March is National Nutrition Month, a perfect time to focus on building healthy eating habits without stretching your wallet. Eating nutritious meals doesn’t have to be expensive. With a bit of planning, creativity, and smart shopping, you can enjoy flavorful, wholesome foods while staying within budget.
Here are some practical tips to help you eat well without overspending:
- 1. Plan Your Meals Create a weekly meal plan before shopping to avoid impulse buys. Shopping online can also help stick to your list and reduce last-minute temptations.
- 2. Buy in Bulk Staples like rice, beans, lentils, and oats are affordable in bulk and can be used in a variety of meals. Buying in bulk helps you save money over time.
- 3. Shop Seasonally In-season fruits and vegetables are fresher and more affordable. Frozen options are also budget-friendly and retain their nutrients.
- 4. Cook at Home Cooking at home saves money and lets you control ingredients. Plus, it’s a great way to enjoy meals with family!
- 5. Use Affordable Proteins Beans, lentils, tofu, and eggs are great protein sources that cost less than meat, while providing essential nutrients your body needs.
- 6. Make the Most of Leftovers Repurpose leftovers into soups, stir-fries, or burritos to reduce waste and stretch your food further.
- 7. Look for Sales and Coupons Take advantage of sales and use coupons for healthy items you regularly buy and stock up when prices drop!
National Nutrition Month is a great reminder that small, consistent choices can have a big impact on overall well-being.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.