Eat Cheap Eat Healthy

Eat Cheap and Healthy

I am not a Registered Dietician so I can’t tell you what to eat.  What I can tell you that I live a very healthy, active life and I thoroughly enjoy preparing, cooking and eating food.  So here’s to your health and your wallet!

Eating Healthy:

·         Lowers disease risks

·         Increases productivity

·         Gives you more energy

·         Makes you immune system, body and mind stronger

Switch to Tap Water. It’s healthier. It’s cheaper.  Quit the soda, sweet teas & drink water. Don’t look like a silly fool carrying a water bottle around where ever you go.  Just hydrate often and drink at a minimum 8 oz – ½ a gallon a day.  Note: TAP water, not bottled, be good to yourself and the environment after all we share this planet.

Protein for Breakfast. Call me boring but I eat the same one of two breakfasts every day.  Eggs and toast or Oatmeal.  Eggs: 1 or 2 whole eggs and two additional egg whites, 1 slice Ezekiel toast.  Oatmeal: ½ cup instant oatmeal with 1 scoop of whey protein.

Buy Frozen. I mostly buy frozen veggies:  They take less time to prepare.  You don’t waste money if not eaten in time. Can be bought in bulk for discounts & stored in your freezer.  When I pack my lunch I’ll scoop 1 cup of frozen veg in with my lean protein.  By the time I eat lunch the veg has defrosted and it cooks to a great consistency when heated.

Buy Generic Food. Brand-name food will always be more expensive. You’re paying for the name. Get real. Food is food. Go generic.  I am a big BIG fan of Aldi grocery stores.  When I am not eating clean I eat their short bread cookie with dark chocolate topping.  Brand name dark chocolate covered cookies $5 at Aldi $1.50!

Buy in Bulk. Think long-term. Buying in bulk is more expensive at the cashier, but cheaper in the long run I only buy bulk what I use often like oatmeal. Invest in a big freezer. Buy meats & veggies in bulk and freeze them.

Stick to the Plan.  Another reason I like Aldi is because they have the basics and I am not swayed by amazing marketing and end cap displays to purchase stuff I do not need.  Make a list and don’t shop hungry.  More time in the shop means more money spent.  From now on get in and get out!

Pack it. Stop paying Panera® bread $8 for a $2 salad.  The picture of the food is from a fridge at work.  I pack my own food every day.  My fridge at work and home consists of lots of jars because I make my own salad dressing and soups. Get up earlier to pack your food or have a 2-hour prep on Sunday nights.

Eat Less. The less you eat, the lower your grocery bill.   I eat cheap and eat 5-6 meals a day.  So I am not saying don’t eat.  Do you need to lose weight?  Perhaps your portions are too big and you could make two meals into one!

Don’t Buy Junk Food. Stop buying anything that comes wrapped in plastic, it’s unhealthy and expensive.  Junk food is inexpensive you say, sure now it is wait until you need cancer treatments or heart surgery to repair yourself from all the crap you fueled your body with.

Don’t Buy Organic.  I am concerned with pesticides so I clean my fruit.  I scrub my thin skinned fruit like it’s a dirty dish.  Most fruit I peel.   If God put a nice thick wrapper on a fruit like avocado or banana I never buy organic, strawberries if not organic I clean heavily.