BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Sometimes it can seem like processed foods with low nutritional value are less expensive than healthy foods.
For someone on a budget, it can be tempting to purchase the seemingly cheaper yet less nutritious item.
But, according to the Mayo Clinic, it is possible to enjoy healthy foods while sticking to a reasonable budget.
The five suggestions below may be helpful in accomplishing this:
Replace expensive cuts of meat and fish with cheaper, plant-based proteins
Switch out the salmon or beef for inexpensive plant-based proteins like tofu, chickpeas, or lentils.
Stock up on inexpensive whole grains
Oatmeal, rice, and whole-grain noodles are great options. Oatmeal is a healthy, inexpensive whole grain with no added salt or fat. Rice also is inexpensive, and whole-grain noodles are also healthy and typically inexpensive.
Use for freezer
When whole grains and seasonal vegetables/fruits are on sale, stock up and freeze them.
Treat yourself to a daily smoothie
Frozen fruit and fresh fruit that’s in season are typically inexpensive. It’s fairly easy to combine two or three of your favorite fruits in a blender with some ice and make a simple yet nutritious smoothie.
Swamp fresh fish for packaged or tinned fish
Instead of spending $6.99 to $19.99 on fresh fish, try the packaged or tinned versions that run about $2.
Click here for more tips on how to eat healthy while sticking to a budget.
