{"id":29056,"date":"2018-01-02T19:27:42","date_gmt":"2018-01-03T02:27:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/?p=29056"},"modified":"2023-02-24T10:53:11","modified_gmt":"2023-02-24T17:53:11","slug":"eat-healthy-on-a-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/eat-healthy-on-a-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Eat Healthy on a Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Christmas is over. New Year\u2019s Eve has come and gone. Another year is in the books! Time flies doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

The first few days of the New Year are an opportunity for reflection of the past year; the people that we\u2019ve met, the things that we\u2019ve done, and the places that we\u2019ve gone.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, for many of us, this self-reflection also includes regret\u00a0about the things that we didn\u2019t do. Particularly, the goals that we wish we had achieved. It\u2019s just human nature to overlook the positives and hone in on the negatives \u2013 of all the great things that happened in the past year, the feeling that resonates most is guilt. If this is you, you\u2019re not alone. Perhaps this guilt is amplified by the events of the past couple of weeks where \u201ceverything in moderation\u201d became excessive consumption of food and drink.<\/p>\n

Whatever the reason, get over it! It\u2019s done. Self-loathing and self-pity won\u2019t help you. You simply CAN NOT change the past \u2013 what has happened HAS happened. But, while you cannot change the past, you can certainly take control of the future.<\/p>\n

But\u2026 it has to start now!<\/p>\n

From Guilt to Excuses<\/h3>\n

In your reflection, your guilt may turn into rationalization and justification. Why you didn\u2019t do this and why you didn\u2019t achieve that.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a common excuse that I hear all the time: I wanted to eat\u00a0healthily\u00a0but eating healthy is\u00a0too<\/em>\u00a0expensive.\u00a0If this is truly what you believe and it is truly this belief that keeps you from eating healthy, let me tell you this: eating healthy\u00a0can\u00a0<\/em>be expensive \u2013 it doesn\u2019t have to be.<\/p>\n

Simply by refining a few habits, not only will you eat healthy without breaking the bank,\u00a0but you may also save money (perhaps another one of your resolutions).<\/p>\n

Eating Healthy on a Budget<\/h3>\n

How do I know that eating healthy doesn\u2019t have to be expensive? From experience of course! I eat healthy while not spending a fortune on food. Here are the top 5 habits of someone who eats healthy on a budget:<\/p>\n

Cook as many of your meals as possible: eating out, while convenient, is the most obvious way that you\u2019re overspending on food. This is especially\u00a0true\u00a0if you\u2019re looking for healthy options. You pay a massive premium for convenience.<\/p>\n

Example #1<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 2 eggs and a slice of toast will cost $3.50 almost anywhere you go. To prepare this meal at home would cost you less than a dollar (and about 5 minutes). Might not sound like a massive difference but twice a week, over the course of a year\u2026 it adds up!<\/p>\n

Example #2<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Self-serve salad bar with nuts and chunks of chicken breast will cost $7.00 to $10.00. To make a spinach salad with chicken breast at home, you will spend less than $5.00. Yes, you may have to sacrifice a bit of variety but do you really need the pickled beets and the baby corn?<\/p>\n

Plan your meals in advance: by heading into your meals with a plan, you won\u2019t have to make impulsive choices. Impulsive choices, as it pertains to food, usually mean eating out and eating junk.<\/p>\n

Thought #1<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 I\u2019m\u00a0really<\/em>\u00a0hungry but I don\u2019t know what to eat. I\u2019d like to find a healthy option but there\u2019s a McDonald\u2019s next door and a Big Mac is much cheaper and much quicker\u2026<\/p>\n

Thought #2<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 I\u00a0could<\/em>\u00a0go to the grocery store and pick up ingredients for a meal but\u2026 it\u2019s $0.25 wing night. It\u2019s cheap and I\u2019m feeling too lazy to cook tonight.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t purchase junk foods: if it\u2019s not in your pantry, you won\u2019t (can\u2019t) eat it. If it is then you will. Nothing complicated about that! And, you will save money.<\/p>\n

Excuse #1<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 I probably shouldn\u2019t eat those Oreos but I can use a little snack\u2026 one or two (or ten) can\u2019t hurt.<\/p>\n

Excuse #2<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 I probably shouldn\u2019t eat those chips but I already bought them\u2026 can\u2019t let them go to waste!<\/p>\n

Pick 10 recipes that you love and recycle them: by having a set of go-to recipes, you never have to guess. Your meals will be predictable and planned while having the variety that you need.<\/p>\n

Reason #1<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Eventually, you will know your recipes by heart meaning that cooking will be quick and easy.<\/p>\n

Reason #2<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 You will know exactly what you need to purchase at the grocery store and where they are\u00a0located \u00a0meaning\u00a0that shopping will be quick and easy.<\/p>\n

Reason #3\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>- After a while, you will have many of the ingredients (spices, etc.) on hand and whatever you don\u2019t have, you can buy in bulk meaning that you will spend less money on groceries.<\/p>\n

Use simple foods\/ingredients: cooking is great and will save you money. That\u00a0is,\u00a0if you use discretion. If you insist on making complicated 20-ingredient meals then yes, eating healthy will be expensive and time-consuming (this holds true for unhealthy eating as well). The concept of simplicity can help you in other areas of life as well.<\/p>\n

Bonus \u2013 Make your coffee at home or drink office coffee.<\/p>\n

Cheap and Healthy Foods<\/h3>\n

To elaborate on the concept of simple ingredients, here is a list of 7 nutrient-dense foods\/ingredients that I use almost daily that don\u2019t cost much. Make these the staple of your diet:<\/p>\n

1) Beans and Legumes \u2013 packed with protein, iron, and vitamin B. They are also a great source of fiber. They are extremely versatile and can be added to almost any dish!\u00a0<\/em>Can be as little as $0.75 for a can<\/em><\/p>\n

2) Peanut Butter \u2013 loaded with healthy fats and protein (see\u00a0blog\u00a0on the benefits of\u00a0dietary fats). It is also a great source of fiber. Just be careful, it\u2019s addicting!\u00a0Can be as little as $4.00 for a kg jar<\/em><\/p>\n

3) Eggs \u2013 a great source of protein and healthy (good) cholesterol. Sunny-side up, poached, hard-boiled? You decide!\u00a0Can be as little as $3.00 for a dozen<\/em><\/p>\n

4) Oatmeal \u2013 a great source of fiber and protein. It also helps lower levels of bad cholesterol. This recommendation is not to be confused with the sugar-infused pre-packaged oatmeal!\u00a0Can be as little as $3.00 for a kg bag<\/em><\/p>\n

5) Kale \u2013 low in calories while being one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. High in fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C \u2013 what more can you ask for? Can be as little as $1.00 for a bunch<\/em><\/p>\n

6) Frozen Vegetables \u2013 a high concentration of nutrients and vitamins. Be sure to steam your vegetables in order to preserve as many of the nutrients as possible. Frozen vegetables are also pre-chopped or pre-cut. Nutritious and convenient!\u00a0Can be as little as $3.00 for a 2kg bag<\/em><\/p>\n

7) Seeds and Nuts \u2013 \u00a0nutrient-rich and loaded with healthy fats. A bit more expensive than the other ingredients in this list but you don\u2019t need more than a small handful at a time!\u00a0Can be as little as $1.00 per 100g<\/em><\/p>\n

8) Bonus \u2013 Canned Tuna \u2013 packed with protein, each can having 30 grams of protein. Protein can be quite expensive. But, at a dollar a can, it\u2019s no surprise\u00a0that tuna is so popular in the bodybuilding community!\u00a0C<\/em>an be as little as $0.79 per can<\/em><\/p>\n

This is Your Year<\/h3>\n

No more self-loathing and self-pity. No more guilt. It\u2019s time to take control of your life and achieve the goals that you deserve to achieve. The tools for your success have been provided! It\u2019s your choice whether or not you use them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Christmas is over. New Year\u2019s Eve has come and gone. Another year is in the books! Time flies doesn\u2019t it? The first few days of the New Year are an opportunity for reflection of the past year; the people that we\u2019ve met, the things that we\u2019ve done, and the places that we\u2019ve gone. Unfortunately, for<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":41222,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[279],"tags":[457,458],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29056"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/387"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29056"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29056\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41233,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29056\/revisions\/41233"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}