How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

A visit to a health food store can convince anyone that eating healthy is a luxury rather than choice. On the contrary, eating healthy does not require buying the hottest new diet food or piles of exotic fruit. If you're willing to rethink your food choices and get creative in the kitchen, you can eat healthy, delicious food for a fraction of what most people pay. Read on for information on how to create an eating plan that fits your personal needs.

Determine what kind of diet is healthy for you. "Healthy" means different things for different people, but the aim should be to get the vitamins and nutrients you need to give you energy, prevent illness, and help you live the type of life you imagine for yourself. Make a list of the foods that fit your personal definition of healthy, keeping the following factors in mind:

·         Consider your physical needs. Are there certain foods that make you feel energetic, while others make you sluggish? Get in tune with what foods are good for you.

·         Do you have food allergies or a condition that is exacerbated by eating certain foods? Take this into account when you're making your list.

·         What do you love to eat? A healthy diet should be one you enjoy. Add your favorite foods to your personal list. Similarly, feel free to leave out foods you don't want to eat. Healthy eating shouldn't feel like a burden.

Rethink the ratios in your diet. The most expensive foods are often the ones that we probably don't need to eat at every meal, or even every day.

·         Fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains are highly nutritious and can be bought for low prices, and should make up the bulk of your meals.

·         Meat, eggs, fish and dairy products are most nutritious when they are free-range, organic, or grass-fed, which can really add up in the grocery store. If you treat these items as side dishes or eat them every other day instead of making them the focus of every meal, you'll get more nutritional punch for your money.

·         Cheese, bread, desserts and other processed foods tend to be expensive, and they're also the most expendable items in terms of nutrition. When you're trying to eat healthy on a budget, it's best to limit these items as much as possible.

Create a budget. Now that you've listed the foods that make up your personal diet and prioritized them according to nutritional value and expense, it's time to create a detailed budget to help you plan your food shopping.

·         How much money can you spend on food each month?

·         If you go out to eat, remember to count your restaurant trips as part of your monthly food budget. Factor in morning coffee purchases, afternoon snacks, and any other food purchases that you make over the course of a month. These will detract from the amount you have to spend on your food shopping trips.

·         Working backwards from your monthly food budget amount, determine how much you can spend on each shopping trip.

·         Divide your shopping trip budget into different food categories, and decide how much money you want to allot to the various items.

·         Once you have a complete budget for your shopping trip, it's time to source your food.