Hey Fresh Fam, it’s Alex from the Social Media team here to prove that healthy eating doesn’t have to break the bank.

I speak from personal experience as a Certified Personal Trainer with a background in Dietetics when I say that in a world full of dollar menus and ingredient lists with words you can’t pronounce, there are healthy, home cooked meals waiting to be made. Eating healthy shouldn’t cost a fortune, and luckily it doesn’t have to. Just follow these simple hacks for healthy eating on a budget.

1. Grocery Store Cunning

A little grocery store cunning can go a long way. Focus on the perimeter to load up your cart with fresh produce, lean meat, eggs, whole wheat bread, and dairy. Look for any sale signs that may save you a few bucks here and there along the way ($10 savings per week = $520 saved per year).

2. ‘Tis the Season

Winter citrus, spring apricots, summer strawberries, and autumn apples give each season a unique, nostalgic feeling. Buying produce in season is the tastiest way to save money, introduce a variety of nutrients to your diet, and get you out of your recipe rut.

RECIPE: Harvest Flatbread with Butternut Squash, Apples, and Sage

3. Grow It Yourself

A little garden in your backyard or terrace can yield pounds of fresh produce every year.  Your meals can’t get more homemade than that.

READ MORE: DIY windowsill garden

4. Plan Ahead

Buying lunch everyday could cost you as much as a tropical get-away! $15 for lunch every work day, by the end of the year, adds up to $3900! Meal prepping today could mean drinking out of freshly cracked coconuts tomorrow.

READ MORE: Weeknight Meals Made Easy

5. Get More Nutritional Bang For Your Buck

Keep your wallet and your stomach full by buying inexpensive, nutrient-dense plate fillers like beans, chickpeas, brown rice, fresh spinach, non-fat Greek yogurt, or lentils. Meals like chili, parfaits, and salads are very filling because they’re a hodgepodge of nutritionally packed, inexpensive ingredients.

For example, if you replace a bag of chips per day ($1.00/bag) with a homemade side of crispy chickpeas or black beans ($0.10/serving), you would save $328.5 annually. Instead of 15 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein with the chips, you would get 1.5 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fiber, and 7 grams of protein with beans.

RECIPE: Smoky Beef and Poblano Chili

Speaking of beans, if you liked this post, we think you’ll love our hummus recipes too!