A lot of people say they want to eat better but cannot afford to. There is a strong conviction that cooking healthy meals cost a fortune and as such, people rather opt for junk food that they believe is cheap. However, at a closer examination, the idea that healthy food costs a fortune is a myth. Some fast foods are not only expensive, but they also have terrible nutritional values. Also, even if fast food is cheaper, they become expensive in the long run.
Most fast foods are processed foods with little or no essential nutrients; regular consumption can lead to metabolic syndrome which has a cluster of conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart issues, fatigue, sluggishness and lack of energy, etc. At the end of the day, the money spent to treat these diseases would be a lot more than what could have been spent on healthy food and avoiding stress.
If you want to eat healthy food, you should order from the right companies. You can read healthy food service delivery reviews on US-Reviews to know the right companies to patronize. Besides, you can eat healthy foods on a budget. Here are some tips:
Turn leftovers into new meals
Make more than your family needs for dinner so that you can enjoy the leftovers as lunch. Throwing away leftovers is not a good habit and makes you spend more on food. There are lots of food ideas you can turn your leftovers into. To preserve them, you can simply refrigerate them till the next day. This way, you will be able to avoid having unhealthy food choices for lunch.
Be on the lookout for grocery store deals
You can find huge deals on meat, fish, beans, frozen fruits, etc. if you are always on the lookout for store deals. This way, you will get more healthy foods for less and use the change for something else. Don’t be quick to throw grocery store fliers into the trash can. Keep an eye on their websites as well. you can also call up grocery stores in your neighborhood to inquire about prices and deals.
Eat other sources of protein apart from meat
Meat provides a good quantity of protein, but it can be expensive. However, you don’t have to stick to meat alone. Canned foods such as tunas, sardines, salmon, etc. are great sources of protein too. They also provide other nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids. etc. You can opt for canned lentils and beans; they are versatile and rice with iron.
Store your food properly
You should always try to reduce food wastage and proper storage enhances that. Know the conditions which make the different types of foods thrive. For instance, apples keep longer when in the fridge and potatoes don’t sprout in cool and dark spots. Most foods keep longer when refrigerated.
Storing and cleaning your food properly also helps to avoid food-borne diseases. When buying produce, take note of the ones that are ripe or almost ripe. Use them first and keep the rest. This will make your food last throughout the week without any waste.