How to Eat Healthy on a Tight Budget

It may seem like eating healthy on a tight budget is impossible (because let's face it junk food does tend to be cheaper) but we promise it's actually not. Eating healthy on a tight budget can not only be done but it can be done more easily than you think with only a few simple changes to your lifestyle. How you shop, how you cook, even organizational skills can help in your quest for a healthy lifestyle!

1. Don't shop whilst hungry. Doing this leads to impulse purchases which means extra expense.
2. In fact, make a list and stick to it when shopping.
3. Purchase the generic brands of items on that list – they're often cheaper but are the exact same food. You don't need to pay extra money for a brand name!
4. While you're at it, look for sales for the items you typically shop for. If another brand of a similar product is on sale try to consider that product instead of your usual purchase.
5. Consider adding beans & whole grains to your diet. These are an inexpensive & tasty way to bulk up meals, just watch how much since these items can significantly increase your caloric intake.
6. Stock up on frozen veggies. They're typically just as nutritious, save money, and won't go bad.
7. Stocking up on herbs & spices is always a plus. These guys can turn boring staples into delicious gourmet in a snap!
8. When it comes to meats, there are less expensive cuts that are equally as good as the expensive ones (especially when it comes to soups & stews!). Be careful and remember to consider the “yield” on certain dishes. For example, cooking a brisket purchased at $7/lb yields half the weight after cooking making that brisket more expensive than Filet Mignon!
9. And shop in season when it comes to fruits & veggies if you're buying fresh. Produce that's in season is usually cheaper so you can stock up and freeze plenty for later months, eliminating the need to spend more when it's out of season.
10. You can also visit your local farmer's market at the end of the day to get better prices on the produce & goods they're trying to sell. Doesn't get much fresher than that!
11. Most importantly, drop the junk food. It may be inexpensive to buy a bag of chips but it's doing your health no good.
12. Cook at home whenever possible! It's so much cheaper than eating out.
13. If you have leftovers, don't toss them! Pack them for lunch the next day or repurpose them into a brand new meal like soup or salad. Cooking large meals from inexpensive ingredients enables you to create lots of various other meals throughout the week. It's pretty win-win!
14. Speaking of packing lunch, definitely, do this. Buying lunch throughout the week whilst at the office really adds up, but bringing your own meals will save you a TON. If you find yourself unable to consistently come up with good office lunches to bring, you can just bring in one of Top Chef's meals to heat in the microwave!
15. Make breakfast nutritious & cheap by starting the day with a protein shake, like our Coffee Almond Protein Shake, instead of a coffee from Starbucks, etc. It's less money & more filling.
16. Finally, Top Chef can help with our chef prepared healthy frozen meals that are as simple as heat & eat. Whether you have specific dietary needs, like low sodium or gluten-free meals, or are trying to stick to a paleo diet, Top Chef can help out. Our menu has a HUGE variety of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, soups, shakes, desserts, & more, and you need to go check it out ASAP! Ours is definitely one of the easier & cheaper ways to eat well for less.

See, eating healthy on a budget is much easier than you think and completely doable! It may take a bit of time and effort but it's well worth it, and Top Chef is available to help out however you need. If you have a question, simply Email Us at orders@topchefmeals.com or call us at (800) 616-8044!