How to Eat Healthy for Cheap
By Sara Butler
Many people have the impression that to eat healthy foods, you have to be willing to pay a lot of money. While it may be true that some foods that claim to be healthier, such as organic foods, do cost more, there are plenty of healthy foods for all the penny-pinchers out there. Here are a few tricks you can use to up your nutrition game on a budget.
Choose Frozen
Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as healthy as their fresh counterparts. In fact, they may have more to offer in the nutritional department. That's because when frozen fruits and vegetables are picked, they're then flash frozen. That process seals in the nutrients that tend to degrade in other fruits and vegetables as they're being transported from where they were harvested to your grocery store.
The only thing you need to be aware of is to skip over vegetables that have any seasoning or sauce added, which only adds unnecessary calories and sodium.
Eat Oatmeal in the Morning
You can't go wrong with oatmeal when you're eating healthy on a budget. Oats are a great source of fiber that is good for your heart and your cholesterol levels. You can buy them in bulk and then cook them up in minutes for a hearty morning meal. Just steer clear of the instant oatmeal varieties with flavorings -- those often add sugars and calories to an otherwise healthy meal option.
Go Seasonal
When you buy fruits and vegetables that are in season, they're often much less expensive. In the summertime, you can find corn, berries, and melons at affordable prices. In winter, kale and apples are a great buy. Study what foods are in season in your area and try adding them to your healthy diet.
Don't Be Afraid of Generics
You may be surprised to learn that many generic brands are basically the exact same thing as the name brand - they're simply less expensive. Many generic kinds of cereal, whole grains, and organic foods are the same quality as their name brand counterparts, you simply don't have to pay the premium for the name on the package.
Go on a Bean Bonanza
Beans are really good for you and they also happen to be very inexpensive. Canned and dried beans won't cost you much, but they will add needed protein to your diet a lot less expensively than steak or chicken. So stock up on beans for your meatless Mondays. You might like them so much that you add more meatless meals to your week.
You don't have to spend a ton of cash to eat well, you simply need to know where to start.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Long Beach, Calif.