29/08/2022
Great tips to maintain healthy eating when tightening up the purse strings.
When I was in residency, I supported my family of four on a salary of $27,000 a year. I shopped at discount stores, bought in bulk, and used real, fresh ingredients.
We cooked delicious, homemade, healthy meals most nights of the week. Even if time and money are not on your side, you can still eat healthy whole foods. I’ll never forget the importance of learning to eat well on a budget and continue to implement these strategies today.
When I was in residency and short on time and money, I would make the same meals every week. I call this the Master Five principle. You master five simple dinner meals that you can revisit when you get busy or money gets tight. Have the ingredients available at home so you don’t get stuck eating food that doesn’t make you feel good. This takes planning but is well worth it.
You can also batch cook and freeze meals. I batch cook things like quinoa or brown rice. Sometimes I roast a whole chicken, and I can use it for at least two or three meals. I also recommend making large batches of soups or smoothies and freezing them.
If you buy a bunch of meat, freeze everything you won’t use right away to avoid food waste.
Before you go to the grocery, I highly recommend planning your meals. Money and time are wasted in wandering around aimlessly at the grocery store. Take 30 minutes before you shop to think about what you need for the week.
Plan out breakfast, lunch, and dinner, at least for a few days at a time. Once you know what you need, you’ll spend less money, and you won’t pick up foods that might go to waste.
Remember, it is possible to eat healthy whole foods without breaking the bank. I did it, and with a few tips and some careful planning, you can do it too.
