101 Ridiculously Easy Ways to Eat Healthy—on the Cheap

Happy new year! I absolutely *love* any excuse for a new beginning, and New Year’s Day is kind of a big one.  I gave up making traditional resolutions a while ago in favor of taking small steps all the time to reach bigger goals.  So I sat down and brainstormed all the little changes I’ve made to get to a much bigger goal: eating healthfully, naturally, and CHEAPLY!

These are tips and tricks I’ve tried and relied on during my journey toward healthier eating.  Of course, some of them make a bigger impact than others, and not every one will be right for you—your mileage may vary, as they say. But hopefully you’ll find some new-to-you ideas for a healthier diet!

1. eat a fruit and a vegetable at every meal
2. pre-wash and cut up your fruits and veggies to make them easier to eat
3. switch to whole grain everything—bread, pasta, crackers, etc.
4. figure out which reduced fat and fat free dairy items you like (for me: reduced fat soft cheeses=yummy; reduced fat hard cheeses=YUCKY)
5. add a salad to your meals, especially in the summer
6. always keep fun stuff around to add to salads (cherry tomatoes, broccoli slaw, roasted beets, toasted nuts, sharp cheeses—whatever floats your boat)
7. make your own salad dressings
8. dip your fork in thick salad dressing before each bite, instead of pouring it over your salad (you’ll need less overall)
9. add a broth-based veggie soup to your meals, especially in the winter
10. try to limit yourself to one trip to the store per week (to avoid impulse buys)
11. eat meatless meals at least once a week
12. figure out how to use less meat in your favorite recipes
13. figure out how to add more veggies to your favorite recipes
14. commit to buying ethically-raised meat; BELIEVE ME, you will eat less of it because it’s so expensive
15. eat veggies for breakfast
16. plan your meals ahead of time
17. shop at the farmer’s market
18. switch all your “white” grains to whole grains
19. eat more beans (and cook them yourself!)
20. make DIY versions of your favorite processed treats (you’ll almost certainly eat them less often if you have to make them yourself)
21. make sure you’re drinking rBGH-free milk
22. pick your own produce when you can (Healthy food and exercise! It’s a two-for-one!)
23. store hearty fruits and veggies in a DIY root cellar over winter
24. cut processed corn out of your diet
25. preserve produce at its peak—and lose all the crazy chemicals you might get buying it from a store
26. learn to cook less-popular cuts of meat to make it cheaper and go further
27. make your own white sauce instead of using cream of whatever soups in recipes
28. ditch the cold cereal—it’s expensive and not that nutritious—and try oatmeal
29. If you order Chinese food out, also get an order of steamed veggies and mix them in with your entree; there’s plenty of sauce to go around and you’ll end up eating less of the fattier meats.  This is a great way to save money, too: get one entree and one veggies and split it with a friend.
30. If you eat prepared soups, frozen dinners, mac n’ cheese, etc., add extra veggies; frozen veggies are cheap and easy to add to everything.
31. always have frozen organic spinach on hand—one of the cheapest and easiest veggies to keep around
32. eat more eggs
33. make your own bread—and leave out all the corn syrup and other nasties
34. split an entree when you go out with friends
35. order an appetizer instead of an entree when you eat out
36. ask for a take away box at the beginning of your restaurant meal, and pack up half to take home right away
37. better yet, eat out a LOT less
38. avoid processed foods (even organic ones!)
39. pack your own healthy snacks to ward off temptation while you’re out
40. drink more water—from the tap in a reusable bottle, of course
41. buy grains, beans, and spices from the bulk bins
42. learn to use coupons—sanely
43. add fish to your diet at least once a week
44. switch to mustard instead of mayo
45. use salsa on salads and baked potatoes
46. swap fat free Greek yogurt for sour cream
47. buy whole chickens and turkeys and use it all
48. make your own chicken stock or vegetable stock
49. make your own spray oil for cooking
50. don’t drink juice; eat a piece of fruit instead
51. try lemon juice, herbs, or vinegar on your veggies instead of butter or oil
52. eat a piece of fruit and drink a glass of water if you’re hungry between meals; then wait 20 minutes and decide if you’re still hungry
53. eat a healthy snack before you go grocery shopping to help avoid impulse buys
54. cut out canned foods (unless you canned it yourself!)
55. buy only products with ingredients you recognize
56. make your own granola bars, trail mix and “100 calorie” packs
57. learn what a portion actually looks like
58. put your fork down between bites so that you eat more slowly
59. always eat sitting down at a table
60. don’t do anything else while eating (no reading, surfing, texting, or watching tv; talking to loved ones is OK!)
61. try a CSA (community supported agriculture program)
62. grow your own _________ (whatever you have room for)
63. go generic—there are more and more organic brands to choose from
64. brown bag your lunch to work
65. drink your coffee black
66. slowly change the kinds of snacks you keep around from unhealthy and processed to healthy and unprocessed
67. find healthy treats to keep you from feeling deprived like dark chocolate, dried fruits, sorbet—whatever makes your sweet tooth sing
68. if you like creamy dips, make them with fat free cottage cheese (pureed in the food processor) or fat free Greek yogurt to increase the protein
69. store cut veggies like carrots and celery in water to keep them fresh longer
70. freeze leftover herbs, citrus rind, wine, coffee, etc. to use later
71. switch to real butter instead of margarine and use in moderation—but enjoy every bite
72. learn how to properly store all your fresh foods to reduce food waste
73. cut back on the amount of dairy you eat; it’s not as essential as the dairy council would like us to believe
74. buy raw nuts and toast and season them yourself
75. focus on buying ingredients at the store instead of already prepared foods
76. swap boneless chicken thighs for breasts in many recipes
77. skip the grocery store rotisserie chicken (lots of extra fat and salt) and roast your own chicken
78. avoid products that make health claims on the label (lowers cholesterol! heart healthy! etc.)
79. in fact, avoid products that have labels at all (fruits and veggies don’t!)
80. give up looking at calories; they aren’t a good overall picture of nutrition
81. in fact, give up thinking about “nutrition” in general, and aim for a varied diet based on whole foods
82. air pop your popcorn or pop it in the microwave—and skip the expensive (and chemical laden) microwave popcorn
83. swap sweet potatoes for white potatoes whenever you can
84. eat fruit for dessert
85. aim for at least 2–3 different colors on your plate to get lots of different vitamins and minerals
86. add variety to your diet
87. learn to listen to your body and try to stop eating for reasons other than hunger
88. try a new fruit or vegetable whenever you can—you never know what you might like!
89. experiment with new herbs and spices from the bulk section: you can buy just enough to try
90. cook healthy foods ahead of time in bulk so you’ll have them on hand: things like beans, rice and other grains, and roasted veggies store well and make easy, healthy additions to meals
91. cut back on supplements; if you’re eating a varied diet, you shouldn’t need them (unless your doctor tells you otherwise, of course)
92. plan your meals around what’s on sale
93. don’t buy beverages other than milk
94. learn what kinds of wild foods you can easily find in your area
95. don’t buy any food that comes in a single-serve package (unless it’s an apple or banana!)
96. use dried herbs in place of fresh or grow your own (fresh herbs cost a bundle)
97. sign up for your favorite stores’ rewards programs and use them
98. bring your own bags (five cents cash back! WOOT!)
99. give up “meat alternatives” (like soy dogs and chickn nuggets) or learn to make your own
100. cut back on food “drugs:” sugar, caffeine, and alcohol
101. practice the 80/20 rule and let yourself splurge once in a while