you get home.
- Check out the clearance shelf. When you’re food shopping, don’t be afraid to check out the reduced price items in the supermarket. All the major supermarkets will have one or two shelves designated for items that are just about past their sell by date. Great bargains can be found on these shelves! Use your common sense to decide which foods are still appropriate for use after the sell date. They are mostly guidelines anyway. Some of the food can be frozen and used later in the week.
- Love your leftovers. Don’t let tonight’s leftover spaghetti bolognese go to waste or the dog! You can easily reuse the tomato sauce for other recipes. You can use it for a chili con carne or a shepherd’s pie. Start to think creatively and do some recipe research to help you. The time you invest in preparation will save you money in the long run.
- Some buying expensive pre-packed junk food. Rather than buying those sugar filled cereal bars, make your own granola/muslei. You can make homemade granola very easily and cheaply. Throw in some dried apricots and dried cranberries for a quick delicious snack that will keep you full until lunch. Also, have a go at making your own bread. It make take a bit of time, but kneading and punching down the dough can be very therapeutic and bread ingredients are not expensive. Feel free to get creative with adding any seeds, grains or dried fruit to your bread.
Planning & Preparation
Some of the tips can sound overwhelming and scary, but with some planning a preparation, you can do it. Don’t compromise your health on cheap fatty foods. It is possible to still eat healthy on a budget. You may have to spend a bit more time research recipes and planning your shopping list, but it is certainly worth it.
