Ten Tips for Eating Pro Metabolically on a Budget
If you’ve been to the grocery store lately, you know how hard it is to find healthy foods on a budget. Food prices are sky high and the biggest sales are on unhealthy, processed foods. It is frustrating for those who wish to prioritize their health but are unable to afford all the foods they need to eat well. Add in a family to feed and it becomes even more expensive. I understand your pain (family of five over here)! So, I put together a list of my tips for eating pro-metabolically while sticking to a budget.
A pro-metabolic diet focuses on whole, nutrient dense foods: animal proteins, root vegetables, fruit vegetables, fruits, and quality fats. Rarely do I find myself in the inner aisles of a grocery store, unless I’m looking for specific items to compliment the main foods of our dish. Buying these foods on a budget be done and by following my tips below, you’ll find it all that much easier.
My Ten Tips for Pro Metabolic Eating on a Budget
Meal Plan. UGH, I know…the dreaded meal planning but hear me out on this first tip. Meal planning significantly cuts down on random purchases and also leads to less food waste. I plan out all of our meals on a weekly basis and thus I know exactly how much of each food and ingredient I need in order to grocery shop. The app I use (Plan to Eat) saves all of my recipes, helps me plan out my meals, and generates a grocery list for me to follow.
Meal Prep. I hear all the time that people don’t have time to meal prep. Yet, they spend 30-45 minutes a night making dinners and are frustrated when there’s nothing to eat for lunch. By pre-cutting and dividing up all of your foods as well as pre-cooking some of your foods, you are cutting your time in half if not more. I take 2 hours on a weekend to prep many of our foods for the week (chop up veggies, make some muffins for “on the go”, pre-wash fruits, divide up and/or pre-cook proteins, etc.)
Focus on most nutrient dense foods first. When you focus on nutrient dense foods and beverages, you’re far less likely to snack and go for “convenience” foods. We get hungry faster when our foods don’t meet our nutrient needs.
Don’t let quality stop you from buying it. I don’t love conventional dairy (we choose raw, grass fed) but I would definitely opt for conventional over an alternative like soy or almond (five years ago, I would not have said this! Proof that one can change!). Regular milk is almost a perfect food in that it has all macros (carbs, fats, and protein) and is high in so many nutrients. Buy the best quality you can afford but if cost is a factor, still opt for the pro-metabolic foods over ones that aren’t.
Don’t waste your dollars on crap. $100 can rack up really quickly at the grocery store on processed foods that may taste good in the moment but they don’t leave you satiated and inevitably leave you craving more of the processed foods. Instead, use that $100 for the nutrient dense foods that will keep you satisfied and healthy.
Shop direct. Getting direct from the farmer significantly reduces costs. Once a year, we purchase half a cow (and have it butchered the way we want it) rather than purchasing beef weekly from either the grocery store or local butcher. It’s a larger investment up front but pays off as you go through the year. Another cost saving tip would be to share your share with a friend.
Embrace root veggies. I LOVE cooking with root vegetables and they are so good for you. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, jicama, parsnips, onions, fennel, yuca…they all are high in nutrients and filling! Comparatively, using root vegetables as your carbohydrate instead of pasta or even rice, you’re choosing a far more nutrient dense food. (We still eat rice, properly prepared, but the root veggies are just a better option)
Shop or grow seasonally and then freeze or can. There is a reason that apples are more affordable in fall. And strawberries are cheaper in summer (and so much better tasting!). We get and grow as much produce as possible while in season and then we freeze or can it to last throughout the winter. My husband and daughter just went foraging and brought home three large freezer bags worth of fiddleheads which will slowly be consumed over the coming months. In winter months, frozen produce from the grocery store are a good option and often far more affordable than buying fresh. Frozen produce is flash frozen at the peak of freshness so we will swap to that in winter for veggies we are using in smoothies, stews, soups, etc.
Vary your diet. If you eat the same old menu items week in, week out…you’re going to look towards convenience foods because you’re bored. Try new meals! Try new fruits! Try new veggies! Bake something from scratch! There are so many ways to introduce new flavours, textures, and nutrients into your diet this way.
Stop with the drive thru drinks/meals. There are shocking statistics about Canadians and their addiction to restaurant purchases. Canadian households spend 24% of their budgets on eating out. 60% say they buy food from restaurants weekly (despite 63% saying it’s a luxury). 16% of Canadians buy food from restaurants every day. Breakfast is the most popular meal to eat out with 40% of Canadians saying they eat the first meal of the day outside of the house. Yet, 84% of “restaurant food” is considered to be unhealthy (I would offer it’s far higher due to the oils it’s cooked in). These costs add up very quickly! I love a good meal out, but it’s rare as a family of five that we do this. Not just costs but also because often the food we make at home tastes better and is far healthier.
Keep in mind too that saving money now is good for your bank account in the moment. But even more important, is the savings you’ll have years or decades down the road. A pro-metabolic diet is directly connected to lowering your chances of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, depression, heart disease, arthritis, obesity, fatty liver disease, and so many more. The time, money, and energy spent on treating these diseases is far more than your weekly grocery bill.
If you’re looking for guidance on how to embrace the pro-metabolic lifestyle (that goes beyond just food), check out my Nourished Collective. A unique group coaching platform online that teaches you the foundational health principles of nutrition, lifestyle, and holistic health practices to support your metabolism.