Eating Heart Healthy on a Budget
Here are some 5 tips to eat right on a budget:
1. Skip the meat!
Eat vegetarian meals more often. Select beans, peanut butter, and eggs as your protein source. This will cause less of a drain on your pocketbook and a great choice to promote heart health!
2. Reduce portion sizes.
Reduce your meat serving size to save. A serving of meat is 3 ounce (picture a deck of cards). For heart health begin to use meat as a “side” and fill your plate with a variety of heart healthy vegetables.
3. Select “in-season” fruits and vegetables!
Keep an eye out for special discounts and buy produce when it’s in season. Canned and frozen fruit and vegetables are good options. Stock up when there’s a sale. Select fruit in light syrup or packed in its own juice. Drain and rinse canned vegetables prior to preparing.
4. Think long term.
When you are trying to make ends meet on a budget it’s tempting to select less expensive (and less heart healthy) options. Keep in mind that less nutritious options tend to lack nutrient density which leads to overeating. For example, you’ll feel fuller after 1 slice of 100% whole wheat bread versus white bread. In a round about way you’ll save money in the long run by selecting nutrient dense foods even if the price tag is slightly higher.
5. Never shop on an empty stomach.
You’re much more likely to stray from your grocery list and buy more foods as well as select less nutritious choices. Not good for your heart health or your pocketbook.
Do you have any good strategies to save $’s while still eating a heart healthy diet? I’d love to hear them. Please share below!
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Make Heart Healthy Changes into Lifelong Habits
http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com
Great advice, Lisa. My husband and I are going back to vegetarianism due to concern for animals. We prefer it anyway. We will still eat eggs (only local because of cruel practices of debeaking, etc.) and cheese (only from Texas cows we can verify are treated well) and milk(this one we have not nailed down. We are planning to start with goat’s milk locally produced).
It’s nice to reconnect with you.
Btw, I shared this article on Facebook.
Ya great info I have had a hard time with my weight and know that I am at high risk for heart disease. My doc put me on this heart supplement called proargi9 and my insurance even covers it so I’m doing a lot better on that. It is for your heart. I have always looked for cheeper ways to eat more healthy so thats for this info.