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He & She Eat Clean | Healthy Recipes & Workout Plans

2015

Tips to Save Money while Eating Healthy + Healthy AND Frugal Meal Ideas

ShoppingWhitney Carlson2 Comments
Healthy & Frugal Meal Ideas

We're all looking for healthy recipes but a lot of times those healthy recipes call for ingredients that you might not have all the time in your pantry. We're all about healthy meals that don't break the bank here and wanted to share some of our favorites with you and also some tips!

>>>> Ever feel like you need to detox your money? Join our detox your money challenge here!

Simple Tips on Saving Money While Eating Healthy

  • Start using that dusty old spice rack to give your recipes a little more flavor. You will use this often when preparing your own healthy meals at home.
  • Buy extra when an item goes on sale, especially if it is shelf stable (chicken broth, beans, etc) or can be frozen and used later (meats). We've even dedicated one of our hall closets as our "bulk" closet.
  • We've had pretty good success scoring coupons by emailing the vendors that market the products that we frequently purchase. Most of the time you can reach them by going to the "Contact Us" section of their website; however, it's often as simple as signing up for their email newsletter!
  • Check the front of the store where you shop for coupons. Some stores have booklets right when you walk in that are full of recipes and coupons. Browse through these before you start shopping to see if there is a coupon for something on your list.

    See more money saving ideas here.

Our Favorite Healthy AND Frugal Meal Ideas

Don't be fooled...eating out is very expensive. It adds up quickly although most people just pay attention to their grocery store total vs their restaurant bill. We love to buy ingredients that we can use in many different recipes and make the most cost-effective meals we can. Below we share with you some of our favorites and an approximate total for each. We think it's a small price to pay when you can control exactly what is going in your food and how it is prepared.

How do you save money at the grocery store? Any tips we forgot to include?

Check out these additional resources:

How to Succeed with a Healthy Lifestyle Change

Whitney Carlson2 Comments

Our main goal here is to help as many people as possible change their life for the better by living a healthy lifestyle. We know it's hard and overwhelming but we also know it is SO WORTH IT! We also understand that not everyone can just change their entire lives overnight and that is okay too!


We're talking about the "gradual shifters" here - those who cannot just change everything all at once. Gradual shifters can still be very successful...small, manageable changes add up to big results. There are many different things that effect your optimal health and weight loss so just pick ONE thing to focus on doing better every few weeks. Below are some ideas:

 

 

 

1. Eat REAL Food

  • Avoid processed foods. Shop the perimeter of the grocery story. Try to avoid processed foods for a few days and see how much better you feel! Buy fresh meat and produce (Whole Foods Market has a great selection...especially of hard to find items!). It might take a little extra time to prepare your own food but it is definitely worth it!

 

2. Drink Water

  • Have a soda habit? Kick that habit to the curb! Try switching out one soda a day for water and then slowly let go of them completely. A bonus: It will save you money!

3. Move More

  • Work more movement into your daily routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park far away from the building, walk on your lunch break, etc. Even if you can't make it into a gym 5 days a week you can still start moving more! If you are looking for something to help you keep track of your steps (it even lets you know when you've been sitting for too long), try the Garmin vívofit!

Take a look at your goals and make sure they are S.M.A.R.T.

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Realistic/Relevant
  • Timely

You may have already written your goals for the year but you can always modify them! It is sometimes best to break them down into "baby steps"! Below are a few examples:


Overall Goal: Lose 50 lbs in 2015


That sounds like a pretty big goal, which is great, but break it down so that you can celebrate the small victories too! Change or modify that goal to say lose 4-5 lbs a month. Doesn't that sound much more achievable?


Overall Goal: Eat healthier in 2015


That is a great goal and probably at the top of everyone's list...but it's very broad! How are you going to do it? Do you have a plan? Break it down and say that instead of eating out 3 times per week you will only eat out once. Or that you will prepare your food in advance so you always have healthy food available. Your goals need to be measurable so that you feel like you accomplished something!


The most important thing to remember is this:

 

We hope these tips help you. We shared a few of our goals in this post. Post your goals below to share with us!

 

P.S. We will be doing a giveaway for a Whole Foods Market gift card and a Garmin vívofit so stay tuned for the rest of our series in the #PathToFit posts!

 

This post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market and Garmin. All opinions are 100% mine.