Budget Friendly Healthy Eating Tips for Older Adults

We all know that it’s important to eat healthy, but it’s also expensive! It can be tempting to grab cheap, processed food and snacks, but those types of food don’t have much (if any!) nutritional value. And they come with unwanted effects on your health. Fortunately, it IS possible to stick to a budget and still eat healthy. Here are some budget friendly healthy eating tips for older adults.

Plan Ahead

It may feel like extra work, but planning ahead can save you a lot of money. Make a shopping list and stick to it. Be sure to check your cupboards and refrigerator before you shop so you don’t buy more than you need. While purchasing an occasional treat is fine, shopping without a list opens you up to much more impulse buying. And if you purchase items you don’t have a plan to use, they may spoil before you use them, resulting in wasted money. 

Purchase Store Brands

Did you know that you can cut up to 30% of your grocery costs by purchasing store brands? You can typically find items like oil, milk, grains, and frozen fruits and vegetables in store brands. Take a glance at the label so you can be sure you’re not getting too much sugar or sodium, but most store brands are comparable to name brands. And switching to store brands may save you enough money that you can purchase more healthy items on every shopping trip. 

Grow Your Own

Gardening is an enjoyable hobby, and you get to eat the rewards of your efforts! Many independent living facilities, like Normandy Living, offer shared space for gardening. But you can grow healthy food anywhere! Many healthy foods can be grown on patios or even in windows. Try growing your own salad mix and herbs in window boxes, or plant tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries in pots. You’ll have fresh fresh fruits and vegetables available for a very low cost, and they make beautiful house plants, too! 

Make and Freeze Large Batches

Many healthy meals, like soup, can be made in large batches from inexpensive ingredients. Set some leftovers aside to eat the following day, and freeze the rest in individual portions. Then, instead of purchasing unhealthy snacks or meals, you have a ready-made healthy meal you just need to heat up. 

Buy What’s in Season

When produce has to be transported across great distances, such as from warm environments to cold ones, it increases the price you pay. Buying seasonal produce, on the other hand, allows you to take advantage of locally grown food and cheaper prices. While seasonal produce is sold at a lower price everywhere, you may find even better deals if you visit your local farmers’ market. Since you purchase directly from the farmer, you won’t be paying additional markups, and the food is fresher, too!

Take Advantage of Your Facility’s Meal Plan

If your facility provides a meal plan as part of your monthly fee, take advantage of it to eat healthy food without incurring additional expense. Here at Normandy Living, for example, three meals are included in the price of your rent, and we are able to customize them to fit your dietary needs. We also offer snacks 24/7, so eating healthy is as simple as taking a trip to the main dining room when you’re hungry!

Are you interested in taking advantage of Normandy Living’s many amenities, including our talented culinary team? Fill out this form for priority consideration.