GREENSBORO, N.C. — The cost of putting food on the table is the highest it’s been in 40 years.
With prices rising, shopping for healthy foods may seem too expensive or out of reach, but that’s not always the case.
Kate Watts is a Registered Dietician with Cone Health. She said the idea that eating healthy costs more is a huge misconception.
“Now, if you’re wanting to eat healthy through convenience items, they are going to be more expensive,” Watts said. “So, ready-made things, restaurant foods that are healthy. If you’re cooking at home and buying your own ingredients and preparing them, then actually eating healthy can be extremely cheap.”
Watts said there are several ways to shop healthy on a budget:
- Shy away from packaged or prepared items
- Shop for foods in season
- Shop local
- Consider buying frozen fruits and vegetable
- Look for cheaper protein options
- Consider beans, lentils, chickpeas, and canned meats
“When we think about long-term money, we end up spending on doctors’ visits, medications, it’s so much better if we could spend that money upfront on healthy foods and prevent some of those long-term health outcomes,” Watts said. “So come up with your budget, get creative, spend a little time planning ahead because you can find cheap healthy options that are going to be way cheaper than even the dollar menu.”
Watts said looking for sales and couponing is also a great way to shop healthy on a budget.