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When one of your friends or family members says that they’re eating healthy, what is your first reaction? Sadness, right? It’s like they’re getting a sick satisfaction from sucking the fun out of eating AND they’re spending more to do it, right? WRONG. There’s a stigma attached to healthy eating that says that it’s twice as expensive and half the fun. If this were true, not many people would be jumping on the #kaleyeah bandwagon. Now stay with me, this statement could come as a shock: healthy eating doesn’t have to suck and it doesn’t have to be expensive.
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With all of our student loans, rent, textbooks and the like, it may seem like grabbing that McGangBang is a great value for your dollar; don’t believe these lies. If you don’t treat your body right, your brain will suffer alongside it. Plus, these fast food meals don’t have enough nutrients to keep you full, forcing you to buy something else later which defeats the purpose of Mickey D’s value menu. Eating healthy, well-rounded foods will keep you going all day and all night, which is exactly what us Collegiettes need. With these staple purchases and tips, healthy eating can be delicious, fun and inexpensive.
1. Buy produce that is in season.
This is the number one way to save money, people! Do you know how much more it costs to grow fruits and vegetables that are out of season? Think about it. As a farmer, if I wanted to grow some apples in the summer (a winter fruit), I would have to create a fake winter environment to make this happen. If you live off campus, you know how expensive utilities can get in the summer when we’re trying not to melt in the Tallahassee heat. Take that, multiply it, and you get what produce growers need to pay to successfully grow a winter crop. The same principle applies to the opposite seasons. Not only is it expensive to grow, but these people need to make a living, so they charge even more than it costs to grow in order to turn a profit. Bottom line: buy produce that’s in season to keep your waist small and your wallet fat.
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Check out this chart to make things a little bit easier!
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2. Buy in bulk when you can.
Costco is a wonderful thing. Seriously. Buy all of your grains and nonperishables here. You can buy enough quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and healthy snacks to last you through the year, including the stress eating/carb-loading that comes with finals week. It’s a one-stop shop for the whole year; splurge once and you’re set for the semester.
3. Don’t eat out too much.
Eating out may seem like the easier option when you’re feeling lazy, but it’s not easier on your bank account or your health. Take everyone’s favorite (and if it’s not, reevaluate): Chipotle. If you want a simple bowl with chicken it comes to $6.50, without tax. If you were to create this at home, it comes to less than $5.00 for more than double the food, and guac isn’t extra.
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With accordance to health, when you go out to eat you don’t know what exactly they’re putting in their food: how much salt, oil, butter, etc. With you cooking for yourself, you can control what and how much of each ingredient. Most importantly, you don’t have to go all Julia Child to create a good meal. Check out this blog as a starting place to create fast, healthy, easy recipes that you can make in a pinch.
4. TREAT YO’ SELF.
This is the most fun, most underrated part about keeping a healthy and balanced diet. An overly restrictive diet leads to hardcore binging, which leads to weight gain and sadness. Think about it: You can’t gain 10 pounds in one night, just like you can’t lose 10 pounds in one night (if only). So have that piece of cake or grab that Love It size of Birthday Cake Remix. You deserve it, but only once in a while. It’ll be extra special and delicious when you do.
Courtesy: Marie Claire