You can find many options for healthy eating in the New Year without spending too much money.
Indianapolis — We’ve seen food prices rise as the supply chain struggles to keep up with the pandemic. And it can feel like a hurdle to eating better as part of the New Year’s new routine.
The Queen of Liberty, Cherie Lowe, told us at 13 Sunrise this week that making wise choices for your body does not necessarily mean making wise choices for your finances. You still have a lot of options to eat healthy in the new year without spending a lot.
Sure, starting a healthier meal at home may mean paying a little more at a grocery store, but eating at home saves more money than eating a takeaway meal. I can do it.
In her weekly blog, Sherry shared some basic strategies to eat well and still save money.
Avoid too many fresh produce
We tend to put more fruits and vegetables in the fridge than we can eat before some spoil. This wastes space, food and money. So be realistic about what you can consume. For snacks, look for fruits and vegetables that have a long shelf life.
Make a plan and shop
Before you go to the store, make a meal plan and a grocery list. Your shopping will be easier and more effective. If you write down the list on the back of the parking receipt before entering the store, Sherry said it would be a more cost-effective trip.
Please be careful at check-out
Your grocery store is probably currently understaffed and overworked. It’s easy to make mistakes. So be very careful while the staff is ringing your item. Some new kids may be doing their first job, that’s fine. “Ask a question and defend yourself, but don’t hurry,” Sherry said.
Focus on food preparation
“Going to a grocery store is currently an investment in time and stress,” Sherry writes. When you first go home and unload, make a quick and easy plan. Don’t order pizza when cleaning up groceries on an empty stomach. It takes some time to chop fruits and vegetables between the shopping bag and the refrigerator. They take up less fridge space and reduce preparation time for future meals. You will thank yourself later in the week.
Skip old recipes
Some simple studies can generate a myriad of ideas. Mealbox subscriptions are great, but why buy a box when it offers recipes that you can buy and create at a fraction of the cost? Cherie has downloaded the budget bytes app. It’s full of great recipes with healthy options and adapts to the number of people you’re cooking. This is a free site, but it’s worth a one-time $ 3.99 to get an ad-free version. New recipes are released weekly to keep your rotation fresh.
Avoid the grocery / restaurant paradigm
I hardly think about spending $ 40 for a supper with a family of four. Then flip through the meat packaging and find the one that’s 5 cents cheaper behind the jar. Shopping at a grocery store may be a bit expensive now, but understand that it’s still cheaper than eating out. It doesn’t hurt to see all the penny.
Health and wallet monitoring can take some time, but with a little more attention to what you put in your mouth and cart, both will improve in the New Year, so it’s well spent.
Watch Cherie’s 13 Sunrise segment in your video player.
