How To Eat Cheaply And Healthily?

Planning meals and shopping can be a challenge when you want to eat cheaply, but at the same time be healthy. Sometimes it is not possible to eat in a very healthy way because of money, and in the worst case, you have to live with very bad food – this is the case for many, for example, while studying.

Here are eight tips for a good diet on a tight budget – this way you can eat cheaply but healthily.

1. Buy seasonal products

Fresh produce is always recommended, but sometimes they can feel expensive. So buy seasonal products, and when you notice a particularly good price, grab the opportunity.

Seasonal products taste better, but also more affordable, especially when the harvest is at its best.

2. Go to the markets

Depending on your schedule, it may be impossible to enter the markets or markets during the day. If you go in the afternoon, the good thing is that you might get great deals.

Visit the markets an hour before closing time to get discounts – sellers want to get rid of as many of their products as possible during the same day.

3. Expand your understanding of cooking

In Mexican, Asian and Indian food cultures, inexpensive ingredients such as beans and noodles are often used. Among other things, rice is a good and cheap ingredient.

If you like Mexican food, you can make burritos from almost anything in your fridge. You should also check out the more exotic local shops – you may get good offers from them, but also new and interesting ingredients.

You can buy a variety of noodles for a small fee from Asian places, as well as spices. Ethnic shops (Chinese, Greek, Lebanese, etc.) are great sources of inspiring flavors when money is scarce.

4. Buy different types of meat

You can buy meat more cheaply if, for example, you choose chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. So learn to use different parts of the animal.

Organs and pieces that come with the bone, as well as harder pieces, are very inexpensive but nutritious and also delicious. Of course, a chicken breast without skin and bones is always a more expensive option. For example, a whole chicken from which a lot of meat is recovered is a better idea in terms of money.

So leave fillets and salmon only for special moments – buy eggs, milk, butter, tuna and cottage cheese and other similar products on a daily basis.

5. Beans and whole grains

These are both inexpensive and delicious products to ensure an abundance of meals, and can also be eaten as is. Black beans are a good choice with meat, and you can mix cooked black beans with minced meat to make burgers.

Buy a package of wheat grains, cook and freeze them in portions so you can easily add them to soups or salads. Whole grains keep you feeling full longer.

6. Buy in large quantities

Buy plenty of specials if you want to eat cheaply. For example, pasta, rice and oats are easy to store. So if you notice these basic products on offer, buy them in abundance and put them in the cupboard.

Sometimes you can get free shipping and discounts if you buy in abundance. You can order basic products for yourself and your family that keep for four months, for example, and save a good amount of money.

Remember that you can get food up to 70% cheaper as the expiration date approaches – and often products can be frozen.

7. Take advantage of leftovers

If you don’t always like the same food, consider the potential of leftovers as ingredients for a varied meal. You can use leftovers, for example, to make sandwiches  (chicken, meatballs, meatloaf, pork, etc.).

When the chicken is at a discount, buy two whole ones and cook both – prepare the chicken in the oven on the first day and then the soup, pie, rice and bread. For two, you can get a wide variety of dishes from two cooked chickens.

8. Keep your refrigerator and cabinets in order

Residues are a convenient option, but they are of little use if you always leave them to rot at the bottom of the refrigerator. Make notes on the leftovers and keep the fridge in order so that food is not wasted.

Use tape and pen to be aware of food preservation dates. Put as much in the container and freezer as you probably use, and you should look at the freezer regularly so that its contents are eaten in time.

Hopefully these tips will help you so you can eat cheaply but at the same time be healthy!