Here is a great example of ways to eat healthy on a low budget!
Eating healthy on a budget can sometimes be challenging. But once you have the hang of it, you will realize that it’s totally possible. We know how hard it is to decide what you want to eat day in and day out, especially when it comes to meal planning in advance. Here we’re going to give you a few ways how to eat healthy on a tight budget with tips from Spoon University and their recommendations for eating a week’s worth of food from Trader Joes for less than $25.
Planning healthy meals on a budget starts with a great grocery list. The below list, from on the aformentioned Spoon University article, includes the following items that can be found at Trader Joe’s, or any super market although the price may vary some when purchased elsewhere.
- Mozzarella
- Canned Corn
- Black Beans
- Red Bell Pepper
- Green Bell Pepper
- Roma Tomatoes
- Yellow Onion
- Russet Potato
- Tomato Paste
- Garlic
- Salad Mix
- Basil
- Brown Rice Medley
- Chicken
- Focaccia Bread
These items can be used to create 5 meals and and is a great example of eating healthy on a budget.
How to eat healthy on a tight budget: The meals
Black Bean Burger and Oven Fries:
Making your own black bean burgers allows you to add your own twist to your unique taste pallet. Not to mention that black bean burgers are popular among both vegetarians and those who are not vegetarians. Made even better by cutting up potatoes and popping them in the oven, you are able to add home made, not fried, fries. Once all is done, add tomatoes, lettuce and cut the focaccia bread to be your bun.
Chicken Fajita Salad:
Spice up your salad by making it taste like a fajita without the bread. Eating salad is one of the easiest ways to eat healthy on a low budget but can get repetitive sometimes. This awesome salad calls for baking the veggies with garlic, mixing the corn and black beans and using the brown rice medley with chicken as topping. You may not even notice all the lettuce you are eating.
Focaccia Pizza:
Using what is left of your focaccia bread, and any leftover from the fajita salad you can make your pizza to be whatever you want it to be! (if you have a few extra dollars to spend and prefer not to eat bread as your pizza crust, add to your shopping list a cauliflower pizza crust to use instead.) Use your tomato paste with the onion and basil to make your base, then drain the mozzarella cut it up along with the basil and pop it into the oven.
Caprese Chicken:
Another fancy salad fit for those eating healthy on a budget. Once again using your salad mix, brown rice medley, tomatoes, mozzarella and chicken you can create a delicious, more exciting salad. Cook up your chicken with garlic and spices, once it’s ready add basil, tomato and mozzarella… add it atop your salad mixture with the rice medley and you will have a fancier caprese salad than most.
Stuffed Red Peppers:
Finally, you can use up the rest of your salad and that red bell pepper as well as the rice medley and any other veggies that you have left over! Mix up the mixture to go on the inside, place it in the pepper and pop them in the oven. Once they’re ready add a side salad and you’re ready to eat!
Of course, these recipes can be altered, substituted, and modified as you wish! According to the Spoon University and their article on “how to make a week’s worth of dinners for under 25$ at Trader Joes” these recipes are how to make it happen.
Get creative! Find ways to make your favorite recipes more budget-friendly by using leftover ingredients for the other meals you make in the following days.
Pro Tip on Eating Healthy on a Budget
When all else fails, make sure you are aware of what is in season at different times in the year. Watch for sales and remember that it’s not how to eat healthy on a tight budget but instead it’s making ways to eat healthy on a low budget.
