As a student living out of home, I know it can be a struggle to prepare meals consistently, let alone ensure they are nutritious, and budget friendly! So, here are my 5 tips for enjoying healthy eating without breaking the bank.
Cook at home
Cooking at home will generally be a cheaper and healthier option than dining out, take-out or ready-made meals. If your cooking repertoire is currently toast or pasta, don’t worry, we’ve all been there. While it can take some more time, learning to cook healthy meals can be fun, and ultimately a pretty cool life skill!
Plan healthy meals: I find the best way to avoid a convenient take-out meal, especially in busy study weeks, is to plan ahead of time and meal prep. Nutrition books or recipes are great for #foodinspo.
Make a shopping list: Sticking to a list helps me avoid sneaky diversions to the snack aisles.
Cook in bulk: With large portions, I can pack lunch for the next day, or even for the week if it’s a freezer-friendly meal.
Separate want from need
If you’re like me and have a soft spot for eating out… this one’s for you.
Having only one category in the budget for food, makes it easier to rationalise spending on eating out and to go over-budget. So, I find separating food into two categories helps me keep track of my spending and eating habits:
CATEGORY 1 - Essentials: ingredients for my planned, healthy meals at the grocery store or markets
CATEGORY 2 - Non-essentials: discretionary spending such as snacks, desserts or eating out with friends
Two cards: I find having two separate cards also helps me check how much I’m spending in each category, so it’s easier to refrain from cheat meals and stick to budget!
Fresh produce at the markets or fruit and veg grocer is second-to-none but can be expensive especially when not in season. Since the nutritional value of frozen produce is similar to fresh produce, buying frozen can sometimes be a more convenient and affordable option.
For example, frozen blueberries or strawberries are perfect for smoothies, while snap-frozen vegetables are great for steaming or in soups.
Smoothie hack: Instead of purchasing frozen bananas though, freezing freshly sliced bananas yourself is a much cheaper option and makes for a smoothie essential!
Try healthier alternatives
The healthy option doesn’t have to be the more expensive option. I find that eating more plant-based meals is a great way to get my 5 serve of veg a day, and is less pricey than most meat or fish proteins. I love doing this by trying new cuisines or recipes, such as Japanese, Vietnamese, or Mediterranean- inspired meals.
Get food savvy: Tofu, soba noodles, rice paper rolls; many key Asian ingredients are found cheaper at Asian grocery stores or in the international section at the markets.
Try alternatives: Two of my favourites are frozen fruit topped with dark choc instead of ice cream, and matcha tea at home instead of take-out coffee.
Make your own
If you’ve got a bit more time on your hands, making your own food from scratch is a great way of knowing exactly what you’re putting into your body, to have a bit of fun, plus save some $ while you’re at it!
DIY healthy food projects: Recently I’ve tried making my own sourdough bread (it’s a work in progress), and kimchi (fermented cabbage)!
A bit of planning, food-savviness and creativity can go a long way when it comes to healthy eating on a budget, and I hope some of these tips might help you on your food journey!
General Advice Warning: This advice is general and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the advice is appropriate for you and your personal circumstances. Before you make any decision about whether to acquire a certain product, you should obtain and read the relevant product disclosure statement.
All information above has been provided by the author.
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