10 Healthy Budget-Friendly Meal Planning Tips

Eating healthy on a budget can feel like a daunting task, but it's not impossible! With a little bit of planning and creativity, you can cook delicious and nutritious meals that won't break the bank. Here are some tips to help you eat healthy on a budget:

1. Plan your meals ahead of time: Take some time each week to plan your meals and make a grocery list. This will help you avoid impulse buying and ensure that you have all the ingredients you need to cook healthy meals. 
2. Shop for seasonal produce: Seasonal produce is often cheaper and fresher than out-of-season produce. Look for fruits and vegetables that are in season and plan your meals around them. If there is nothing appealing to you that is in season, frozen is fine and just as healthy. 
3. Buy in bulk: Buying in bulk can save you money in the long run. Look for bulk bins at your local grocery store or buy larger quantities of items that you use frequently but don't spoil as fast such as grains, beans, and nuts.
4. Use cheaper cuts of meat: Cheaper cuts of meat like chicken thighs, pork shoulder, and beef chuck are often more flavorful and tender than more expensive cuts. They're also great for slow cooking, which can save you time and money.
5. It's okay to use prepackaged meals: Cooking on a budget means working with what you've got. While cooking from scratch allows you more control over the ingredients, it's not always as budget-friendly as grabbing some Hamburger Helper or frozen lasagna. 
6. Make use of leftovers: Don't let leftovers go to waste! Use them to make new meals or take them for lunch the next day.
7. Use spices and herbs: Spices and herbs can add flavor to your meals without adding extra calories or cost. Keep a well-stocked spice rack and experiment with different flavor combinations.
8. Shop at discount stores: Discount stores like Aldi and Lidl can be great places to find healthy foods at a lower cost. Just be sure to check the expiration dates and quality of the products.
9. Look at the sales papers: It goes without saying that coupons are your friends. Go through the sale papers and see what is on sale that you could use to make healthy meals. Publix has excellent BOGOs every week, and while most of their food is a bit more expensive than say, Walmart, if you only shop the BOGO sales, you are still coming out ahead. Bonus! Many grocery stores will take competitor coupons or honor other store sales. Check with your grocery store for their policy. 
10. Look at the price tag: A lot of grocery stores will have the price in big letters and in smaller letters at the bottom, the price you are paying per unit. And sometimes, the larger quantity is not actually cheaper. For example: Bagel Bites are $3.15 for a pack of 9 and have a unit cost of $.35 per piece. The 18-count box, which you'd think is a better deal, is $7.59 with a unit cost of $.54 per piece. That's a big difference!

Eating healthy on a budget may require a little bit of extra effort, but it's worth it for your health and your wallet. With these tips, you can cook delicious and nutritious meals without breaking the bank.