Eating inexpensive food doesn’t need to mean stocking up on ramen noodles and PB&J’s………These choices often end up being more costly in the end, running your body on fuel it wasn’t meant to run on and adding a chemical cocktail your liver will hate you for.  It’ll cost you energy, health vitality, and a lot more.

Traditional ‘Eating Cheap’:

My way of eating cheap:

There’s a lot of ways to cut down on food costs without sacrificing food quality.  Often times it just takes a little creativity and planning.

Here’s what I do;

1. Go to the Farmer’s Market!

2. Show up to the farmer’s market during the last half hour.  They’ll cut prices to avoid bringing produce back

3. Skip Whole Foods, and go to Vitamin Cottage

4. Want Beef?  Buy a whole cow and split it up…..you’ll get it for 1/8 the price.

5. Go to the farm for eggs

6. Skip the morning latte at Char-bucks

7. Buy extra meat when it’s on sale, and freeze it!

8. Learn to cook everything at home

9. Join a CSA

10. Buy organ meats….They’re often WAY cheaper, and better for your body to boot.

11. Eat more eggs…..One of the cheapest superfoods out there

12. Start a garden…..and a worm compost too!

13. Buy frozen fruits and veggies

14. Don’t go to the grocery store hungry

15. Plan out your meals ahead of time and buy only what you need

16. Eat a lot of foods often, check for ‘case discounts’

17. Buy in ‘healthy bulk’…..There are lots of local groups thatget together buy high quality food at bulk prices…Here’s a good start

18. Buy meat off friends who hunt

19. Go fishing…..if possible

20. Eat nutrient dense foods…..you’ll end up eating a lot less

21. Spend a lot on bottled water?  There’s usually a spring within a few miles of just about anywhere, giving you a free source of Evian-busting rockstar water

22. Fast for a day or two….Give the ol’ digestive system a break

23. Find ways to de-stress….Being stressed takes a toll on your body, and you’ll eat more because of it

Going out?

photo; adactio

Sushi restaurants are great places to find deals……Go for the happy hour if possible, its the same food!

24. Check online for deals?  restaurant websites….twitter….etc.

25. Go to happy hour

26. Want fine dining?  Experiment with lunch menus.

27. Order a few small plates instead of more expensive entrees

28. Stick to water…..alchohol runs up the tab in no time

29. Most restaurants post their menus online, check before hand so you’re not surprised.

Get creative, use the internet, ask the locals…….It’s easy if you’ve done your homework first

-cheers-