Last Updated on September 4, 2020 by Ellen Christian
One of my goals for my family is to find ways to eat healthy on a budget. It’s so frustrating to grocery shop and see rock bottom prices on neon orange macaroni and cheese or heavily processed breakfast cereals loaded with sugar. As I head over to the small selection of organic and all natural products my grocery store offers, I am struck by the huge difference in prices and the very tiny selection offered for those that want to eat healthy on a budget.
Posts may be sponsored. This post contains affiliate links, which means I will make a commission at no extra cost to you should you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget
Why do we need an entire aisle of sugar-coated, marshmallow cereals but I can only choose from five organic kinds of cereal? Are there even ways to eat healthy on a budget? Yes! I get it. It’s so frustrating to have to choose between healthy foods and sticking to your grocery budget. If I could, I’d spend most of my grocery money on fresh fruits and organic products. Unfortunately, my budget wouldn’t get me that far. Thankfully, there are ways to eat healthy on a budget and lose weight.
Grow your own
Even a novice can grow lettuce or a few pots of herbs. And, you’re in luck since fruits and vegetables have very few calories and no fat. By growing your own fruits and vegetables from seed, you’ll be able to save money on high priced produce at the store. You don’t need lots of room. You can easily grow in a window box.
Make your own
It’s very easy to make your own cookies, granola or pancakes without buying boxes of mixes or prepared foods. When you make your own snacks, you can use healthier ingredients. These healthy popsicles are a delicious summertime treat. Prepared foods are generally higher in sugar, fat, salt, and carbohydrates and you do not need those if you want to lose weight.
Join a community supported agriculture group
Buy loads of fresh organic produce at wonderful prices. Google to find one in your area. You can also look for pick-your-own places that allow you to pick berries, potatoes or apples. Don’t forget wild sources of food. We love picking wild apples in the fall. Or, look into starting a community garden. Plus, gardening is a great way to exercise.
Look for discounted products
At our store, we have a shelf in each section that has discounted products. In some cases, the can or box has been dented. In other cases, the product will expire soon. Sometimes, the produce is slightly wilted. I always look for organic dairy products when I shop. Then, I combine coupons to make the cost even more affordable. You will still want to avoid highly processed foods no matter how cheap they are.
Use coupons when you shop
Yes, it’s difficult to find coupons for organic food products, But, did you know that you can contact companies directly and ask them to send you coupons? Give it a try. Contact a few of your favorite healthy food manufacturers and ask if they can send you a few coupons. Then, combine them with sales and markdowns to save the most money.
No matter how you look at it, healthy food does tend to be more expensive than unhealthy food. But, by following a few of these simple tips, you’ll be able to save the next time you shop. Do you have any other ways to eat healthy on a budget?
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
I am craving the sundried tomato and caper spread ! It looks so good. I’d probably thin it with olive oil and use is as a pasta sauce too. I really like the subscription services idea but I haven’t found one that I love yet…
That’s a great idea! I never thought to use it as a pasta sauce!
That spread looks delicious, greta photo too – I’m drooling!
Thanks so much, Tammi!
My local stores are doing a better job of offering organic and locally grown options. We also had a farmer’s market start up in the last few years. If you have one, that’s an excellent option for getting low-cost, healthy food.
We do visit our farmer’s market but it doesn’t generally start till June here. We have a short growing season.
I love finding new sources of natural, fair trade, and organic products. I really wish things like this were available more often at our local grocery store!
That’s the beauty of this program. Now, I can actually get a wide range of organic, natural and fair trade products regardless of what the grocery store has.
I made my own trail mix a while back. Ended up costing me half of what it would in a store, plus I had 3 times as much. And, I was able to use whatever ingredients I wanted. Loved it!
Starting with healthy ingredients is the way to go!
Ditto everything Lianda Ludwig said. I prepare most of the food my husband and I eat, mainly from organic ingredients, and people often comment that my husband has been getting younger-looking in the years we have been together.
On this theme of not overspending to get the nutrition you need: in addition to your excellent resource list, I have found the lowest prices on supplements, natural women’s hygiene products, and many other things you would buy at a health food store, is SwansonVitamins.com; shipping is cheap or free, depending on how you order. I save about half over my local thrifty health food store’s prices!
Thanks for sharing. I will make sure to check them out!
It is frustrating to have to pay for the actual food WITHOUT additional toxins, GE ingredients and crappy vegetable & canola oil! (You guys are the ones sending the US Canola oil = Canada Oil…. yuck- LOL). I KNOW that these foods are the ones that are contributing to the over-weight epidemic (along with the stress we are all suffering!)
It is totally worth the effort to make your own food and not rely on the packaged junk! This article had wonderful ideas to save money by joining reputable clubs. I’m going to look into them!
Thanks!
Lianda
I agree! I love being able to finally find food with this program that is good for me and not loaded with artificial ingredients!
It’s hard in Canada because most of those subscription places don’t ship here or the shipping is crazy expensive! Good tips for US folks though!
That must be a huge pain!
I’ll bet that sundried tomato and caper sauce would be delicious as a filling for homemade ravioli. Just mix it with a bit of ricotta and mmmmm.
This sounds like a great way to find some new organic companies
Oh my gosh, that sounds amazing! I so need to try that!