Lauren Elliott, RDN, a registered dietitian and former health educator at Sharp Rees-Stealy Center for Health
Management shares five easy ways to eat healthy while saving money and reducing food waste.
“Nutrient-dense foods aren't necessarily fancy or costly,” Elliott explains. “Usually simple, whole foods are
packed with nutrition and are easy on the budget.”
Try plant-based meals during the week.
Plant proteins, like beans or lentils, can help you cut costs without compromising nutrition. These
cost-effective proteins contain fiber and minerals. Try a few plant-based meals each week, such as a
hearty vegetarian bean chili or lentil soup. Cook them in large batches and freeze them
into portions
for quick and easy meals.
Batch cook meals to cut costs.
“Batch cooking is a wonderful way to cook once and enjoy home-cooked meals for days,” Elliott says.
“Cooking, in general, can stretch our budget. There's often a trade-off between convenience foods and
cost.”
Instead of buying pre-chopped fruits and vegetables, prep them at home to save money. Frozen fruits and
vegetables are great budget-friendly options.
“Many frozen fruits and vegetables are flash frozen shortly after harvest. This can lock in nutritional
content and make them ideal options for both convenience and staying within our budget,” Elliott says.
Shop your own pantry.
Try creating meals with what you already have. This helps minimize food waste and reduce the number of
items you'll purchase for the week.
“For example, if I have some leftover refried beans, in the fridge and a jar of salsa in the pantry, I
might pick up some corn tortillas and veggies to throw together a simple bean taco,” Elliott recommends.
Make veggie scrap soup.
Gather any vegetable odds and ends, chop them, simmer them in broth and add other herbs and spices to
make a wholesome, comforting pot of soup. You can even throw in some beans to make it more satisfying.
Try this greens and beans
soup, easy
minestrone or a hearty North African bean stew.
“Not only is this heartbreaking from a sustainability standpoint, but we're essentially putting money
in
the trash,” Elliott says. “By creating a plan for our weekly meals and creating a grocery list, we
can
have a huge impact on our food expenses. This planning can also include structuring our meals around
what's on sale for the week.”
Consider growing your own food.
San Diego's mild climate lets us grow many types of plants year-round.
“Even if you don't have access to outdoor space at your home, a simple windowsill with fresh herbs
can be an economical way to add flavor to your kitchen creations,” Elliot says.
Keep it simple
Some of the most healthful foods are also some of the simplest ones. To make the most of your budget and
ingredients, Elliott recommends stocking up on sale items you use often.
Consider adding these to your pantry and freezer:
- Frozen vegetables and fruit
- Beans
- Canned tuna
- Rolled oats
- Bulk bin items
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