6x Eating healthy on a budget
A while ago, we got the question from Gladys on how to eat healthy when you're living on a budget. All those spelt breads, quinoa, and mountains of veggies can become quite costly sometimes. As I am a student, I definitely understand how it is to fit everything within a tight budget and I thought there are probably more Fit Girls dealing with this problem. So, here are 6 ways to keep eating healthy on a budget!
1. Shop at your local market
There's always a local market somewhere at the place you live in. Depending on where you live, it can be there once or twice a week. Make sure to go there in your break from work or in between classes to shop all your veggies, fruits and superfoods, because believe me: it is so incredibly cheap in comparison to a supermarket. Why pay a euro for 1 avocado in the supermarket when you can have 5 avocados for that same euro at the local market? I'm not even exaggerating, it's really this cheap! Try out different stalls and compare prices and quality and after a while, you'll have found your favorite. If you go there at the end of the afternoon, everything is even cheaper because the sellers need to get rid of as many products as possible so they'll give you a better deal.
2. Don't shop when you're hungry
Many of you probably already know this, but we easily buy more food when we're hungry while shopping. I once went to my local market to buy fruit and veggies while I was really hungry, and I ended up coming home with way too much fruit for one person. I wasn't able to eat everything before it was starting to go bad, so unfortunately I had to throw some stuff away. That's a waste of both food and money! Make sure to eat before you go out to do your groceries and stick to your shopping list.
3. Embrace left-overs
Left-overs are amazing! I often deliberately cook more than one portion so I can put the left-overs in the freezer for another day or take them with me the next day for lunch. Never ever throw your left-overs away, it's not necessary and its such a waste of food. You can buy six plastic boxes to put in the freezer for 2 or 3 euros at stores like Action. Take your left-overs out of the freezer the night before you want to eat them and when it's dinnertime, warm it up quickly in a pan or in the microwave. If you want, you can also take your left-overs with you to work or school to have it for lunch.
4. Make a shopping list
Always make a shopping list before you go out so you can prevent buying too much or too little. Some foods can be very tempting, I know (chocolate always seems to be calling out my name), but stick to your shopping list. Figure out beforehand what you are going to eat in the coming days and buy those ingredients. Try to do your groceries in 2 or 3 goes in a week, instead of stopping by the supermarket every day. This will help you buy what you need and nothing more.
5. Pay attention to discounts
You probably get a lot of folders in your mailbox from stores in the neighbourhood. Check out what the special discounts are at the supermarkets and don't miss out on them. Often there are 1 + 1 free discounts, I mean come on, FREE STUFF! You might not need five chicken filets for one dinner but these too can be put in the freezer for another day. This will save you money in the long run. If you don't have enough space in the freezer, check with a friend of colleague if she wants to share the discount with you so you both get a product, but you split the costs. Some products are very cheap in the first place, like ricecakes, oats, and
6. Buy unknown brands
When it comes to buying brands, the known brand is not necessarily always better than an unknown brand, but they are more expensive for sure. Buying the supermarket brand is just fine when it comes to most things. If you are really hesistant about this, why not try out the supermarket brand for once and see for yourself?
Gladys, I hope this helped you and other Fit Girls! Is there anything you girls could add to this list?
