Ballin’ on a Budget: Meal Prep & Healthy Eating
One of the biggest complaints I get from clients and non-clients alike is that eating healthfully is too expensive.
(The second biggest complaint I get is that people don’t have enough time to eat well… but that’s a conversation for another time.)
I’m here to put that argument to rest.
Caveat: I know not everyone’s financial situations fit into a pretty box with a bow on it.
Some of these tips might not be accessible for you. I can’t claim to know EVERYONE’S situation — all I can do is provide as much information as possible and hope that it can be helpful.
On that note, if you notice something missing from this list, by all means — comment and let me know. Share your story — it could potentially help a TON of people struggling in the same way.
Avoid spending money on ineffective supplements.
Nothing is more wasteful than expensive pee.
Which is exactly what you get from most over-the-counter health supplements.
First of all, the supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA or USDA or any other governing body. Not that this is always a safety net, but NOT regulating what companies can put in their supplements leaves it open to literally anything. Most supplements on the shelf at the grocery store have fillers, non-absorbable forms of nutrients, or are cut in some way that makes them less effective.
That doesn’t mean that a supplement that costs four times as much is good, either.
I recommend seeking help from a professional in this arena before buying anything. This may mean a higher sticker price, but at least you can purchase with confidence, knowing the brands and products you’ve been recommended have been tried and deemed true. If you’re gonna spend money on supplements either way, they might as well be worth it!
That being said… stick to foods in their whole form over “meal replacements.”
Meal replacements (think: SlimFast or other diet shakes) are not the best go-to options. Hear me out:
First of all, most store shelf brands have icky ingredients like vegetable oils or high fructose corn syrup that wreck your health anyway.
Meal replacement options are usually expensive. You could make your own smoothies or shakes at home with whole-food ingredients and save way more money while getting a much bigger health boost.
Pre-made options might seem more convenient but they don’t actually keep you full and you may end up eating even more in the long run. Why? Because your body is desperate for nutrients and healthy fats — both of which are hard to come by in traditional meal replacement options.
My suggestion is to have your own setup handy. While this may require more money up front (like buying a blender), you’ll know exactly what goes into it and can ensure you get adequate protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Some great options to have on hand that go well together:
Frozen berries
Avocado (I add half an avocado to all my shakes — when it’s all blended, it’s like ice cream!)
Greek or coconut milk yogurt (unflavored is best)
Allergen-free, beef ONLY protein powder, like Equip Foods
Plant-based protein powder, like Nutiva
Bonus: if you elect to get your pantry staples from Thrive Market (where the products above are linked), you get 25% off your first order and a free item!
Foods in their whole form are cheaper in bulk.
You probably know this already — Costco has been around for a while.
But what I mean here is that when you go to whatever grocer you prefer, head to the big containers of fruits and veggies over the pre-packaged ones. Stores run deals on bulk produce and it’s oftentimes more fresh!
Consider going grocery shopping a couple times per week… or more.
One way to save money is only buying what you need.
Sure, getting it all done on Sunday afternoons is ideal for any family (or insert day-and-time here), but how often to do you find yourself staring at a full fridge or pantry and feeling like you don’t know what to eat? Or throwing away produce that went bad too quickly?
If you can swing it, only buying food for a couple days’ worth of meals will ensure you use up what you have in time and don’t overspend.
If you’d prefer to batch cook and meal prep, do that.
If you know you’ll eat the same foods consistently without hesitation and it’s easier for you to get it all done at once, by all means, prep away!
Shop seasonally!
It’s no secret that the berries you buy mid-summer are exponentially more delicious than those in the dead of winter.
Having every food available to us all year long is a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to the modernization of food, humans ate what was available during the seasons, simply because of necessity.
When foods are in-season, they are in abundance… and when supply is high, prices go down. Buying with the seasons ensures you’re not only getting the most fresh, nutrient-dense version of that food possible, but that the price point is low as well. Win-win!
Buy non-organic if need be.
Sure, in a perfect world, we’d all be able to afford 100% organic, grass-fed, all-the-words foods. (Well, actually, in a perfect world those foods would be the only options…)
But if you’re strapped for cash right now, conventional is fine. Do what you can with what you have. It’s a lot more important to be eating protein and veggies with every meal than to avoid them altogether due to fear of non-organic methods.
Arguably, the fear is more detrimental than the pesticides. Just eat whole foods!
Buy frozen produce.
Then you don’t have to worry about seasonality, food going bad, or nutrient-poor veggies. There, I fixed it. :)
If you can’t avoid using plastic food storage containers for your meal prep, make sure when you reheat the food that you’re using a regular plate.
Glass containers are the gold standard because they are safe (they don’t expose you to chemicals) and food can be reheated in them.
Stainless steel containers are your next best option, although can’t be used in the microwave (obviously).
I know plastic food containers are way cheaper than glass. It’s difficult to invest in replacing the plastic ones when it’s $45 for a 3-container glass set. So if you can’t do this, or are slowly doing this to spread out the cost:
At work: bring a stack of paper plates or bowls to reheat your food in for lunch. Or you can bring a ceramic plate or bowl from home to use.
At home: only store dry pantry items in the plastic ones and all fresh foods or foods with cooking oils/fats in the glass or stainless containers. If you only have plastic, you could always line the plastic container with a sheet of paper towel to provide a barrier for your food.
Buy house brands over name brands.
This is probably more obvious and well-known, but a lot of people still question the quality of house brand foods.
More often than not, the foods are identical. If you’re not sure if a grocery store’s brand is healthy or not, check out the label. If it includes questionable oils or tons of added sugar, you know you can pass on it. Better yet — compare it, ingredient for ingredient, with a name brand product to be sure.
Grow as much of your own produce as possible.
This is even possible for those living in apartments.
If you have limited light and/or space, try growing veggies that do well indoors and don’t get too big. Bonus if those veggies are the kind you eat on a regular basis, such as leafy greens or herbs.
That being said…
Avoid dining out if your budget demands it.
I’m all for supporting local small businesses and restaurants during this crazy time, but if you’re stretching yourself too thin right now, maybe pull back on those habits a little and try to cook more meals at home.
Need inspiration for tasty meals and variety? Stick to Robb Wolf’s principles:
Choose a protein (steak, ground beef, pork chops, tenderloin, ribs, chicken thighs, salmon filets, etc.)
Pick one or more vegetables to accompany it (half an avocado, asparagus, broccoli, side salad, peppers and onions, etc.)
Choose a cooking oil for both the protein and vegetable(s) (animal fat, olive oil, avocado oil — just no “vegetable” or canola oils!)
Combine one or more spices and coat the protein (garlic, oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
This can also be done for the veggies — same combo or different!
Choose a cooking method for both the protein and veggies
Protein — grilled, pan-seared, broiled, baked, pressure cooked, air fried, etc.
Veggies — sauteed in a pan with the oil, grilled, roasted in the oven with oil, etc.
This is literally what my husband and I do at home and it works beautifully — takes all the struggle out of figuring out what to eat or trying to find and follow a recipe.
