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Tips for a Budget-Friendly Diet

3/20/2024

Budget friendly healthy eating can seem like an impossible task, especially with rising food costs. Here are some tips on achieving healthy eating without breaking the bank.

BEFORE SHOPPING

Look at what is already at home.

Check the fridge, pantry, and cabinets for items to use in meals.

Use store circulars, coupons, sales, and specials to help plan weekly meals and snacks.

Plan recipes with common ingredients.

For instance, a bag of brown rice and frozen vegetables can be used to prepare a stir-fry with eggs. Leftover rice and vegetables can get added to lettuce, cheese, beans, and salsa for a taco bowl at lunch or dinner.

Consider buying produce in season.

It is generally more abundant and often sold at a lower price. Here is a resource for month-by-month seasonal produce.

Make a list before shopping for an easier and faster process in the grocery store.

Eat before shopping to stay on track and decrease impulse buying.

DURING SHOPPING

Look for store brands.

Sometimes they are the exact same as name brands but cost less.

Opt for frozen or canned fruits and vegetables.

They have a longer shelf life which can lead to less waste. Select options stored in water or 100% juice, not syrup, and without added sugar, sauces, or salt.

Check the unit price (found on the shelf tag next to the price of the item).

Lower unit prices indicate a lower price per serving. Unit prices use a standard measure (for example, per pound), so you can easily compare similar products that are different sizes. Here is an example.

Make sure to check the size of the whole package to determine if you can use it before it may spoil. Purchasing by unit price can often lead to purchasing a larger amount of an item, so ask yourself: “Can I use this before the expiration date?”

Choose whole grains.

They tend to be inexpensive and offer a lot of nutrition for the price. Look for options like brown rice, quinoa, farro, oats, and barley.

Use Shop Simple with MyPlate.

This is an app from the United States Department of Agriculture designed to assist in making affordable healthy choices and offers ways to prepare budget friendly foods.

Can't get the app? Check out their website for tips instead.

REFERENCES
6 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published December 2021. Accessed October 2024.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Offers Tips for Healthful Eating as Consumer Food Spending Increases. Eat Right PRO: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published November 2023. Accessed March 2024.
Arky, J. How Much Cheaper Are Store-Brand Groceries Than Name Brands? Nasdaq.com. Published 2022. Accessed March 2024.
Cox J. Shop Healthy on a Budget. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published March 2022. Accessed March 2024.
Smart Shopping | SNAP-Ed. New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Published June 2015. Accessed March 2024.

By Halle Derouin, MS
MGH Dietetic Intern

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Fueling Your Body for Workouts

3/1/2024

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Most people benefit from eating one to four hours before a workout. This can depend on how your body reacts to eating before exercise and also on how long you plan to workout. Read on to learn more about how to fuel your body before workouts.

CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates are our body’s preferred source of quick energy. They help to fuel workouts. If workouts are lengthy or intense, eating carbohydrate beforehand is particularly helpful.

Examples of carbohydrates: fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, pasta, bread

PROTEIN
Eating protein with a carbohydrate source before exercise will slow digestion of the food and allow for a steady release of energy for the body. Additionally, providing the body with protein pre-workout may reduce muscle breakdown.

Examples of protein: yogurt, chicken, eggs, tofu, nuts and nut butter, seeds and seed butter

Both the intensity and duration of exercise can impact the type of fuel you may need. In particular, longer and more strenuous workouts benefit from including carbohydrates. Here are some examples depending on your current workout routine:

Suggestions for workouts less than 90 minutes:
Low to moderate intensity (meaning you can carry on a conversation during the activity):

Yogurt
Protein shake or bar

High intensity (meaning you can only carry on very brief conversations or cannot talk at all during the activity):

Yogurt with granola
Handful of whole grain crackers with peanut butter
Protein shake or bar with a piece of fruit

Suggestions for workouts more than 90 minutes:
Low to moderate intensity:

Peanut butter sandwich
Packet of oatmeal with a handful of nuts

Protein shake or bar with a piece of fruit

High intensity:

Between one and two fistfuls of pasta with meat sauce (or plant-based alternative to ground beef)
Bagel with almond butter
Fistful of rice with beans topped with plain Greek yogurt

Please note eating higher fiber foods (like nuts and beans) closer to the time of exercise may cause digestive upset for some people.

REFERENCES:
Eating and Exercise: 5 Tips to Maximize Your Workouts. Mayo Clinic. December 2023. Accessed February 2023.
Ormsbee M, Bach C, Baur D. (2014). Pre-Exercise Nutrition: The Role of Macronutrients, Modified Starches and Supplements on Metabolism and Endurance Performance. Nutrients. 2014; 6(5): 1782–1808.
Rothschild JA, Kilding AE, Plews DJ. What Should I Eat before Exercise? Pre-Exercise Nutrition and the Response to Endurance Exercise: Current Prospective and Future Directions. Nutrients. 2020;12(11):3473.

By Celine Delaronde, MS
MGH Dietetic Intern

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Tips for a Budget-Friendly Diet

Fueling Your Body for Workouts

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