Budget-Friendly Ways to Eat Healthily

There is no better time to set your goals and find ways to achieve them than at the onset of the new year. If you're trying to eat more healthily and live a better lifestyle, your budget may seem like a roadblock. However, there are ways to nourish your body in a better manner, all while adhering to your budget. You don't need fancy groceries, and you don't need to spend too much money to take care of yourself. Let's learn some basic ways to eat well that your body and wallet will be thankful for!

Create a plan

One of the best things you can do (and for free) is to make a meal plan for your week. You can try new dishes and include old favorites every weekday. Begin with making a schedule for dinner, and then expand from there if you feel comfortable doing so. Having a plan will help you refrain from making poor choices just because you're hungry and have no idea what to eat.

I know we've all been there, but your wallet also feels the consequences of this rash decision-making process. In fact, the Barbeque Lab reports that the "average American individually spends $1,200 a year on fast food alone, while the average American household spends around 10% of their income."

With a plan in place, you can save money on spur-of-the-moment fast food choices and eat more healthily along the way.

Make a grocery list

Similar to the meal plan idea, creating a list that you take with you to the grocery store can help you make better choices while shopping. Take a look at the thing you want to make during the week and add the ingredients to the list. You can also include healthy snacks or anything else that you might want for the week and head into the store with a game plan. Sometimes, when you're under the bright fluorescent lights of the food shop, your mental list vanishes, and you can end up buying unhealthy and expensive groceries.

According to the CDC, "Buying generic or store brand items can save you 20% to 30% on your food bill." This can give you more financial freedom to add some things to the list that are within your budget, all while saving money. Name brands aren't always what they're cracked up to be and may not be worth the extra cash.

Use your leftovers

In recent years, meal prepping has become a very trendy way to make something for yourself and your family ahead of time. But the truth is those good old leftovers are basically the same thing! When making a meal, make more than you would need for that night and store the extra to eat another day. Leftovers can save you money by capitalizing on the money you spent to make the food in the first place.

Here's to a new year full of good choices and a healthy budget! If you're ready to get your budget in order for the new year, reach out to Vectra Bank to get started.