187_How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast 

Episode 187

How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

Inflation is taking a toll on just about everyone. But one of the most common areas where we feel the pinch is in the price of food. Food prices have consistently risen over the last 5 years and are expected to go up by several percentage points in 2024. 

Not only that, if you want to eat healthy and organic, you are going to pay even more at the checkout. To top it off, junk food is manufactured in bulk and full of preservatives to make it shelf stable. Consequently, and on a per-calorie basis, it is typically less expensive than something that is packed with nutrients. 

So how do we reach for something that is sustainable and strike a balance between budget and eating healthy? 

So join me for E187 How to Eat Healthy on a Budget.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E187 which is called How to Eat Healthy on a Budget.

Sustainability Question of the Week

Can you truly power your home using only renewable energy?

Good News Story of the Week

I love stories of the first thing ever. And that is the focus of the good news story of the week. 

In the US just 0.3% of licensed medical practitioners are Native American. In 2020 the first ever medical school on a Native American reservation started its inaugural class. That class is now graduating. 

There were 46 graduating students from Oklahoma State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation. Fifteen of those members were from tribes all around the country. 

The purpose of the college was to address the shortage of tribal physicians in the US. Part of what makes this so unique is that the $40 million needed to build and staff the facilities was paid for entirely by the Cherokee nation. The Hippocratic oath is written on the walls in both Cherokee and English. 

Graduates of the college will focus their practice on  holistic medicine. Native elders even participate in the medical curriculum to teach about traditional healing practices. 

So, hats off and round of applause this week goes to the Oklahoma State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation

So, let’s get going on this weeks episode. 

The rising cost of food makes it more difficult than ever to eat healthy. It does not help when junk food and other highly processed items are typically cheaper. These types of foods are manufactured in bulk and full of preservatives. This makes highly processed foods shelf stable for months which means they can be stored for long periods of time. Yet these are the very reasons why these foods are the less desirable option when it come to good health. 

Despite the health implications of eating highly processed foods and junk food we are willing to pay for the convenience. Whether we are buying pre-cut vegetables and fruits instead of whole ones,  opting for fast food instead of cooking at home, purchasing  pre-made salads and snack packs instead of making them by hand we are consistently overpaying. 

The convenience that we desire comes at a price because we want to save the time and effort. While convenience is valuable in certain situations, in an economy of rising food costs maybe we should reconsider. Food delivery, restaurant food, and grocery shopping are all the top ten for budget killers. 

That said, eating on a budget doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice good basic nutrition. It is possible to enjoy healthy, nutritious foods without breaking your budget. Admittedly, eating healthy when you have a tight budget can be challenging. But a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, and lean protein is not only important for good health but typically costs less. 

Typically fresh fruits and vegetables, or other minimally processed foods are packed with nutrients. But there is one challenge. Fresh foods, that being those without preservatives, are not shelf stable for a long period of time. This just means you have to purchase them in smaller quantities more frequently. 

One of my best examples of this is homemade bread. The last time I was in the supermarket and picked up a loaf of bread and read the label, there were 46 ingredients. My homemade bread only has seven: water, flour, sourdough starter, yeast, salt, and any other spices I choose to add. But of course you have to consume it within a reasonable amount of time or freeze it. 

Now you must know that I am not a purist. I do purchase some bread products at the supermarket. The most common product I purchase are buns for sandwiches. Once while I was on a trip with the travel trailer I purchased hamburger buns. When I returned home I put the travel trailer in storage for almost 9 months. When I went to use it again, I found the buns I had previously purchased and they were completely intact, no mold.  

The first question I asked is “What is wrong with this picture?”  

Now the things to consider about living a sustainable life is that sustainability is often geared toward practical tips that are not only healthier but also less costly. What I want to do in this episode is give you some practical tips on how to eat healthy and stay within your budget. 

Cook at Home

As simple as it may seem one of the best things you can do to save money is to cook at home. In our modern culture, people now spend 40% of their monthly food budget on restaurant food, take out and fast food. This is truly some of the worst food you can eat. Not only do you pay a hefty price, you pay for it a second time because it affects your health. 

Not only is it less expensive to cook at home you also have complete control over the ingredients of your food and you can eat fresh meals everyday. 

As a time saver, cook a couple of larger meals on the weekend and eat left overs during the week. 

If you are not much of a cook, there are numerous sites that offer recipes accompanied by videos that show you how to do it all. I use recipes sites on a regular basis just to find new things to cook. 

Shop at Home First

One of the best ways to save money is to shop at home first. Go though your cabinets, refrigerator and freezer  to get a good idea of what you already have on hand before you go to the supermarket.  This will also be helpful when it comes to planning your meals in order to avoid waste.

Plan Your Recipes

A little forethought and planning goes a long way toward saving some money. For example, search online for meals that freeze well. This allows you too cook once and be able to freeze the left overs for those busy days. 

You can stretch your budget even further by taking advantage of recipes with common ingredients. For example, cook a whole chicken and use it in several recipes. Have a simple chicken dish one night, stir fry the next night and fajitas the night after. Then you can boil the carcass to make a broth for soup. Then you have four dishes made out of the same chicken. 

I will often make beans a rice then use these simple ingredients mixed in with breakfast, as a side for lunch and then use them to make burritos. 

Make Your Own Recipe Book

Right along with planning your recipes put some effort into creating your own recipe book. There are numerous sites on the internet where you can scroll through recipes and find lots of interesting meals. I have a notebook app in my iPad where I store all my recipes. I think I now have over 300 recipes that I’ve collected over several years. 

Shop with a List and Stick to It

Once you have planned your recipes and are headed to the supermarket be sure to have a list of what you need. Once there, stick to your list. Shopping with a list makes things faster and easier. 

Most people do not realize that supermarkets are often set up very strategically in order to tempt people with impulse purchases or to purchase the most expensive products.

As a general rule, shop the perimeter, or outside edges of the store first. This tends to be the area where bulk products are kept. Most of the highly processed foods tend to be grouped in the middle of the store. Additionally, the most expensive products are generally stocked at eye level. So, be sure to look at items on the bottom shelf. 

Another tip is to make a shopping list as you go. Whenever you are running low on something put it on your list. 

Stick to the Basics

Another way to easily stretch your budget is to stick to the basics. In other words, cook with basic ingredients such as whole grains, legumes, pasta, lentils, potatoes, onions, garlic, flour, corn meal, masa, chicken and beef stock, and a variety of spices. Many of these basic ingredients are not only healthier but they have little or no processing involved so they cost less. 

These ingredients are also very shelf stable so it is easy to stock up on the basics and have extra supplies at home. 

Avoid Buying Highly Processed Foods

This goes right along with sticking to the basics. If you are accustomed to purchasing these products you probably don’t notice just how expensive they are. Cookies, crackers, and prepackaged foods are not only much less healthy, they are expensive and take a higher toll on the environment. 

By skipping these foods you can spend more of your budget on highly nutritious whole foods. 

Buy in Bulk

When you purchase individual servings of any product, part of your price is in the packaging. Buying in bulk helps you to avoid that expense. Nutritious staple foods are healthy, cost less, are shelf stable and often come in bulk packages. 

Purchase Frozen and Canned

Frozen and canned options for many of your favorite fruits and vegetables are often less expensive. The best part is that they are shelf stable. This is also a great way to enjoy your favorites when they are not in season. Additionally, many frozen alternatives now come in resealable packages to make it easier to use what you need and store the remainder. 

Now it you want to go this route, choose fruits that are canned in water or in light syrup to avoid the excess sugar. But of course, the best option is to can you own fruits and vegetables when they are in season. But if that is not possible a commercial product is not a bad choice just be particular about what you purchase.  

Buy store brands

Name brand products are always going to be more expensive. Most major supermarkets have their own store brands, often referred to as generic. Purchasing store brands can save you as much as 20% to 30% at the time of check out.  

A word of caution here. There are times when store brands, especially when shopping at a discount store, are very low quality, full of lots of preservatives and do not taste very good. This is something you may have to experiment with. I have found this to be true with a number of products. In which case, I simple purchase higher quality name brand products. 

Choose recipes that freeze well

This is something that I do all the time. Soups, stews, and chilis will keep for weeks to months in the freezer. We often make a huge batch of burritos and then freeze them. We will make a big batch of chili and freeze that. Other things that we make at home such as English muffins, bread, bagels, and other bread products freeze very well. Such things become our convenience food on days when we are super busy.  

Choose Easy Recipes During the Week

Get on the internet and search for one pot recipes, three or five ingredient recipes, or 30 minute recipes. All are super easy to find and will save you time during the week. This way you are not tempted to get fast food on your way home. Save the more complicated recipes for weekend days. That is when you should be making big batches of things and freezing them. 

Save Money with Coupons

Coupons are a great way to cut money off of your grocery bill especially if you are shopping with a list. There are over one billion coupons offered every year. You can most likely find a coupon for just about anything you need especially if you search online. 

Another trick you can use to save even more money is coupon stacking. This is when you have multiple coupons for a single product. If a store has a product on sale already you can stack a manufacturer coupon on top of that. But, something worth noting, digital coupons typically do not count for additional savings. 

Join a Warehouse Club

Joining a warehouse club such as CostCo or Sam’s Club can save you a significant amount of money especially if you buy in bulk. If you do this frequently, the cost of the yearly membership is well worth it. 

Stock Up During Sales

Along with the warehouse club, stocking up when things go on sale is another way to cut costs especially if you have favorite products or staple goods that you use frequently. Just make sure things will not reach their expiration date before they get consumed. 

Try Gardening

One of the cheapest ways to produce some of your own food is to have a small garden. If you are limited on space you can do things such as grow fresh herbs on your window seal, have a container garden on your balcony, have a small hydroponics set up which takes up very little space. 

Other easy tips and recommendations

-Don’t go to the supermarket when you are hungry. Otherwise you will tend to buy more than you need and do impulse buying. 

-Only buy in-season produce. It will cost you less. Also when you do buy produce, purchase fruits that are in various stages of ripeness. This way you can them as they ripen during the week. This is especially true to things such as bananas. 

-Buy a mix of fresh, frozen, and shelf stable items. Eat the fresh food first before it spoils. Stock your freezer and pantry and eat the shelf stable items later. 

-Do some of your shopping outside the supermarket. Go to the local farmers market. 

-Check out the sales flyers either at the store entrance or on the internet. 

-Rice, pasta, and whole grains are budget friendly items that are shelf stable. 

-To lower your cost of meat buy the family pack and freeze the rest. Choose lean meat such as turkey and chicken which will cost you less. You can lower your meat cost even more if you buy vegetables and legumes that are high in protein. For example, lentils, chickpeas, and quinoa have almost as much protein as beef. 

-If you love yogurt buy the family size instead of single servings. Better yet, make you own yogurt. It is super easy. 

-Ditch the ready made snack packs and fresh fruits packs. Buy things in bulk and make your own snack packs. One of my favorite things to do is buy large bags of nuts and large bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips at the local warehouse store and make my own snack mix. I also buy bulk ingredients and make my own granola, which is super expensive if you buy a commercial product. 

-Drink water instead of soda. Several health problems have been directly linked to the over consumption of sweetened drinks. One of those is an increased risk of dementia. Additionally, soda just adds empty calories to your diet and increased your likelihood of weight gain. So, drink water instead of soda. It is better for your healthy and is much less expensive. 

-Don’t forget about the eggs. These are a great, inexpensive way to add protein to your diet and avoid the high price of meat. 

-Plan for two meatless days per week. In case you haven’t noticed, meat these days is really expensive. There are number of alternatives, such as chickpeas, lentils, and quinoa, that have a protein content similar to meat and cost a whole lot less. 

Pack Your Lunch

My last time here is very simple. Pack you lunch. As the cost of food goes up so does the cost of restaurant food. I see people all the time that purchase take out food twice daily. Any more, people are starting to consider take out and fast food as a luxury. 

If you have already become accustomed to cooking at home, then having left overs to take for lunch the next day should be an easy transition. 

According to the consumer expenditure data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of September 2023, the average American spends $5,700 annually on groceries. That is no big surprise since between 2019 and 2024 food prices have risen at least 25%.

The bottom line is that by following these simple tips you can eat well without trashing your monthly budget. There are a wide variety of nutritious foods that can be used to prepare delicious meals without spending a lot of money. 

About a year ago I started wondering why I was spending so much money on food. After looking at my bank account I discovered I was spending on average somewhere between $500 to $700 per month at the supermarket. This was the result of me buying whatever I wanted and truly not paying attention. Once I started shopping smarter I was able to reduce my monthly grocery bill to around $200. 

Cooking at home is one of the best ways to save money on food. Cooking from basic ingredients is likely the second best thing you can do. I keep a small stock pile of basic ingredients at home then use a whole variety of spices to make different dishes. Once I started paying a lot more attention to what I was doing I reduced my average grocery bill by nearly $400 per month. So, I know it is possible. By incorporating more inexpensive, nutrient rich foods into your daily routine it is entirely possible to eat healthy on a budget. 

Can we truly power our homes by using only renewable energy? 

Absolutely you can. I have been doing it for 9 years now. Renewable energy provides a reliable source of energy sufficient enough to power any home. 

Most people do not realize that energy from renewable sources is now less expensive than grid power. Yes it does require and upfront investment but once the solar electric systems is paid for you now have free electricity for years to come. 

Most people choose to tie into the grid as a back up. By doing so you avoid the cost of a battery bank. But if you want to be certain you have electricity 24/7 regardless of whether the grid is working, you will have to have battery back up to power your home when the sun is not shining.

But, bottom line, it is more than possible to power your entire home on renewable energy. More and more people are choosing to do that very thing. I highly recommend it. 

Now I would like to close out this episode with a quote from Leo Tolstoy. “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” 

I think this emphasizes a very important topic in sustainability, that being our individual action. Yes there are significant and rapid changes in our world. Yes there is widespread pollution, forever chemicals, and micro plastics in every corner of the planet. It is easy to view this as something that will never be resolved by individual action. 

But before we can expect big government, big business, local and community leaders to change what they are doing we first have to change what we are doing as individuals. We cannot expect to live in a sustainable community if we are not first willing to do everything we can to change our own daily habits. So, choose one thing at a time. Change in one small way every month. Five years from now you will be amazed at your personal progress toward living a sustainable life. 

Well, that’s about it for this week folks. Don’t forget to visit my redesigned homepage for the podcast. Go to adventuresinsustainableliving.com and you can get instant access to a free resource called 200 Sustainability Questions and Answers. And of course don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast. 

Until next week this is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future.