Is it possible to eat healthy on a budget?

Finding the time to eat healthy, and save money all at once doesn’t always work.

We all have busy lives, which means we’re looking for a quick solution and more often than not means choosing between something less healthy and cheap, or something healthy and more expensive.

Registered Dietitian, Ashley Koff, says she is often advising clients on ways to make everyday meals healthier while keeping them budget friendly.

She says the thought that good nutrition is expensive is a myth. Follow her tips to cut costs without cutting good health.

Make it at home

Koff says, when we eat out or buy already prepared foods, we are paying someone else's cooking time – we may not have that luxury today.

Instead, make your meals at home; you will have more control over portion sizes, taste and the ingredients.

Koff says you should also do some planning so you can turn any of those leftover ingredients into several different meals.

If you’re saying to yourself “I just don’t have time”, Koff suggests doing a time audit.

Try to find a way to make time. Can you spend Sundays shopping and preparing for the week, so you don’t have to do it every night? Carve it out and you’ll be surprised how quickly it becomes a routine.

Preparation saves time and money

Stock Up:

Koff says, make sure you have a stocked freezer. She suggests loading up on frozen (organic) vegetables, sources of protein like burgers (turkey, wild salmon, buffalo, grass-fed beef, veggie) & sausages, and nuts, seeds, & fruits

Also create a stocked cupboard. Koff says to keep it full of grains, beans, oils & your own "pieces of flair" like spices and sauces.

Her favorite suggestions to keep on hand are; JD's hot sauce & Bragg's Ginger Sesame Dressing. According to Koff, these can turn any plain food into a made-to-order favorite dish.


Defrost:

Another easy tip, defrost on your way out the door. Koff says if you think you're coming home for dinner grab a frozen veggie and protein and put them in separate bowls in the fridge so they are defrosted & ready to go when you get home.

She says, if you don't end up eating it; cook it 2-3 days later


Overcook:

We’re not talking about the food, instead the quantity. Koff says when you’re cooking make all of your product at once.

If you’re already cooking making everything won’t take you any more time. And adding the cooked ingredients to other foods later in the week will save you time in the long run. Think of it as an investment.

For example, Koff suggests, cooking your chicken sausage all at once, you can have some for breakfast, put some into a soup recipe or add them to your pasta sauce for additional kick and protein.


Under-eat:

Koff says, if you love what you made, save some for tomorrow. If it was so-so, she suggests using it as the base for a new creation the next day

Koff says, “In a pinch, I've made two veggie burgers, added flavor from my stash of "pieces of flare" & had it with sautéed broccoli. It was an okay dinner, but the next day when I crumbled up a leftover burger & some leftover broccoli & tossed it into a bowl of egg whites, added some hot sauce, I was happier with my home made frittata than I often am eating brunch out – same ingredients, done differently, satisfying and I got two meals for the price of one.”

Share the burden…and the wealth

Buy in bulk & split ingredients that will go bad with a neighbor

Motivate each other: Koff suggests getting a cooking partner. If you have a walking buddy or a gym friend, why not?

Koff also suggests teaming up with friends and have each one make a dish & then meet to exchange and bring containers (she says this is GREAT for kids’ meals & school lunches)

Cut & swap coupons – your discards could be a friend's greatest deal

Learn to cook

Koff says cooking classes are a wonderful too. They can teach you time saving tips, and time equals money.

Classes will also teach you to make better tasting & more creative options, which Koff says results in happier, satisfied bellies in the long run.

Classes often include the cost of a meal or more, she suggests taking advantage of learning & getting your money's worth.

Don’t go it alone, team learn! Koff says it may be more fun to share a class with friends; hire a chef to teach you all versus going solo.

Make the most of already prepared food

Koff says it's OK to order take out – and you can use it to save money & improve your health if you modify your order by adding what you have at home.

Her suggestions:

• Beef & Broccoli – love it again & again by adding a bag or two of frozen (defrosted) broccoli to the container when you reheat it.
• Pizza – order a plain large pizza & top it at home with slices of chicken sausage (vs. pepperoni), sun-dried tomatoes or tomato slices, frozen (defrosted) peppers, and some spices – briefly reheat
• Rice it up – how many containers of rice came with your meal? Since a portion size is your fist you are assured of having at least a leftover serving per person… Turn it into rice for breakfast – sure thing with cinnamon, some chopped nuts or seeds, a touch of honey or agave nectar or maple syrup hits the spot. Or rice tossed with frozen (defrosted) vegetables that you sauté together with some oil and spices and have with a wild salmon patty. (Remember the one you cooked two days before?)

Call THEIR bluff

It may be advertised as a cost-savings option: fast food or food product but Koff says a savings is only a true savings if it lasts.

Avoid the temptations of short-term savings with long-term negative costs. Koff says it's not too long before your $1 savings at the store translates to a $30 & more monthly bill for a medication or doctor's bills to identify & manage damage done.

For more great nutritional information you can read Ashley Koff’s blog.