Eating Clean On A Budget Is Not As Hard As You Think

How Do People Afford to Eat Clean On a Budget?

The biggest hurdle most people have to eating clean on a budget isn’t the food. Fresh, homemade, organic food is delicious! It isn’t giving up those ‘unclean’ foods. There may be that one food you just won’t let go of, but that isn’t the issue either.

Eating organic and Non-GMO is so much easier and affordable than it was just a year ago. There are so many stores that carry organics now. Walmart, Trader Joes, Target and your local grocery stores are all stepping up to the plate. They are realizing that their customers are asking for better quality food.

Start slow, changing your way of eating and shopping doesn’t usually happen overnight. We make small changes and keep looking for ways to eat clean on our budget and find ways to funnel more money over to the food line. It is an investment, but I can tell you that it is one worth making.

To help you out, I’m giving you my top 8 tips for eating clean on a budget.

Top Tips For Eating Clean on a Budget

Make it from scratch – Cooking at home saves money over eating out any day. You can even take it one step further and start making food from scratch, which is even cheaper than buying those fancy, boxed sides and mixes. You will save money and, better yet, you will know exactly what’s in the food you’re eating. Try mastering one new dish a week!
Plan your meals and shop with a list – It is always a good idea to have a plan. You will save money by knowing what you need and make fewer trips to the store.
Buy in bulk – If you can, purchase larger quantities, and freeze and store the extras for another week. Stores always have bigger packs that cost less per unit. Be wary, though: sometimes the big package isn’t less. Be sure to check the unit price and be a smart shopper.

Fresh Fruit & Produce

Shop local and in-season – Foods that are in season are generally cheaper than the foods that have to be shipped from halfway around the globe. Also, it pays to know your farmer and buy directly from the source.
Use discounts or coupons if you can find them – Sometimes, you can find a deal or get a coupon for healthy snacks and some of those great, organic convenience foods.
Join a group – There are plenty of local groups that share in the savings by pooling their buying power. Check out a local co-op or CSA or start one in your area. You can find them at localharvest.org.
Go meatless – If you haven’t cut meat out of your diet yet, you can start by eliminating it from a few meals a week. Beans are cheaper than beef!
Grow Your Own – Start a Garden – It’s simple to do and you don’t need a lot of space. Start inside with an organic basil plant or go big and plant a garden outside. Get back in touch with nature and grow something. You will love my gluten-free garlic shrimp recipe made with basil from my very own garden.