Today is my last post on eating healthy on a budget. So far we’ve talked about what healthy eating looks like, general tips and affordable proteins. Today I want to talk about veggies, because it’s really important that even as things get tight, you don’t skimp on veggies…
I know, I know, I know, veggies are getting so expensive. Here’s a few tips to keep them affordable:
Eat what’s in season (seasonal veggies are usually cheaper). Also potatoes, carrots and onions are usually cheap year round and can form a great base to start with. But it’s still important to include a diverse range of veggies, including leafy greens.
Shop at a farmers market if you can. You will often find cheaper veggies that are beautifully fresh, keep longer and haven’t lost all their nutrients and flavour (because they’re usually picked that day or the day before).
Check out the frozen veggies. These are often cheaper and have more nutrients than what’s “fresh” in the supermarket as they are frozen almost immediately after picking which means they’ve maintained most of their nutrient content. On the other hand, most of the veggies in the “fresh” section of the supermarket have been in cold storage for long periods and even transport time means they’ve lost a lot of nutritional value.
Have a look for the “odd bunch” options. These might be less than perfect but just as good and cheaper.
Grow something. I LOVE my veggie garden and will admit it’s bigger than most vegetable gardens (actually it’s bigger than most back yards), but even if you’re not really a gardener or don’t have much space, you can supplement your veggie budget with a small garden. There’s a lot you can grow in a 1m2 space or even a pot. Whether a few leafy greens (silverbeet and kale are super easy and you just keep picking them, same with continual harvest lettuce), zucchini is super easy to grow in summer and one plant will give you AMPLE zucchini’s. Or even grow some herbs. Fresh herbs aren’t cheap to buy (and don’t last well) but add so much flavour to food and pack a great nutritional punch.
Fermented foods are incredibly good for us. Not only do they contain huge amounts of live good bacteria, helping maintain a healthy gut and immune system, but they also have increased nutrient profiles. The cheapest way to do this is to make your own. A large jar (or crock) of sauerkraut for example will cost you 1 cabbage and a small amount of salt – that’s it! There’s heaps of information online about how to do this. I’ve also included some links and resources in my blog posts on fermented foods and beverages (so check out my past blog posts). And you don’t need to eat huge amounts – you can if you want - but you only need a small condiment size serve each day to really boost your health.
Well I think that about covers all my main tips on eating healthy on a budget. As I said in part one - although it’s tempting to skimp as things get tight, healthy food shouldn’t be the thing we sacrifice, because one way or another we still pay. But healthy eating doesn’t have to be unaffordable – it just might require a change of thinking, a bit of planning, searching some recipes online; and maybe a bit of extra work, but it will be worth it in the pay off.
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