eating clean on a budget infographic

Whether you lot're trying to manage your weight, have more energy, or simply want to feel better, it's always a practiced idea to avert candy foods and follow a clean eating approach. Just, can you lot actually eat clean on a budget? This commodity shares practical tips and a 7-day repast plan on how to eat healthy without overspending.

Fresh fruits, vegetables, and raw meat on a counter

Clean Eating Budget Tips

I was recently challenged past a reader of Make clean Eating Kitchen equally to whether it's possible to consume clean on a strict budget? While I believe firmly that it's possible to follow a clean eating approach and salve money, I also know that information technology tin be challenging.

When I was studying nutrition at the academy-level, 1 of my assignments was to create a week-long repast plan for a family on a strict upkeep. I learned a lot from that project, plus I drew on my personal experience of living on a low budget and not having a lot of money for many, meany years of my life.

And then, these tips that I've compiled on how to eat clean on a budget come from both my preparation and my experiences. If you lot accept additional tips, delight do share them in the comments of this blog post!

one. Avert processed and packaged foods, including sodas, crackers, cookies, and candy

  • Why:
    • It'south tempting to reach for these options, since they're usually less expensive. Plus, junk food tastes expert and tin be hard to resist. While including processed foods in your diet sparingly isn't totally off-limits, you're better off making the bulk of your nutrition whole foods.
    • Processed foods have been linked to increased risk of health issues such as obesity, center disease, diabetes, and micronutrient deficiencies. Managing these diseases is expensive and may shorten your life span. Salubrious eating is so important for avoiding these diseases later over the long run.
  • How:
    • Store the perimeter of the grocery shop, or caput to the farmer'south markets (many take food stamps). Make full your cart with fresh foods showtime, then head into the inner aisles of the grocery store for packaged or bulk particular essentials, if needed. See my total Clean Eating Grocery List & Pantry Guide for a comprehensive list of foods to buy on a weekly basis.
    • See my entire alphabetize of make clean eating desserts for healthier alternatives to packaged cookies and cakes.

2. Increase water intake

  • Why:
    • We all know how important hydration is to our overall health. Consuming h2o, specially instead of beverages like soda or coffee, tin can reduce your risk of obesity or other diseases. H2o is essential for optimal digestion, good for you skin, and encephalon function.
  • How:
    • Instead of budgeting for sugary bottled drinks, consider using that money for a reasonably-priced water filter and fruits and vegetables that provide natural hydration. And, make your coffee and tea at abode–save those overpriced coffee shop drinks for special occasions.

3. Buy in majority

  • Why:
    • If yous regularly use certain foods or products, yous can save money by purchasing in bulk. Whole grains, beans, spices, stale fruits, basics and seeds are all bachelor in majority. Buying in majority ways you lot have a lower unit price and an overall lower grocery bill. This too equals less trips to the grocery store, saving gas coin and reducing stress. Plus, having food on manus prevents impulse take-out orders that really add upwards.
  • How:
    • Consider purchasing a membership from a big box store like Costco or Sam's Club. Yous tin can become canned or frozen vegetables in bulk, and even fresh produce and meat are bachelor at many locations. They besides offer organic options at low prices. Run into my shopping listing for the all-time gluten-costless products at Walmart!
    • If you want to avoid big box stores, research CSA memberships in your area. Get to know your local farmers and explain your budget–y'all may be surprised by the options available to you lot. Y'all can even dissever a membership with neighbors for budget-friendly local eating.
bag of oats in the bulk section at a grocery store.

four. Consider frozen vegetables as they are by and large more budget-friendly and are just as nutritious as fresh

  • Why:
    • A bag of frozen organic broccoli could cost one-half as much as a pocketbook of fresh pre-cut florets. It also doesn't spoil in two days and tin exist purchased in bulk. And, every bit a bonus, frozen vegetables are often More nutritious, since they're harvested at superlative freshness in their natural growing seasons.
  • How:
    • Fill your cart with frozen veggie and fruit options get-go. If you tin can't find something frozen, or need the fresh version for a specific method of grooming (tip: frozen veggies roast up exactly like fresh ones!) then you can caput back to the fresh produce section.
    • You lot might like my recipes for how to make Roasted Frozen Broccoli Florets or Air Fryer Frozen Light-green Beans.
Frozen vegetables stacked together

v. Choose establish-based poly peptide sources like lentils, beans, and edamame

  • Why:
    • There are many reasons you may choose plant-based poly peptide, ranging from moral to wellness reasons, just a big reason is that sources of constitute protein are overwhelmingly cheaper than meat or fish. They likewise provide fiber, something that is lacking in many Americans' diets, especially on a smaller food upkeep.
  • How:
    • Make the majority of your protein sources at meals establish-based. As a bonus, institute-based protein sources are often great sources of carbohydrates also, reducing the need to buy separate grains. A high-protein, depression-toll, and low-try plant-based repast might look like slow cooker chili made with lentils and beans instead of meat. Run across all of my vegan recipes.

6. Make your ain sauces and toppings

  • Why:
    • You lot'll pay a premium for pre-made sauces, dressings, and toppings. Manufacturers and stores assume you lot don't have the time or desire to make your own, and then they mark up simple condiments. And past making your own, you have command over the ingredients.
  • How:
    • Did you know that a simple and delicious vinaigrette tin can cost less than a fraction of the shop-bought canteen, taste just equally practiced, and take less than v minutes to make?
    • Instead of buying pre-fabricated condiments, utilize Pinterest or my clean eating recipe index to search for simple recipes and add them to your recipe box. You lot'll eventually become confident enough to experiment on your ain, or whip up deceptively piece of cake recipes like Thai peanut sauce (using that peanut butter you bought in majority)!
    • Exist sure to use quality oils like olive oil and avocado oil in your homemade sauces and dressings. Run into my list of the healthiest and safest cooking oils for your kitchen.
A jar of homemade pesto

vii. Use beast proteins as a condiment or for flavoring

  • Why:
    • Brute proteins are notoriously pricy. Ethically-raised, nutritious meat is fifty-fifty more expensive – but don't let that push you into supporting feedlots. In many countries similar China where meat is too expensive to have on a daily basis, meat is used sparingly as a side dish or condiment instead of equally a main dish.
  • How:
    • Try limiting your meat portions instead of making them the star of the dish. For example, make a stir-fry filled with veggies and good for you grains, and sprinkle in 2 ounces of chicken or beef. Ignore staged recipe photos with a six ounce slab of salmon–yous can become the benefits from one-half that serving size. If you're worried about protein intake, yous can always add in some constitute-based protein to supplement.

8. Stock upwards on the "Clean 15" produce items that don't demand to be purchased organic

  • Why:
    • You don't need to buy organic food for everything. Some fruits and veggies are sprayed less, so they're rubber to buy conventional –these are dubbed the "Make clean fifteen". Stocking up on these options volition prevent you from having to pay the organic marking-up as oft.
  • How:
    • Consult the Ecology Working Group's Muddy Dozen list when planning your grocery list. In general, anything with a thick pare or that is grown underground (such as sweetness potatoes) is safe to buy conventional. Any produce particular on the Dirty Dozen list should be purchased organically or avoided.

9. Spend some time each calendar week meal planning or prepping so you always know what you are going to have each solar day (helps prevent the need to grab fast food)

  • Why:
    • Meal planning is far from eating the same meal every 24-hour interval. By sitting downwardly and writing out your daily meals – including room for leftovers! – yous reduce impulse fast food purchases.
  • How:
    • Determine how many meals you'll need and how many servings. You can also include a healthy snack for each day. Scan Pinterest or your favorite recipe blogs for inspiration, and plug your healthy meals into a simple solar day planner. Then, write your grocery list and stick to it! Encounter more than of my meal prep tips for beginners.
Fresh fruits and vegetables for a meal plan

10. Don't waste annihilation

  • Why:
    • Follow in our grandmothers' footsteps and make use of everything you lot take before buying anything else. Food waste is a huge problem in the U.s.a. – not to mention that the average family throws out about $ane,600 worth of produce annually. Past not utilizing everything you buy, y'all're just leaving money on the table.
  • How:
    • When you plan your meals, cull a few base ingredients and create multiple meals around those to ensure yous're using upwards all your produce and poly peptide. Other tips include using veggie scraps to make a broth or carrot tops to make a pesto. This is another great time to opt for the freezer: either by purchasing frozen veggies so they don't go bad, or freezing whatever leftover groceries to apply later.

11. Avoid pre-chopped vegetables or prepared meals/ingredients

  • Why:
    • Merely similar with condiments, manufacturers and stores mark up pre-chopped vegetables and fruits and make a ton of money on prepared meals. They take reward of the boilerplate American's busy schedule. But, with careful planning, y'all can avert these plastic-covered pre-chopped veggies (that actually spoil quicker than their whole counterparts)! The exception to this is frozen produce, which is usually cheaper and ofttimes already chopped.
  • How:
    • Keep your recipes simple. If you have express fourth dimension to repast prep or cook, is that recipe calling for fresh chopped butternut squash really worth information technology? Instead, lean on hands-prepared staples like potatoes, legumes, summer squash, and leafy greens.

12. Opt for less expensive animal poly peptide

  • Why:
    • If you yet want some animal protein in your diet but don't want to spend a ton, opt for less expensive options. The money you salvage can become towards buying organic or wild-caught versions.
  • How:
    • Eggs, canned fish, and broths are amazing sources of poly peptide and nutrients that cost significantly less than meat or fresh-defenseless versions. Eggs last for weeks in the refrigerator, canned fish is like shooting fish in a barrel and inexpensive, and you can make your own broth from the chicken you roasted the other mean solar day (some other way to avoid food waste)!
A poached egg on toast

13. Shop the sales and don't buy out of season

  • Why:
    • Almost every grocery shop has sales on a daily basis. In that location'south no reason not to take advantage of the sales – you can salve serious money on items you lot were already planning to purchase, or even utilise the opportunity to try new things.
    • Along a similar line, try not to buy produce out of season. For example, ownership blueberries in December will set yous back manner more than if it were June.
  • How:
    • Grab a flyer or download their app to search for sales and effort to align your grocery trip with the days your favorites are on auction. And don't forget to utilise coupons if they're bachelor – it makes a difference! If some other brand of milk is on sale while your favorite isn't, consider trying the auction brand.
    • When it comes to out of season produce, either avert it or choose frozen, and plan your meals according to what'southward in season. Hither is a great seasonal produce guide.

14. Say "no" to wellness culture products

  • Why:
    • Supplements and additives tin can be really fun and spice upwardly a meal, but they're merely not necessary for the majority of people. You don't need products like cacao nibs or bee pollen to be healthy.
  • How:
    • Unless you have a specific health condition and have been instructed by a doctor, you don't need to spend your money on supplements or special products like adaptogens or poly peptide powder.
    • The same goes for specialty items like gluten-gratuitous products. If you want to include these items occasionally, be sure y'all are budgeting appropriately, and purchase them on sale or in bulk.
tips to eating clean on a budget infographic

7-Twenty-four hour period Clean Eating Weekly Meal Programme on a Budget

Along with my tips for Clean Eating on a Budget, I've too created this budget-friendly meal plan that merely used real food ingredients. You'll see that at that place are no packaged items included in this repast plan, simply it's likewise budget-friendly using staples like oats, potatoes, beans, frozen vegetables, and found proteins.

Feel free to swap out any meals with ingredients you don't like with similar recipes. You can always refer to my Make clean Eating Recipe Index that has hundreds of easy recipes. And, don't miss my ballsy Clean Eating Nutrient List that includes a comprehensive guide to what is included in a real food diet.

A few of my other favorite healthy budget-friendly sites include Budget Bytes and A Mindful Mom.

Chicken with rice and vegetables

Monday

  • Sweet Spud Apple tree Breakfast Hash
  • Chickpea Tuna Salad served in tortilla
  • Panda Limited Mushroom Craven (copycat recipe)

Tuesday

  • Strawberry Banana Chocolate Smoothie
  • Vegetable Frittata
  • Gluten-Gratis Pasta Salad

Wednesday

  • Peanut butter chia pudding
  • Lentil Salad
  • Loaded baked sweet potatoes

Th

  • Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie
  • Salubrious Tuna Pasta Salad
  • Potato Zucchini Fritters

Fri

  • Whole30 Vanilla Chia Pudding
  • Coconut Lentil Curry
  • Black Bean Burgers

Sabbatum

  • Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
  • Tofu scramble
  • Spaghetti

Sunday

  • Oat Flour Pancakes
  • Leftovers from the week
  • Sweet Potato Craven Coconut Curry

Snacks & Treats

  • Carrot sticks & peanut butter or almond butter
  • Cheese (if you aren't on a dairy-free nutrition)
  • Seasonal fresh fruit or stale fruit
  • Basics or seeds
  • Difficult-boiled eggs

Or, see my entire list of the best clean eating snacks.

budget friendly weekly meal plan

Conclusions

Even when you lot're on a strict budget, you can still eat clean and swallow a healthy diet total of real, unprocessed foods. This commodity provides a comprehensive list of tips and a healthy meal programme to eat well and salve money. By planning ahead, you can avoid the temptation and need to buy unhealthy foods, plus minimize your overall food neb.

If you lot like this post, consider following me on social media and so we tin stay connected. I'yard on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

Notation: this post is for informational purposes only and is non intended every bit medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for recommendations related to your individual situation.