Accessible Nutrition: Challenging the High-Cost Healthy Eating Belief

There’s a widespread belief that eating healthier foods costs astronomically more than so-called unhealthy foods. And if you’ve ever checked out with a cart full of items like imported produce and grass-fed beef, you may have a tendency to agree. But this doesn’t have to be the case! Any food – healthy or not – can be expensive without a little planning and preparation. Try one or a few of these strategies to eat well without breaking the bank.

Practice Meal Planning

A quick way to save money and eat healthier? Meal planning! Create a weekly plan and jot down a shopping list so you’re only purchasing what you need. Be sure to take advantage of any sales/deals as you plan. Another great strategy is to find recipes that use similar ingredients, which helps cut down on costs. Focus on recipes with inexpensive ingredients – potatoes, lentils, beans – to save even more money. A frugal but nutritious recipe will not only cut grocery costs but add diversity to your diet.

Get Creative with Your Produce

Many consider unfamiliarity with healthy cooking methods and high-cost barriers to healthy eating. Including produce is particularly tricky. Half of your plate should be filled with varied fruits and vegetables, but produce can be costly, challenging to prepare creatively, and even worse – go bad quickly. This leads to excess food waste. Learn how to recycle end-of-season ingredients to combat these issues:

• Repurpose ingredients in new dishes like a stir-fry or vegetable soup
• Freeze fruits and vegetables for later use – smoothies, soups, casseroles
• Try making your own vegetable broth or stock
• Make homemade jam/preserves

Try to stick to in-season produce. Besides being fresher, these fruits and veggies are offered at great prices. Still, have a hard time using produce before it goes bad? Consider buying frozen produce. It lasts much longer, can help save time with food prep, and serves as an affordable alternative to fresh produce. Frozen produce is also a fantastic option for adults living in areas of food insecurity, which according to a medical journal, represents a significant amount of the U.S. population.

Cook Meals at Home

The prices of prepared meals and fast food can be appealing. But as good a deal as they appear, they’re usually more expensive than preparing your own meal at home. Those costs are even higher if you consider things like delivery fees and tips. Cook simple and budget-friendly meals like a veggie stir-fry or slow cooker turkey chili to decrease your food costs and intake of added salt and sugar. You can even make your own healthy snacks instead of buying high-cost chips and prepared snacks. This also makes it easier to include more fresh, whole foods in your diet.

Include More Plant-Based Proteins

Animal proteins (like beef and seafood) are often the most expensive items on our grocery lists. To save costs without sacrificing healthier eating, try to plan a meal or two that utilizes plant-based proteins. This could include beans, lentils, or even tofu. These foods are fiber-rich and high in protein and provide a variety of nutrients essential for keeping your body healthy.

Eating more plant-based proteins does not mean you must become a vegetarian or vegan! It’s simply a way to reduce your food costs and switch up your diet to prevent food fatigue.

Look for Store Brands

Discover a new health food item you’d like to try? Opt for the generic or store brand instead. Generic and store brands are usually comparable in terms of quality to name-brand items – without the accompanying price tag. Just be sure to read the ingredients list before you buy. You want to look for similar ingredients and nutrition labels to ensure you’re receiving the same or similar health benefits as the name brand.

Buy Health Foods in Bulk

Low-cost healthy eating is made even easier with bulk buying. Bulk foods are often offered at lower prices than their small-quantity counterparts, saving you money on your essentials. They’ll also help reduce refill trips to the grocery store!

Be smart about the items you purchase in bulk. Buy bulk foods you like and will actually eat. You should also avoid purchasing items with a shorter shelf life like produce and dairy products. You don’t want to waste food! Focus on shelf-stable items or those with a longer shelf life so you’ll always have them on hand. Here are a few great options:

• Frozen fruits and vegetables
• Dried legumes
• Nuts and seeds (these go well with rice/pasta dishes and salads!)
• Canned goods
• Rolled oats
• Whole grains like rice and quinoa
• Flour

Shop Smarter

There are many ways to keep costs down as you grocery shop for healthy foods. In addition to creating a shopping list, you may want to try:

• Shopping the Perimeter - This helps you avoid pricey processed foods and stick to healthy food items like produce.
• Nixing the Prepared Food - Steer clear of convenience foods and prepared meals, which are often more expensive (and less healthy) than making the meal yourself from scratch.
• Opting for Frozen Alternatives - Frozen produce, poultry, and fish may help save you money while offering you the nutritional value you’re looking for.

Does Healthy Food Cost More?

It depends on a myriad of factors, from the type of food to availability. Foods like out-of-season produce and wild-caught fish certainly have higher prices than alternatives. But many Americans also live in so-called food deserts, areas where residents’ access to affordable, healthy food options is limited – specifically fruits and vegetables. This presents an especially significant barrier to healthy eating.

Some argue that it depends on how you measure the price, such as the price per average portion. One study found that unhealthy food costs less if you consider food costs per calorie since these foods typically feature high caloric amounts. However, this same study also established that healthy foods actually cost less if you measure price by edible weight or average portion.

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive. Meal planning and other strategies can help save costs and build your pantry with healthier foods. Just remember that healthy eating doesn’t have to happen overnight or involve drastic changes. Even just one smart swap can put you right on track to better nutrition.