A few days ago, one of you asked me on Instagram how to eat healthy on a budget, when you’re a student or our salary is not stupendous … I know it’s a subject that affects a lot of people, me first. There is still too much prejudice that healthy eating is expensive, but not necessarily! So I share here some good tips for eating healthy and cheap while having fun (because yes oh anyway!)
This article is all the more important to me as I still see too many people fall back on foods filled with junk food, or ready-made dishes, and do not even dare to cross the door of an organic store because they think it will cost them a lot of money. While actually not that much.
There is still too much prejudice that healthy eating is expensive, but not necessarily!
Eat organic and cheap
Morning promotions
I noticed that most organic stores offered promotional products when the expiry date was approaching. This mainly concerns fresh products such as yogurts, cookies and imitation meat, but I have also already fallen on bread or biscuits. Often these specials range from 30 to 50% off which is always nice when you have a small budget!
And I say “morning” because, in most cases, I find them at the opening of the store but never at night. I guess employees do the short DLC product tour in the early hours of the morning. So I advise you to target these hours there for a ride;).
Bulk
Bulk is also a great way to save money! In addition to being zero waste, it allows you to adapt the quantities by buying exactly what you need (goodbye the mess and the pennies thrown by the window) and if you look at the price per kilo, you will see that it ‘s is much better than packaged packs.
Today you can really find just about every type of food (and even more!) In bulk: legumes, cereals, flours, but also oil or cosmetics! The majority of organic stores have a bulk department and there are even specialty shops that bloom everywhere and you will only find bulk!
Consume local with a small budget
Local producers
The ideal, if you can, is to go to the market to buy directly from the producer, which is always cheaper! The fact consume in short circuit and avoid intermediaries is necessarily lower prices. Buy local “requires you” also to consume fresh products and seasons. This avoids transport and therefore costs and pollution in addition.
Damaged products
I noticed that often damaged products, especially fruits and vegetables, were sold much cheaper. This is at the market, often at the back of the stand in a crate where everything is at 1 euro per kilogram. Some organic stores do it too so look if there is not a small-price section where you go!
These foods are a little damaged but still widely consumable! Some will have to be eaten during the day but others will keep very well in the fridge. Simply cut the damaged part and consume it in the salad, return to the pan or prepare compotes. But the technique I do all the time is to cut them into pieces and freeze them to come out as soon as I need them.
Save money in conventional stores
Loyalty cards
I must admit that I have the loyalty card of all the signs where I go … It takes a little space in the wallet (although there are also applications to collect them, I’m old-fashioned I think aha) but they are very useful for saving money and being able to eat healthy at a low price!
Most of them offer a point system with which you can pay for your purchases. A little more advice: in most cases, you earn more points by buying the supermarket brand than the big national brands. And if you think that these products are of less good qualities, think again! They are all made in the same plants, with the same ingredients. Only packaging changes … So you have no reason not to take advantage of these savings!
Evening promotions
Unlike organic stores, I feel that the specials are put in the evening in conventional stores. I guess the employees go around the shelves in the afternoon to look at the expiry dates and put the prices down. Again, it often goes from -20 to -50% depending on the date and the product, which is always good to take!
Each of us must understand that he has the opportunity to eat healthy and balanced whatever his budget!
Mobile apps
Most major brands have also developed their mobile apps. You can put your loyalty card but also find a lot of promotions that vary every month. The only risk is to buy things we do not really need, that we would never buy if the reduction was not there. For my part, I always make sure to always buy products that I usually take and do not hit me on every promotion every time.
I know that there are also a lot of online sites that offer organic and large format products. A priori it can also be cheaper but I confess that the price of delivery, the fresh products to manage and all the waste that it creates, I have never tried … But if you have already tested tell me!
