This is a guest blog post
My grandmother was young during the great depression that followed the stock market crash 1929. She didn’t have very much money but the family ate healthy food despite a budget that was extremely tight.
Granny often talked of having to eat lots of horsemeat because beef and pork were much more expensive. They also grew produce in the large family garden with turnips being the largest part of the crop because turnips kept so well in the root cellar.
I’m not suggesting you restrict your healthy meals to only turnips and horse meat. I only offered these up as an example of eating healthy foods on a budget. Turnips are more nutritious than potatoes and more flavorful as well.
To help save on your cost for fresh produce why don’t consider planting and harvesting your own garden? Another way is to buy direct from garden farmers. In addition to the meal budget savings, you’ll also be getting vegetables that are both better tasting and healthier for you.
Another excellent choice of healthy and inexpensive food is rice. I’ve spent quite some time in rural Asia where farmers grow plenty of rice and they keep enough around both to eat and to plant the next year’s crop. This rice is locally grown and the farming methods mostly organic. Rice is certainly a healthy choice that makes eating well on a budget easy. Getting rice directly from a farm in Asia might not be possible for you but anywhere in the world a bag of rice is not overly costly.
Your selection needn’t be the expensive organic or specialty blends of rice. I suggest opting for just the plain Jasmine rice from Southeast Asia. I know how it’s carefully grown and can attest to the amazing aroma and flavor Jasmine rice has when it is steamed in a rice cooker.
My last suggestion here on the subject of eating healthy on a budget doesn’t even have much to do with the food itself. Eat a meal before you go into the store. You may have heard this recommendation before and I can’t claim I was the first to ever say it but I’m glad to repeat the very good advice in case it’s new to you.
If you’re in a grocery store when you’re hungry your empty stomach will prompt you to buy the items that can be eaten immediately. But since you’re not quickly eating it, your belly will ask you for something else. Suddenly you could find you’ve blown much of your healthy food budget on not so healthy prepared quick dishes.
I’ll finish up here by reminding you that you are made of what you eat. Eat healthy foods to keep your health. Eating healthy meals on a budget will keep a healthier balance in your bank account too.
