The benefits of cooking healthy will save you money by keeping you healthier, and the cooking itself does not have to be expensive. You can cook healthy and satisfying meals without spending more than you can afford. Making changes in the way you buy foods, buying foods in bulk and getting your foods from more local sources can help you decrease your expenses. The key is to ensure that while you are cutting costs, you are also gleaning all the nutrients you need for a healthy diet.
Step 1
Start growing healthy foods you commonly use in your cooking, such as tomatoes or kale. Growing these foods on your own will make them less expensive to use in your cooking. As you become more skilled at growing foods, you can increase the amount and assortment of foods you grow, further reducing your cost. To avoid the cost of fertilizers, start a compost heap of your food scraps and fertilize your garden for free.
Step 2
Buy produce locally from farmers' markets or individual local farmers. This will help you buy healthy fresh foods, while they are in season, decreasing your cost. Also, some farms allow you to buy in bulk, decreasing your overall cost.
Step 3
Shop for seasonal items at your grocery store. Buying out-of-season fruits and vegetables to use in your cooking will increase your costs; by sticking to seasonal foods, you can avoid the excess costs that come from shipping the items.
Step 4
Pick up frozen fruits and vegetables to use in your cooking when the ingredients you need are out of season. Avoid frozen items that contain added seasonings such as cheese or butter; stick with plain frozen fruits and vegetables. Try items such as berries and broccoli.
Step 5
Use whole grains in your cooking, buy them in bulk and store them properly. Whole grains are loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins and magnesium. Buy using whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta, in your cooking, you can increase the nutritional content of your food and bulk up on fiber. The increase in fiber content will help you eat less, which means you will lower your costs.
Step 6
Cut back on the oils and fats you use in recipes by investing in a nonstick pan. The reduction in oil and butter in your meals will help you reduce your calories, remove unhealthy saturated fats and cut back on costs by allowing you to spend less on these items.
Step 7
Use herbs and spices that you grow on your own, or buy whole herbs and spices that have been dried. The whole herbs and spices will remain fresh longer, and they are less expensive.
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