As a health coach, one of the biggest concerns I hear - “I just can’t afford to eat that healthy all the time!”
And I totally get it.
When I first started on my health journey, I was freaking out about the price sticker on so many “healthy items” that all these crazy meal plans were telling me I needed -- almond flour, flax seeds -- you name it! And I was like uhhhh this is not sustainable for ANYONE, let alone an actor/just out of college gal like me. So I made it my mission to find a way to make it simple and AFFORDABLE.
So girl, let me be the first to tell you, from a gal who is SUPER budget conscious that if I can do it, you can too.
Here are my 5 best tips & tricks for being health & budget conscious:
1. Location
WHERE do you shop? This was a game changer for me.
I live super close to a Whole Foods, but I could never afford to shop there regularly- can you say whole paycheck? So the hubby and I shop at local produce markets and Trader Joes/Marianos for the most part!
Don’t have a Trader Joes near you? What about Aldi? Aldi has AMAZING prices and they have begun a no GMO program and offer many more organic options.
2. Buy what’s in season!
Yes, fresh produce can get pricey- so find a good deal on what is in season and FREEZE it for later use!
In the summer, I buy so much corn because it’s cheap and tastes so much better- I cut it off the cob and freeze it to use throughout the year. Same with berries, berries can be so pricey so I stock up when they are at a reasonable price. Then I cut them and freeze them! Great for smoothies, oatmeal, whatever down the road!
3. Use saving apps
You guys I don’t know whyyyy I never utilized this before but coupons are freaking awesome -- use them! AND THERE ARE APPS you can use!!!!
My girlfriend Jess introduced me to Flipp -- have you heard of it? Not only do they have many of the discount newsletters for your favorite stores, but you can input your grocery list and they will tell you if any nearby stores have those items on sale! I like Flipp because you can use YOUR grocery list to find deals, not just randomly buying whatever happens to be on sale, ya know?
4. Make a grocery list.
If you don’t plan ahead, you might think you need several things you actually have in your pantry, and you will end up spending money on all the impulse buys. Make a plan and stick to it!
5. Learn to cook
Kev and I save so much money when we eat in.
And I want to show you just how much:
Kev and I spend about $75-85 a week at the grocery (and YASS we eat a lot haha). Plus, we spend $99 a month on Shakeology. So thats about $101 a week on our meals and snacks. If we each eat 3 meals a day (42 meals a week) and 2 snacks a day (28 snacks), that adds up to be $1.57 per meal or snack! Tell me a restaurant that you could find a healthy option for $1.57!
