10 Tips to Eat Healthy & Organic on a Budget

Maintaining a healthy and organic diet seems challenging as food prices continue to rise in the new year. However, with a strategic approach and a bit of creativity, it is entirely possible to nourish your body with wholesome foods without breaking the bank. 

Are you concerned that you can't keep your grocery spending within your budget and eat healthy at the same time? Try these 10 practical ways to eat healthy on a budget.

The good news is that if all these tips seem overwhelming to implement right away, you can start with one or two, and then introduce them one at a time. 

1. Meal Plan

Avoid spontaneous grocery shopping by planning your meals in advance. Create a weekly meal plan based on the items that are on sale, or in season. Start with what you have at home already. This not only helps you stick to a budget but to minimizes food waste. In our house, every Sunday I make a weekly meal plan. I used to go all out when the kids were little and planned every single meal from breakfast to lunch, dinners, and snacks. It is quite time-consuming. Instead, I only plan the dinners for a week and  keep a list of breakfast, lunch, and snack ideas (but make sure we have the ingredients for those ideas in the pantry and fridge)

2. Make a Grocery List

Once you know your meals for the week gather the ingredients you'll need for turning those healthy recipes into meals.

If you do a good job and plan meals around ingredients you already have in the house, your grocery list will not be too long. Once you are in the store, you need to be firm with yourself to stick to your list! The only exception you can make to deviate from your list is if staple pantry items are on sale. Ingredients such as rice, flour and meat that you can store or freeze for later. This takes us to the next tip…

3. Explore Frozen Options

Frozen organic fruits and vegetables are often more affordable than buying them fresh. You can stock up on frozen produce to have nutritious options readily available for quick and easy meal prep. Our family’s absolute favorites are the organic frozen berries, broccoli, cauliflower, and mixed vegetables from Costco. Hello, smoothies and roasted veggies!

4. Compare your grocery stores

• Look online for coupons and sales.
• Ask your friends where they shop and why.
• Use your loyalty accounts for more savings and rebates.

When I make my grocery list I know exactly what is worth buying at each store. As mentioned above, our frozen fruits and veggies always come from Costco so I know not to shop for them in another store. Pasture-raised eggs can be very expensive, so ask around to find a neighbor who has chickens and sells eggs. If you can't find a neighbor, the best price for organic, pasture-raised eggs is at Natural Grocers.

5. Buy Bulk

Purchase pantry staples like grains, legumes, and nuts in bulk. This not only reduces packaging waste but also allows you to take advantage of discounts on larger quantities.

Not everything is best to buy in bulk so make sure you can use it before it goes bad.  Look for local co-ops or bulk food stores where you can buy organic staples at a lower per-unit cost. 

My favorite store to buy bulk is Azure Standard. It had saved us probably hundreds of dollars already just on gluten-free flour alone. It is a free co-op where you shop online and pick up your items at a monthly “drop”. Here is our referral code to check it out 

Organic spices tend to be pricy too in their tiny, glass bottles. Check the bulk spices at your next Natural Grocers visit, you will be surprised how much you can save. 

6. Grow your own herbs

Create a small herb garden at home to add fresh flavors to your meals.

Growing herbs like basil, rosemary, cilantro, or mint in a small pot is simple and cost-effective. You can grow them during the winter in your kitchen windows as well. If you have the space, you can try growing your own vegetables during the summer. Find some creative ideas for small-space gardening on Pinterest.

7. Educate yourself on Label Reading

Understanding food labels and certification will help to make informed choices.

While the USDA organic label is ideal, some smaller local producers may not be certified but still adhere to organic practices. Knowing your local farmers and visiting farmers' markets during the summer and fall can open up more affordable organic options.

Also, do not be afraid of generic brands. Sometimes shoppers are drawn to certain brands not because the quality is better but only because the company spent money on more appealing packaging and advertising. We buy quite a few Trader Joe’s brands and Kroger's organic line of Simple Truth in our home. Don’t shy away from trying the store’s own organic line to save on your grocery bill. 

Learn to detect toxic, disease-causing ingredients on food labels during our 3 episode mini-series: Food Label Reading Challenge. Sign up to get the videos here.

8. Plan for meat-less meals

If you are a vegan or vegetarian, obviously, you already do this. However, the rest of us meat lovers know that quality meat isn’t cheap. So try a meatless night or two where you source your protein from beans, chickpeas, quinoa, or eggs.

Soups are very filling and there are plenty of recipes on the internet for meatless soups. If you have an extra freezer you can also save on meat by buying a share. Many farmers sell you ¼, or half a cow of different cuts and your price per pound comes out much more affordable than grocery store prices.

9. Repurpose your leftovers

When putting away your leftover meals do not just toss them in a fridge where they might get forgotten. Portion them out into "to-go containers" for lunches. It will make your plans a lot easier and keep the temptation at bay to go out to eat the next day.

Also, if you have plenty of leftovers and your family is not into eating the same meal for days, you freeze it and serve it a week or two later.

Here is one other idea: next time you have leftover mashed potatoes (which no one likes to eat on the second day, right?!) use it up to make potato pancakes. 

10. Be a cook

Needless to say, eating out not only strains your budget but often leads to consuming less healthy options. You have better control over the ingredients and preparation methods making it a more cost-effective and health-conscious choice. 

Furthermore, you can also save on diet-driven labels. Foods that are labeled keto, gluten-free, or whole 30 are going to cost you so much. Instead, you can learn to make them yourself. Do not be afraid to try new recipes and experiment in the kitchen. Baking a gluten-free bread at home might be easier than you think. There are plenty of recipes to create your own beef jerky, health bar, mayonnaise, and chicken stock at home.

Eating healthy on a budget is possible BUT you have to be intentional about it! By incorporating these practical tips into your lifestyle, you can make informed choices that benefit both your well-being and your wallet. 

Key Takeaways:

• Plan meals in advance
• Stick to your grocery list 
• Buy pantry staples in bulk to save on per-unit costs
• Grow your own herbs and try a garden at home
• Explore frozen organic options for affordable and long-lasting produce
• Make snacks and staples at home to control ingredients and costs
• Consider store brands for quality organic products at lower cost
• Know your stores and where each item on your list should be bought from
• Limit eating out and choose dining in the majority of the time
• Repurpose your leftovers into lunches and different meals
• Introduce meat-less nights each week

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