The food we eat becomes our blood, our cells, our tissues, our thoughts and feelings. Are you familiar with the latest statistics regarding obesity and overweight? It’s scary! Look around. Do you remember so many overweight children a decade ago? What about the ‘modern’ diseases that attack every other person? How many times you’ve heard someone saying that the condition he has is simply inherited and there is nothing to be done? Well, let me disagree!
In fact, the solution is pretty easy to embrace. Food! And healthy food CAN be affordable.
Our bodies are intelligent. They know what to do if we just give them the right information.
Animals know how to eat healthily and what is their food without reading any books, without watching any movies. Humans are the same, or at least were the same. We knew what our food was, which food is healthy for us and which food makes us feel good, fit and strong. Nowadays millions and billions of euros are spent to influence people to eat foods that they would never dream of eating if not for that pile-up of influence, starting up from when we were just toddlers.
However, people are waking up, looking for more and more healthy options. Are you one of them?
We can all agree that time and money are the main issues that one might face when trying to switch to a healthier diet. Let’s read the TOP 7 tips on how to eat healthily when we haven’t won the lottery… yet!
Cook at home
I’m happy to have a Master’s degree in Tourism Management as I’ve been to many hotels and restaurants to complete my practice. Well, I’ve been in those kitchens. I’ve seen how food is cooked. And I know how overpriced it may be. Trust me, if you want to stay healthy, cook your food at home. It is so much cheaper to eat in than dining out. Think about it. You can feed a family of 3 for the same price you just paid for your dinner in a fancy restaurant. Moreover, you don’t really know how it was cooked and how quality the ingredients were. I think that no regular restaurant will serve you food that is prepared with extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, pink Himalayan salt, organic herbs from the garden and all the other bonuses you can get at home if you made this meal yourself. Yes, the downside here is the convenience you benefit when just ordering your dinner but isn’t your health more important? You can plan your meals ahead and cook for a couple of days or just prepare the ingredients in glass boxes, store them in the fridge and cook them later. If the grocery shopping bothers you, try to find the best online shop and place your orders with delivery right to your door. As simple as that.
Fruits and vegetables
The healthiest foods should be at the top of the shopping list. When you go shopping, buy fresh fruits and vegetables first. They are cheap and loaded with nutrients! Your body’s information, remember? Skip the pre-chunked, peeled, sliced, canned and packaged fruits and veggies as they are often more expensive and you definitely can’t tell how clean they were processed and for how long they stay in these boxes. It might be time-consuming for you to wash, peel and cut them but at least you know you did it right. Plus, these goods often go on sale so stock up on more and save!
Buy in bulk
If you like to be prepared for your grocery shopping, take a look online for discounts on what’s on your shopping list. If that is whole grains, for example, buy them in bulk. It’s often much cheaper to buy larger quantities of the foods that can last a bit longer. And it will save you a lot of money! Grains and beans, such as brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, oats, millet, quinoa, chickpeas and different kinds of beans are all available in bulk. This applies to nuts and seeds as well, just keep in mind to store them in glass jars in your fridge if you plan to stock up on larger quantities.
Shop what is in season
It has always been weird for me to see watermelons in winter. I’m afraid to look at the price too! Choose seasonal fruits and vegetables, best if they are local too. Seasonal products have lower prices and often go on sale at the end of the day. There will be time for watermelon. Just not in the winter. ☆
Make your own coffee and tea
One of the biggest expenses when being a student… Agree? A cup of coffee or a cup of tea is extremely overpriced. Take a minute and do the math. It takes just a few minutes in the morning to prepare your drink and pour it into the fancy travel tea mug. Starting day one, write down the amount you save each day and take a look in a month. You will feel amazing! ♡
Pack your lunch
The priceless advice for every full-time employee. Eating out is very expensive. Plus, as mentioned above, you never know how your meal was cooked. Making your own lunch box the evening before is way cheaper and much better for your health. You can always prepare a bigger dinner so a portion or two are left for your lunch the next day. Easy.
Avoid the junk
Junk food is empty calories. It will give you the feeling you’re full but on a cellular level, you will be starving. Why spend money on something that has little or no nutrients? Crackers, fancy drinks, sugary sweets are packed with unhealthy ingredients. Cutting down on these will give you the chance to spend on fresh and healthy products which will not only save you money but will also nourish your cells.
What is your way to eat healthier and save money?