HOW TO EAT HEALTHY ON A LOW BUDGET

When it comes to healthy eating, it often means a serious dent in your bank account. From the daily $10+ cold-pressed juices to the $500+ week-long detox meal plan, staying slim on a budget is harder than it sounds. Here, 6 food tips to stay healthy and save money. 
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    source:harpersbazaar

1) Buy the Basics: Grocery shopping for the essentials doesn't have to pricey, and stocking up on these things will give you room to create an array of nutritious meals. Think eggs, avocados and whole grain bread, paired with anything from chili flakes and lemon to feta and scallions for your own iterations on avocado toast. Leafy greens like romaine, arugula and kale are cheap and give you the perfect base for any salad with other affordable additives like chickpeas, tomatoes, broccoli, tofu, lentils and sweet potatoes. Pears, bananas and watermelon are some of the most affordable fruits on the market, and are great ingredients to add to any smoothie. Grapes, apples, and almonds are also inexpensive, and act as a go-to snack for anyone on the go.

2) Freeze It: While it's not rocket science to find affordable fruits and vegetables at the supermarket, the second they go out of season, their prices double. The next time you go food shopping, keep this in mind and stock up on what's seasonal so you can freeze it and save it when prices soar. Similarly, many pre-packaged frozen fruits and vegetables are very affordable, and are perfect in smoothies or for a light snack. Try frozen mango, berries, edamame or even frozen shrimp. 

Seasonal Cheat Sheet:

Fruits

Apples: August-November 

Apricots: May-July

Blackberries: May-October

Blueberries: May-August

Cherries: April-July

Grapefruit: January-April/December

Grapes: July-November

Melons: June-October

Peaches: May-October

Raspberries: May-November 

Strawberries: March-November

Watermelon: May-September

Vegetables 

Artichokes: March-June/September-December

Asparagus: February-June

Brussels Sprouts: January-June/Septemebr-December

Cucumbers: June-November 

Green Beans: June-September

Peppers: May-December 

3) Brew At Home: Recent studies on the health benefits of coffee show that it can speed up your metabolism, boost cortisol levels and is a sure way to optimize your time at the gym. It's also a great thing to sip on between your daily water intake, filling you up and helping keep you hydrated. However, that cup of jo doesn't always come cheap. According toAOL.com, a 6-ounce cup of coffee made at home, at about 17 cents a cup per day, adds up to $1.19 a week and $62.05 a year. A 16-ounce grande coffee from Starbucks, at $2.29 per day, adds up to $16.03 per week, and a crazy $835.85 per year. Take the time to start brewing your own at home, and watch the savings pile up. 

4) Plan Ahead: As simple as this seems, planning out your meals for the week not only means you can save on supermarket purchases because you're actually buying what you need, but also means you won't stray from the healthy foods you're trying to consume. Having a game plan helps save your wallet and your waist. 

5) Spiralize Away: Spiralizing your food has become a recent health craze, and the good news is things like squash and zucchini are cheap buys. You can also buy a spiralizer for less than $10, and trust us—you will definitely get your money's worth. Make zucchini pasta with pesto and shrimp, or drizzle squash linguini with olive oil and sage. Get inspired with more recipes at inspiralized.com. 

6) Thrifty Juice Kick: While cheap juices are few, far and in-between, they do exist. In New York, some of the best juices are from the juice trucks found on numerous street corners, and come in at around $4-6. Another affordable juice find is at Trader Joe's, where their cold-pressed green juice is priced at $4.99. We'll drink to that.