18 Tips to Help You Eat Healthier on a Budget

Want to eat healthier without breaking the bank? Eating well doesn’t have to take more time or money. Some people may believe that healthy eating might be more expensive, but that can be a misconception fueled by marketing and the draw of convenience foods.

Armed with a few key strategies like meal planning, buying in-season produce and limiting processed snacks, you can help ensure that you feed your body healthy, nutritious foods while still staying within your budget. Balancing your health and finances isn’t just doable — it’s a sustainable lifestyle shift that can benefit your well-being and your bank account.

Plan Ahead: Smart Strategies for Saving

You know the saying “fail to plan, plan to fail”? This applies to making healthy food decisions, too. Luckily, a little bit of preparation can help set up your week and your refrigerator with healthy, affordable options.

1. Craft a meal plan for the week

It’s time to put all those saved recipes and Pinterest pins to good use! Carve out time each week to review your schedule and decide which meals you will make. Having a plan in place ahead of time can help ensure you have nutritious options available that match your time, schedule, budget and food goals.

2. Make a shopping list — and stick to it

Once you have your meals planned out for the week, you can build a shopping list based on what you need, not whatever tempts you while wandering the grocery store aisles. A preset list helps you avoid impulse buys and filler foods.

Consider a grocery store list app to organize your items by store and category. Or try a free service that allows you to order what you need and have it brought out to your car to help avoid the temptation to throw additional things into the cart.

3. Prep healthy meals in bulk

If you’re short on time (or patience), make the most of your meal prep time by preparing multiple meals at a time. Prepping homemade meals is often more affordable and helps you ward off unplanned meals out.

For some, this might look like premaking a week’s worth of lunch salads ready to grab on the way out the door in the morning. For others, it might mean filling freezer bags full of proteins, vegetables and sauces ready to thaw and pop onto a sheet pan for a speedy, ready-to-bake dinner. Determine which meals are the hardest for you to eat healthily, and then consider finding ways to prep for them in advance.

4. Make use of leftovers

Use the “cook once, eat twice” motto to get the most out of your time and money spent on healthy food. Consider cooking nutritious grains, grilling lean proteins or roasting vegetables in bulk on the weekend to use in recipes throughout the week. If you’re cooking chicken one night, plan to cook extra to use for chicken salad or stir fry the next day.

5. Predetermine your restaurant meals

Don’t let takeout or restaurant meals become your default backup plan. Instead, plan ahead by identifying which meals during the week you’ll likely eat out, whether it’s for a work commitment or after a late pickup from your child’s sports practice. Fast food and restaurant dishes have generally been found to have lower dietary quality compared to food cooked at home, making them a less healthy option to enjoy regularly.¹ Having a plan for your meals each week can help you avoid the extra fat, sodium and calories from surprise meals out of the house.

Shop Smarter: Maximize Value at the Store

Being a savvy shopper can help you save money without sacrificing flavor or nutritional content.

6. Buy generic over name brands

If you find yourself getting pulled in by well-known brands over similar generic products, you may be missing out on some major savings without sacrificing nutritional quality. A survey out of Purdue University found that in five categories, ranging from snack food and canned foods to beverages and fresh fruits and vegetables, a majority of consumers don't believe that brand-name foods are more nutritious than generic label foods.² Yet, the majority of consumers would mostly still choose the name brand unless the generic was 30% less expensive.² The savings from choosing generic brands add up, all without sacrificing nutritional content.

7. Read labels

New products are designed to catch your eye, but flashy marketing doesn’t always mean a healthier or more affordable option. Instead, make sure you are comparing apples to apples by reading labels — both nutritional labels and price labels — to compare the fat, salt and sugar per serving and the unit price per ounce.

8. Buy in bulk

Another way to eat healthy for less is to buy in bulk. However, bulk buying is only a good deal if the product will last until you use it and if you will still want to use it.³

If you do decide to buy in bulk, opt to stock up on nonperishables like beans, rice or oats to store and use, or buy lean proteins, fresh berries or seasonal vegetables to can, freeze or pickle. Ensure that you are storing or preserving items purchased in bulk properly so their shelf life extends long enough for you to use them.

9. Consider canned and frozen

Canned and frozen foods may get a bad reputation as being second-class to fresh, but studies have shown that canned and frozen foods can be just as nutritious as fresh, and are often more affordable.⁴ Why? Fruits and vegetables that are canned and frozen are usually picked at their peak of freshness and processed within hours of harvest, preserving their taste and nutritional value.⁴ Canning or freezing these foods locks in their nutritional value, increases their shelf life and decreases their preparation time, making them easy to use in recipes and meal prep.⁴ When possible, choose low-sodium or no-added-sugar options.⁵

10. Explore nonmeat-based proteins

The cost of chicken, beef and pork can quickly add up on your grocery bill. If you are looking to maintain your protein consumption without breaking the bank, you may want to consider less expensive sources of protein. Beans, lentils, tofu and eggs are examples of protein sources that are less expensive than traditional meat-based proteins.⁶ Recipes like lentil curry or tofu stir-fry can provide meat-free meals that are still filling and high in protein.

Canned or frozen fish can also be a cost-saving option. When you do opt for meat, consider purchasing the family-size pack, which often offers a better price per pound, and freezing what you don’t use.⁶

11. Try community-supported agriculture

Depending on where you live, there may be a local community-supported agriculture (CSA) organization that provides fresh fruit and vegetables at lower prices by buying directly from local farmers. As an added bonus, CSA or food co-ops usually offer access to local and seasonal produce, with some even delivering right to your doorstep.

If there isn’t a CSA or co-op in your area, check out the offerings by online grocery stores or grocery delivery services for discounted prices on a wide range of healthy products considered "imperfect," such as bruised fruits or irregular-sized veggies.

Self-Sufficiency: Reduce Long-Term Costs

Looking for another way to eat well without overspending at the store? Make it yourself! Growing, catching or preparing your own food can lead to big savings and offer a rewarding sense of accomplishment.

12. Start your own garden

One of the easiest ways to get quick, convenient and less expensive access to fresh fruits and vegetables is to grow your own. Learning basic gardening techniques can help you create a sustainable food source without grocery store prices.

Whether you have multiple raised beds in your backyard, a few planting bins on your balcony or two pots on your windowsill, you can provide your own access to healthy food options with sun, soil, seeds and a bit of water. Consult friends, neighbors, artificial intelligence or the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to see what will best grow in your area, and then don’t be afraid to give it a try.

Often, a pack of seeds or seedlings to plant might be the same price as buying the same produce in a store. You can even start your garden with kitchen scraps like onion bottoms, carrot tops or potato eyes to regrow new food. So, take your chances and give your green thumb a try.

13. Learn to preserve

Does your garden have an excess of tomatoes? Neighbor caught a giant tuna? Find a killer deal on flats of strawberries? Finding ways to save what you have in excess can help you savor the food for months to come. From canning and drying to freezing and fermenting, preserving healthy foods when you have more than you can consume can help you continue to eat well and save money.

14. Catch or raise your own protein

Sources of protein are often one of the more expensive purchases. If you can raise or catch your own sources of lean protein, you may be able to save a significant amount of money. Depending on where you live, that might mean looking into raising backyard chickens, creating a tilapia pond or buying a hunting tag for a local moose or deer.

15. Make your own basics

Whether they are weekly staples or specialty purchases, there are many healthy foods that you can make for cheaper than you can buy. If you regularly spend money on sourdough bread, yogurt, kombucha or salad dressing, you may be able to find some grocery bill savings by making them at home instead.

Bonus Tips for Healthy, Budget-Friendly Eating

Here are even more tips for eating well without spending a lot.

16. Shop seasonally

Buying fruits and vegetables when they are in season often helps ensure local, fresher selections and more affordable prices since products don’t have to be flown or shipped in from other places. Look for seasonal highlight signs in your local grocery store or check out local farmers’ markets for deals on what’s growing in your area.

17. Cut down on processed foods

Opting for whole foods can be good for your wallet and your waistline. Processed foods like chips, cookies, canned soups and cereals are often pricier and less nutritious. Instead, focus on buying whole foods and making meals from scratch for better value and health benefits.

18. Drink water instead of expensive beverages

Sugary drinks like sodas, energy drinks and specialty beverages from your favorite coffee shop can quickly add up in cost and calories. Instead, save money and reduce waste by investing in a reusable water bottle. You can even add your own flavors with fresh berries, citrus, cucumbers and herbs.

Making healthy eating less expensive is possible with a little bit of planning, prep and practical shopping strategies. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try choosing one or two strategies to implement first. Once you start to see the savings on your weekly grocery bill, you may be encouraged to build on your healthy habits over time.

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Author Bio

Kate Bayless is a health and wellness freelance writer with 15 years of experience. Her work has appeared in Parents, Women’s Health, Beachbody and OpenFit.