Spending money on food and drink goes without saying. We all need to feed ourselves to maintain good health. However, our food expenses do not need to be extortionate to maintain the best health. We can easily reduce our spending by cooking at home and eating great food. This guide will share some savvy ways to save money on food expenses to help you maintain good health for less.
Homemade Food and Drinks
Although you might enjoy eating and drinking out, this can increase your food and drink bill more than it needs to. It is nice to treat yourself from time to time, but try to avoid making dining out a regular occasion, especially if you are looking to reduce your spending. Plus, when you eat out, you don’t really know what you are eating. You don’t know the quality of the ingredients used or how much extra sodium, vegetable oils, and unnecessary carbs you are consuming.
Instead of going out, you could eat the food you grow and create. Spend some time creating a fruit and vegetable patch in the garden. Growing your home garden is not that difficult; you just need a simple garden guide and a planter. This can provide your salads and ingredients for fresh juices every morning.
You could enjoy going to your garden, picking the fruit, and making fresh-squeezed orange juice from the comfort of your own home. Growing your own fruits and vegetables is not only rewarding, but it prevents you from spending too much at the supermarket, saving you a lot of money.
Additionally, making fermented drinks can save you even more money. Some examples of fermented drinks are beet kvass, kombucha, water kefir, real ginger ale, and yogurt kefir. All you need is water or milk and a starter or a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Some fermentation requires sugar and a fruit/veggie as well. Fermented drinks are functional foods since they do more than just provide nutrition – they have numerous benefits since they contain beneficial bacteria that positively affect your gut health and immune system.
Cook with and Jazz Up Basic Ingredients
Some of the best foods for your body are those that are basic and old school. Many generations grew up and thrived using simple ingredients, herbs, and spices. In fact, the further a society moves away from nature and natural foods, the higher the incidence of disease. It is much more affordable and healthy to cook and eat with basic ingredients.
Don’t be afraid of basic ingredients or feel shy to add different herbs and flavorings to make them fun and most tasty. It doesn’t have to be bland. There are plenty of ways to jazz a meal up, enhance the flavor, and make it more interesting. You can even check out superfood blends since they offer great health benefits.
Get Rid of Non-Essentials
Another basic savvy way to save money on food expenses is by getting rid of non-essentials. You’ll be surprised to realize how much money you can save by making your own coffee every morning. You could save from $2.75 to $6.00 per day. That equates to $13.75 to $30.00 per week, $55 to $120 per month, and $715 to $1,560 per year if you are buying caffeinated drinks five days a week. You can eliminate or cut down on other foods or drinks that you are spending money on.
Aim for Quality
Make sure you buy high-quality foods and ingredients. Organic produce, grass-fed, pasture-raised organic meats and dairy products, and wild seafood should be your go-to. You don’t want to hinder your health by consuming toxic ingredients and cheap food just to save money. Everything you consume has an effect on your body so healthy clean food should be a priority.
When you eat out less frequently, limit non-essential purchases, cook at home regularly, make your own drinks, and use basic ingredients while concentrating on high-quality clean food, you save money on food expenses and keep your body healthy.
To a Fitter Healthier You,
The Fitness Wellness Mentor
