20 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget

If you’re anything like me, then you love food. And if you’re anything like most Americans, then food is what you probably overspend on the most each month. Maybe you want to rein in that grocery budget, but you worry you can’t eat well while saving money.

Hey, eating healthy and living on a budget don’t have to be competing goals. You can do both—and I encourage you to make eating well and healthy a priority! So, here are 20 tips to eat healthy on a budget. Ready, prep, go!

20 Tips to Eat Healthy on a Budget

You don’t have to put all 20 of these tips into action right away. Start with the first three, and then experiment with more and more suggestions as you go through the month. Take small steps. Save big money. That’s what I’m talking about!

1. Know your numbers. (Make a spending plan and budget for groceries.)

What’s the first step to eating healthy on a budget? You’ve got to know your numbers. Don’t even step into the store unless you know how much you’ve budgeted this month for food! If you don’t, that’s a recipe for overspending. You have to make a budget for food. Yes—you need a spending plan for groceries each and every month!

Here’s how: Look back at your last couple of bank statements. What did you spend on groceries each month? That’ll give you a starting point to decide how much you’ll spend this month. This will get easier the longer you budget. It may take you about three months to get it right—but keep at it.

There’s no set-in-stone budget percentage for how much you should spend on the grocery budget line. But if you’re curious, the average family of four spends between $992–1,605 a month on groceries.^1,2

2. Make a meal plan for the week and stick to it.

Meal planning—it’s good for your body and your wallet. Just like you need a budget for your spending, you need a meal plan for your food. I like to keep my weekly plans easy and plan each day by category: sandwiches on Monday, tacos on Tuesday, soup on Wednesday, and so on. This takes some of the sting off that inevitable “What’s for dinner?” question. And this knocks down the number of last-minute decisions I need to make when I think about what I’ll whip up for dinner. And hey—some nights, we’re hitting the drive-thru. When you know you’ll be working late or catching a ballet recital after school, go ahead and schedule convenience into your plan.

3. Stick to a list.

Take an inventory of ingredients you already have in your pantry, fridge and freezer. Compare what you’ve got to what’s needed for your meal plan. See if your grocery store has any deals available so you can buy the other ingredients based on the weekly sale. Make a list of only what you need to round out your meal plan, and you’ll save more money and waste less food. Win-win!

• The best grocery lists are organized by aisle, or at least by store section. This keeps you from browsing all over while you shop (because that’s a guaranteed way to end up with a load of junk food in your cart).
• Keep your list on your phone’s Notes app or write it down. Don’t try to remember everything yourself.
• Be firm with yourself. Practice saying these words in your head: “It’s not on my list.” Then, put the Keebler cookies back!

Remember, you put a grocery list together on purpose based on your meal plan, your store’s sales and any coupons.

4. Commit to cooking just 4 meals at home.

Busy weeks equal temptation. We all know it. Kids’ baseball games, long workdays and other errands piled on top make grabbing greasy fast food sound like a good idea. No shame! Own this. Beat this. How? Cooking at home at least four times a week. I like to say, “Cook four, no more.”

Try our free Meal Planner to save money on groceries!

If you can do more, great. But don’t overwhelm yourself when you’re starting to get your ducks in a row. I don’t expect you to go from zero home-cooked meals to 14 or 21 overnight. And neither should you! In a pinch, leftovers are an easy way to stretch your meals. Also, keep some healthy nonperishable snacks in your car to keep the munchies (and grocery budget) under control. If you need to order pizza or plan for a convenience meal on a super busy day, just make sure it’s in your meal plan.

5. Compare prices at multiple grocery stores.

Loyalty is a super important quality in friends and employees, but don’t let loyalty keep you stuck shopping at a grocery store you can’t afford.

Look online at store promotions. Ask friends where they shop, and what for. Don’t listen to people who care about the music over the loudspeaker—listen to the ones who care about saving big bucks at stores you ignore! Then, take their advice. Find the cheapest grocery store, and see how much you can save by shopping somewhere new.

6. Use coupons and cash-back apps.

Whether you clip them or click them, don’t forget the power of coupons. Most supermarkets have mobile apps full of coupons to help you score some great savings. Download the apps and use them as you make your grocery list. But be careful. Only buy what you need and don’t buy something just because it’s a great deal.

7. Save up for when special items go on sale.

Sometimes stores will offer deep discounts on specialty items, like grass-fed beef, body care products and vitamins, or household goods (like the “good” paper towels, if you know what I mean). If you know these sales hit once a month or seasonally, plan ahead and save for those items so you can stock up until the next sale.

And when you find a coupon to use on something already on sale that week, that’s grocery-buying gold!

8. Focus on fresh or frozen whole foods, not packaged goods.

Hey, you know what isn’t healthy and racks up your grocery bill? Processed food. I’m talking about things like chicken nuggets, pizza pockets, cookies made by elves, boxed mashed potatoes, frozen dinners or prepackaged meals, potato chips and other salty snacks. They aren’t doing your health any favors, and they’re an easy way to overspend. The healthy stuff is actually good for you—and less expensive if you know how to shop. Another win-win.

Here’s my rule: If you can’t buy fresh fruits and vegetables, buy frozen. If you can’t buy frozen, buy canned. And also—if you think ramen is cheap, there are healthier (cheap) options. You can do a lot with brown rice, lentils, tomatoes and beans without the sodium and artificial ingredients.

9. Swap soda and energy drinks for water.

It’s crazy how easy it is to drink your calories (and drain your budget) just by pumping your body full of soda. Even “healthy” fruit juices can be packed full of sugar.

To save cash and calories, try switching to water and straight-up black coffee as your beverages of choice. It might sound like torture at first, but you’ll be surprised by the impact it can have on your body and your budget over the long haul.

10. Buy some things in bulk.

Bulk purchasing isn’t always the best way to save—but sometimes it is. Before buying something in bulk, ask yourself these five questions:

1. Can I eat it or use it before it’ll go bad?
2. Is the price per ounce cheaper?
3. Do I have space for this larger quantity?
4. Will I really use it?
5. Do I need to buy this now, or can it wait?

If you can answer yes to all these questions, then go for it! Buy those things in bulk so you can save in bulk.

And here’s one more thing: Consider your family size before buying in bulk. If you have a house of teenage boys, it might make sense to buy a pallet of five dozen eggs for their breakfasts. But if you live alone and just want to make an omelet here and there, buying a dozen eggs at a time would do you just fine.

11. Shop online.

Have you tried buying groceries online? These days, about two-thirds of adults are in on this shopping method.³ You can fill your virtual shopping cart from anywhere. Then, pick up your order or have it delivered to you.

There may be added costs depending on where you shop, but don’t let the service fee discourage you. If you tend to get sidetracked in the actual store and buy things that aren’t on your list, this option can keep you on track. You’ll probably save more in the long run—fee or no fee—because you can see your spending total as you add and remove items to your digital cart.

Here’s a tip: If online grocery shopping isn’t your thing, have the in-store cashier help keep you accountable. Tell them you can only spend your budgeted amount, in cash, and have them remove items after you hit your spending limit.

12. Know which organic groceries are worth it.

If you want to purchase organic produce without busting the budget, focus on just the dirty dozen items: strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery and potatoes. These are the 12 kinds of produce that usually have the most pesticides, so they’re the best ones to buy organic.

If you can buy more organic foods, do that. But it’s not the end of the world if you stick to conventional. Just give your fruits and veggies a good soak in vinegar and baking soda to get them squeaky clean and free of any lingering pesticides.

13. Buy generic brands.

Research from the State of Personal Finance shows that two-thirds of Americans have noticed higher prices in the last three months, and that includes groceries. Going generic is a great way to combat increased grocery costs, especially for things like dairy, butter, cheese and baking ingredients. I won’t lie to you—Great Value coffee from Walmart might not taste as good as Starbucks. But for the savings, you can get used to the taste.

And you know what? Off-brand and brand-name items usually aren’t all that different when it comes to their actual ingredients or quality. Sometimes you’re drawn to a certain brand only because the company spent more on the packaging—not because they’re delivering a higher-quality product. But if you give generic brands a chance and decide you absolutely must have Starbucks, go ahead and budget for the brand-name.

14. Don’t shop hungry.

I know you’ve heard it before, but don’t shop hungry. That’s the surest way to load up on impulse buys and junk food—because everything salty or sweet is a major temptation on an empty stomach. Eat a healthy snack before you head out the door, or go shopping right after a meal. And for goodness’ sake, if you have kids, don’t bring them with you if you can help it. You never know what’ll end up in your cart when you’re not paying attention!

15. Few and fresh is best.

The problem with healthy produce is that it goes bad. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy it—just don’t buy more than you’ll eat. One easy fix is to get some produce that can ripen on your counter instead of decomposing there. That means you buy some yellow bananas for now and some green ones for later.

Rotate your produce picks based on what’s on sale and in season. And don’t look down on frozen fruits and veggies. If they have no added sugar or salt, they’re just as healthy!

Here’s my big takeaway: Only buy what you need for the week or month. If you can, buy local and seasonal. If you can’t do that, go for frozen or canned.

16. Have healthy snacks at the ready.

Don’t forget to buy more than just meals. You need healthy snacks on hand for everyone in the house. Keep some snacks at work too so you aren’t running to the snack machine every time your tummy growls. Some of my favorite cheap, healthy snack ideas are peanuts, string cheese, carrots and celery, apples and peanut butter, popcorn, and beef jerky.

17. Buy less meat.

Meat isn’t cheap. So try a meatless night (or two) each week to save space in the grocery budget. This opens the door for lots of other protein options—like beans, lentils, edamame, eggs, chickpeas, green peas (yes, really), tofu, quinoa, tempeh or nuts.

We’re talking breakfast for dinner with Greek yogurt and whole wheat pancakes, tons of salad options, and soups that fill your belly without emptying your bank account. You get the idea.

18. Do double duty—repurpose your leftovers.

When you repurpose ingredients or pick items you can use more than once, it keeps you from buying all-new things for all-new meals every mealtime. Take that extra chicken from taco salad night and throw it into some cheese quesadillas later in the week. And that bag of frozen turkey meatballs you served with marinara and zucchini noodles? It had too many meatballs for one meal. So serve the rest with low-sugar barbecue sauce on rice. (My tip for this approach? Don’t rely on recipes that need special single ingredients that you won’t reuse anytime soon.)

And once you make a meal, love your leftovers by having them for lunch the next day.

19. DIY your dietary preferences.

You can balance your health and your budget no matter what diet you’re working with. If you’re doing keto, Whole30 or Paleo, or if you’re vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian or working around food allergies, you can stick to your protocol. Here’s how.

First, look for stores that sell any special items you need for less. Then, stop buying packaged foods just because they have a label that matches your diet. That “keto-friendly” label is going to cost so much more! Instead, learn to make that food yourself. You’d be surprised at how some of those pricey fruit-and-nut bars or gluten-free cookies don’t take a ton of work or ingredients to create in your own kitchen.

20. Buy whole and do the prep.

Purchase your fruits, veggies and meats whole—and prep them yourself. That means you’re coring your own pineapples and dicing your own onions. Yes, it takes time to wash, peel and chop those whole carrots, but you’ll get way more fruits and veggies for far less money this way!

Bye-bye, baby carrots. Hello, extra cash. Yes, it’s a little extra work—but it’s one of the biggest tricks for eating healthy while staying on budget.

Best Places to Buy Cheap Groceries

Guess what? You don’t have to shop at grocery stores that market themselves as healthy to eat healthy—especially when they could care less about your budget. Here are some stores known for their cheap prices that totally sell healthy groceries too!⁴

• Aldi
• Market Basket
• WinCo Foods
• Lidl
• Trader Joe’s
• Costco
• Walmart
• Food 4 Less
• H-E-B
• Sam’s Club

Cheap Foods for Eating Healthy on a Budget

This list won’t fit into everyone’s idea of “healthy food.” But if you’re looking for a go-to list of cheap foods to help you create a healthy meal on a budget, this is a good place to start. You can select one food item from each category for a cheap, balanced meal:

Proteins

• Tuna
• Sardines or anchovies
• Cottage cheese
• Chicken breasts or thighs
• Ground beef or ground turkey
• Yogurt

Plant-Based Proteins

• Edamame
• Tofu
• Beans (black, cannellini)
• Lentils
• Green peas
• Quinoa

Carbohydrates

• Multigrain pasta
• Multigrain bread
• Oats
• Russet potatoes
• Brown rice
• Sweet potatoes
• Corn tortillas

Fats

• Peanut butter
• Cheese
• Nuts
• Avocado

Fruits and Vegetables

• Spinach
• Carrots
• Apples
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Oranges
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Onions
• Frozen fruits
• Frozen vegetables

Eating Healthy on a Budget Is Possible

I keep saying that word: budget. If you don’t have one or you’re in the market for a better one, check out the free budgeting app EveryDollar. It’s what I use when I’m planning my food spending each month.

I know that eating healthy on a budget is possible. You just have to be intentional, plan ahead, and stay laser-focused! Ultimately, your food budget is up to you. If you can free up a couple bucks by switching to generic cheese and milk, and that allows you to splurge on a bag of Starbucks coffee beans—by all means, do it. Your budget works for you. Now get cooking!