How to Eat Healthy When You Don't (or Won't) Cook

You want to eat more healthfully, you just have this one limiting factor, you don't cook...or you don't want to cook. Who has the time anyway? It's just so much easier to order takeout, go out to a restaurant, or hit the drive-through. Right? Not so fast. Eating healthfully doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming.

I get it. Unless you have your own personal chef or are married to one (or a wannabe one, like me), then preparing healthy meals can seem like a huge undertaking. I am not a cook. My husband likes to joke that I could burn cereal. He thinks that since I am part Italian, I should have inherited amazing cooking skills passed down genetically from the generations. Not so much. It's not unusual that I call my more domesticated sister and ask her a random cooking question that leaves her laughing on the floor. "What does it mean when the recipe says to ...."

I'm no cook, but I learned how to get around my handicap years ago. You can eat healthfully, even when you don't know how or want to know how to cook. It doesn't even take a lot of time, just a little planning. If you stick to the basics, you can eat healthfully, even when you don't (or won't) cook. 

I used to have a friend who would go all-out and make these extravagant healthy meals for her family that would take hours to prepare, but when she didn't have the time or energy to prepare those meals, she would resort to ordering pizza because it was easy. It's fine to have an occasional indulgent meal, but there is no need to use time or energy as an excuse to eat unhealthy foods. There are plenty of choices in-between that extravagantly prepared healthy meal and pizza delivery. It's not a choice between eating perfectly or terribly, we have a lot of healthy, easy to prepare choices in the middle. 
 

MEAL PREP

Meal prep is a great way for people who don't have a lot of time to prepare their meals for the week. When you put in the effort upfront, it is easier to make a healthy decision during the week. I know what you are thinking. "Lea, I just told you I don't cook and now you're telling me to meal prep? What part of 'I don't cook' didn't you understand?" Hear me out.

If you make your food upfront you only have to cook once and you're set for the week. Bake your lean protein in bulk. I buy two pounds of chicken at a time and bake it in the oven (at 350 for 30-35 minutes, add dab of butter so they don't dry out) or I ask hubs to cook on the outdoor grill. Freeze the leftovers. You can add cooked chicken to salads, to whole wheat wraps or pair with a side of healthy carbs or vegetables.

Cook your chicken in advance then prepare and serve it different ways to avoid boredom (see below for ideas). 

CROCKPOT MEALS

I don't watch 'This is Us' but even I heard about the Crock-Pot story. Don't throw away your Crock-Pot just yet. Slow cookers are an easy way to meal prep because you add lean meat (healthy. check.) and veggies (healthy. check.) in a pot, turn it on, walk away and it cooks all by itself. A quick Pinterest search will give you tons on recipes (i.e. ingredients to add to the slow cooker). Make more than you need and freeze the leftovers for a quick meal for the future. 

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

Buy a fully-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for already prepared protein to add to your meals. No cooking required.

BUFFET/SALAD BARS

My friend at work gave me this idea. She buys her cooked meats from buffets and salad bars from stores like Whole Foods or Central Market. If you don't want to or don't have time to cook it is a quick (albeit, more expensive) way to grab some healthy protein for your meals.

BUY FROZEN FOODS

OK, fine. You really don't want to do anything that even resembles cooking. Frozen foods from the grocery store may be the answer. Make sure you check the ingredient list that there are not a lot of added ingredients and preservatives, but food manufacturers are making frozen food more natural now due to customer demand! Don't trust the packaging marketing though, the words "all-natural" on the front of the package means next-to-nothing. Read the ingredient list on the back of the package and choose products with just a few ingredients that you can recognize. Again, it's not all-or-nothing, a frozen meal is still usually a healthier option than a fast food meal. We are not striving for perfection, just better. 

FROZEN VEGETABLES

Frozen vegetables are picked at their peak ripeness and are just as healthy as fresh. Buy the microwavable steamable veggies for a quick and healthy side dish. Don't be afraid to add seasonings, butter or cheese for flavor. Remember it's not a choice between steamed no-flavored vegetables or no vegetables at all. Eat your veggies. How can you make it work for you? 

FROZEN MEAT

I buy all-natural frozen turkey or chicken patties that can be cooked on a frying pan in 8-15 minutes, no actual cooking skills required. You can also buy the precooked chicken breasts that just need to be defrosted. 

EAT FRESH

The good news is that you don't have to cook in order to eat one of the healthiest meals out there, salads! Chop a variety of colorful veggies and add to spinach leaves for a nutrient-dense meal.

FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES

If you really don't want to cook you can have healthy meals delivered or make meal prep easy by using one of those services that send all the ingredients and the recipe card for an easy to follow dinner with no grocery shopping required, like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron. These may be a little more expensive, but a great choice for people who are just too busy to research and shop for their own meals.

EASY LOW-PREP IDEAS FOR EVERY MEAL

BREAKFAST

Eggs can be cooked on a frying pan in just a few minutes, hard-boiled in 12 minutes, or microwaved (make sure you completely break up the yolk to avoid an egg-plosion before microwaving) in about a minute.

Protein shakes are an easy option when you don't have time to cook. Add protein powder, fruits, and veggies (try spinach!) to a blender for a quick and healthy breakfast on the go, here are some protein shake ideas from my Running with Ollie blog.

Old-fashioned oatmeal can be cooked on the stovetop or in the microwave. Buy the plain old-fashioned oatmeal in the canister and add fruit, berries, and/or cinnamon for natural flavoring. You can prep delicious oatmeal in advance with overnight oats.

LUNCH

Whole wheat wraps with prepared chicken or pouch tuna.

Add chicken to fresh spinach and chopped veggies for a delicious salad. Premake salads for the week in mason jars for a quick healthy lunch on the go.

Use a whole-wheat pita as a pizza crust, add sauce, cheese, chicken, and load up with veggies for a healthier pizza lunch. 

DINNER

Frozen turkey burgers cooked and served on a whole-wheat flat bun is a delicious high-protein healthy meal in about 10 minutes.

Add chicken to brown rice, vegetables, cheese, and salsa for a Mexican-style burrito bowl. You can buy microwavable brown rice for a quick meal. 

Add low-sugar red pasta sauce to chicken for an Italian-style meal. Try a spiralizer to make noodles out of vegetables (no cooking skills required!).

Add chicken to a big bowl of fresh spinach and colorful chopped veggies for a delicious nutrient-dense meal. 

SNACKS

Cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt (flavored with fresh fruit or berries), nuts, seeds, and fruits all make quick and healthy snacks.

The key thing to remember is that healthy cooking (and healthy living in general) is not all-or-nothing. Do the best you can what is reasonably available to you at the moment. You don't have to eat or cook perfectly to see results. Be mindful of your choices and try to choose 'just a little bit better and you'll do fine overall. The choice is never just between the perfect healthiest choice or the nutritionally worst choice possible, there are a whole lot of options in the middle. Be mindful. Do the best you can and it will always be enough. When you mess up (we all do, we're human after all) pick back up and try again at your next meal. 

Coach Lea

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10 Daily Healthy Habits that will Change Your Life

The truth is that most people know what they should be eating in order to lose weight. Most of us know that if we limit processed foods, avoid excess calories and focus our diets around whole foods from nature that weight loss will follow.

It's not about what you know, it's what you do. Most people know. Most people don't do. 

Why? Because behavior change is hard. Over time the foods we choose, prefer and consume become ingrained habits that are difficult to change. We order pizza on Friday night because that's just what we do. We hit the drive through on the way to work in the morning because we don't have time to cook breakfast. Two glasses of wine with dinner? It's our habit. We choose what is easy, what is convenient and what feels good. It's human nature. 

The key to sustainable weight loss is to change your habits, so that what is easy, convenient and what feels good is the healthy choice. It's not a quick fix. In fact, it is a slow process. It takes time and work, but when you develop new habits you change your brain and body from the inside out for sustainable fat loss. 

The mistake most people make is that they get fed up with feeling sluggish and overweight and they wake up one morning and decide to change their whole life in one day. No more processed foods, no more sugar, no more alcohol and while we're at it, no more carbohydrates. That should do it. Except it rarely works that way. After a few weeks or a few days (or few hours, let's be honest) we get overwhelmed with all the changes, we crave our old favorites or we face a temptation and we go back to what feels easy, what is convenient and what feels good. 

What if instead of severely limiting your calories or cutting out entire macronutrients (like fats or carbohydrates) you worked on changing your daily habits so that you became more mindful of your choices? What if you didn't try to change everything at once for rapid weight loss that isn't sustainable?

It's not sexy. It takes time. It takes work, but would you rather lose 20 pounds in 12 weeks and put it back on (plus more) 12 weeks after that because you lost it too fast and lost muscle too? (Been there, done that. Not fun.) Or would you rather lose 20 pounds over 20 weeks (or 50 pounds over 50 weeks) and have it stay off for life? You win when you play the long game. 

Throw away your scale (it only tells a portion of the story anyway) focus on your daily habits and the results will follow. 

What kind of habits am I talking about? 

10 HEALTHY HABITS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

1. The habit of daily movement

2. The habit of eating vegetables with every meal

3. The habit of eating lean protein with every meal and snack

4. The habit of packing your lunch for work or school

5. The habit of weekly meal prep

6. The habit of cooking/eating meals at home

7. The habit of eating slowly

8. The habit of replacing highly processed snacks with healthy snacks

9. The habit of eating until satisfied (then stopping)

10. The habit of sleeping well

Don't try to develop all these habits at once. Start at the top of the list and work your way down. They say it takes 21 days to form a new habit, I just gave you 210 days of habits to work on. Just image the changes that will follow if you master the above habits. It's not easy, but it's worth it.

I created this worksheet to help you track your new habits. The idea is that for week one and two you work on the first habit and check off every day that you complete it. On week three and four you add in a new habit while continuing your week one and two habit. Every two weeks you add in a new habit while continuing to work on existing habits. Will you check off every single day? Probably not. The idea is to bring awareness to the new behaviours you are trying to learn. By the end of 30 weeks you will have worked on establishing 10 new habits that can change your life. 

Do it yourself and watch what happens. Need help? Need accountability? My online nutrition habits program from Precision Nutrition is a year long curriculum that walks you through habit change step by step, day by day. Spend 15-20 minutes a day working on habit change for long term sustainable results. Interested? See if you would be a good fit for the program by filling out this questionnaire. Like what you see? The first month is 75% off to try. No contracts, no long term commitment, except your own commitment to give it your best effort. It's not easy, but it is life changing.  

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WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING? LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THE REASONS BEHIND WHY WE EAT

When we eat we are feeding something. Sometimes it's hunger. Sometimes it's boredom or sadness. Sometimes we feed our goals or our relationships. If we learn to elevate our awareness we can ensure we aren't mindlessly feeding or feeding for the wrong reasons. 

People often say food is like the fuel for your body like gas is fuel for your car. I agree with that analogy for the most part. If you don't put enough fuel in your car, your car won't go far. If you put low quality fuel in your car, your car probably won't run well for a long time. Your body is similar. we need to fuel our body with high quality-nutrient-dense foods in the right quantities to look, feel and perform our best. 

The analogy end there. Your car doesn't have a favorite type of gasoline that is just like his Grandmother used to make. Your car doesn't choose a certain fuel that has cultural significance (Your German car doesn't prefer Bratwurst). Your car doesn't remember his favorite fuel from childhood. Your car doesn't meet to fuel-up (and wind down) with friends. You see what I mean? Sure, food is fuel, but to be truly healthy in mind and body, it's important to recognize and understand that food is so much more than just fuel. 

The first step in raising our awareness level about the foods we eat is to think about what we are feeding when we eat. 

What are you feeding?

FEEDING YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

If you look at food as only fuel, you miss a major piece of the puzzle that can lead to disordered thinking. Sure food is fuel, but as humans, we build relationships and bond over meals. It may be socializing with friends, celebrations with family or negotiating over dinner with business partners. Food is a big part of the equation. To pass up on every social occasion, dinner outside the home or kid's birthday party because we're worried about accidentally consuming an extra gram of sugar, is taking healthy living too far. There has to be a balance between high quality nutrition and living a full and connected life. 

Relationships are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. While yes, we want to be mindful to put healthful foods in our bodies most of the time, there are occasions when our relationships are a higher priority than the macro breakdown of our meal. If you strive to eat well 80% of the time, the other 20% of less-than-optimal nutrition while bonding with friends and family will only leave you a healthier, more well-rounded human being. Healthy living is not all-or-nothing. It's most important to be mindful of your choices. Optimal or not, your choices are thought-out and intentional.

FEEDING YOUR GOALS

Often time we get on a stricter dietary regimen in order to feed our goals. If we want to lose body fat, build muscle or run a marathon, the food choices we make are more important than ever. Nutrition is the foundation of any effective fat loss, performance or health-related goal. If you are not feeding yourself properly for your specific goal it's more challenging to achieve. Maybe you're not training for anything, you just want to eat higher quality foods so that you have a healthier body to enjoy life to the fullest. That's a great goal to feed.

Proper nutrition comes first. It doesn't mean there isn't room for treats and indulgences, it just means that when we are feeding our goals, our focus is on the nutritional choices that are necessary to achieve them. 

FEEDING YOUR EMOTIONS

This is where things get tricky and why a lot of people struggle with food. We aren't eating because we are hungry, we aren't eating because we are training, we aren't eating to have a healthier body, we aren't eating to bond with people, we are eating because we are bored, sad, tired or angry. When we feed our emotions with food we tend to ignore all the signals our body sends to tell us when we're hungry, satisfied or full. When we ignore the signals our body sends, we're more likely to lose control. We are eating to feed emotional needs rather than physical hunger. Learning to tune in our body's signals is a skill that can be developed to help us control our weight. Our body knows what it needs and it tells us, but if we been ignoring or overriding these signals for years, we often have to start again and learn how to listen.

If you are eating to feed your emotions, before you can change your eating habits you often have to discover the root the problem. What drives you to overeat? Where are these feelings coming from? What are feelings are you trying to dull with food? I certainly don't have all the answers. These issues can go a lot deeper than what can be solved by reading a blog post. There is great strength in asking for help when you realize you can't do it alone. 

WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING?

The first step is awareness, take a step back and ask yourself, "What am I feeding?" If you keep a food log, don't just track your calories and macro nutrients, track how you feel before and after you eat each meal and snack. Download my three day food log to give it a try.

You don't have to change all your behaviors in one day or one week. The first step is recognizing your habits, noticing your feelings and how they affect your actions. Before you eat something, ask yourself, What am I feeding? Once you are aware, you can begin to make changes. 

Three day food journal printable PDF download. Save to Pinterest for later

Would you like to learn how to tune in to your body's signals and improve your eating habits from the ground up? My online nutrition program is a sane and sustainable way to weight management. Tired of fad diets and extreme measures? This program may be exactly what you need to make real and lasting change once and for all. Want to try it first? The first month of nutrition habit coaching is 75% off to try. 

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Ditch the Diet: Learn to Listen to Your Body for Effortless Weight Management

Are you hungry or bored...or something else? One of the most effective ways to take back control of our eating habits is to learn to listen and interpret the signals our body sends. Our body is a communication machine. It tells us what it needs. We just need to learn to tune in and listen. 

It's not an easy task. We may have been ignoring those signals for years. Mindless eating, crash diets, food restriction, and the “good” versus “bad” food mindset can corrupt the way we respond to our body's signals. On top of that, manufacturers develop processed foods that are designed to be hyperpalatable (aka delicious) so you are encouraged to overeat.

Do you remember the Pringles potato chip commercial? "Bet you can't just eat one." They let us in on a major food manufacturer's secret. These processed junk foods are specifically designed to be irresistible, to override our body's natural signals so we eat too much and ultimately buy more. It's all part of the plan. Junk food is manufactured so you can't just eat one.

Have you ever opened a bag of chips with the intention of eating "just one serving" (according to the serving size on the back of the package is eight chips) but then didn't stop until you were licking chip dust from the bottom of the bag? What? Just me? I didn't think so. 

Instead of trying the latest fad diet that's all over the internet or restricting entire macronutrients (cough cough, carbs), first try to listen to your body and see what happens. Our body knows what it needs and it tells us, we just have to learn how to listen. Effortless weight management can happen when we tune in and respond.

LISTEN TO HUNGER SIGNALS

The first step is to consider the hunger signal our body sends. When you feel hungry can you tell the difference between physical hunger and psychological hunger? Are you hungry or bored? Are you hungry or does there happen to be a candy bowl within arm's reach? Are you hungry or do you just smell fresh baked cookies? Are you hungry or are all your friends eating Mexican food? Are you hungry or stressed? Learning to recognize the difference is a big first step in taking control of your eating habits. 

Try this exercise: When you feel hungry, stop and consider am I hungry or is something else? 

Am I Hungry?

Am I Anxious? 

Am I Lonely?

Am I Tired?

That spells H.A.L.T. Before you eat, HALT for five seconds and think first about why you are eating.

Awareness in thes first step. Keep track for a couple of days how you felt before you ate something, either a meal or a snack. Taking note of how you feel before eating over a few days can help you see trends in your eating habits. 

Maybe you recognize that you are eating because you are bored. It doesn't mean you have to immediately stop eating every time you are bored, but recognizing the difference between hunger and boredom is a great first step in learning to listen to your body.

On the days I work from home, I wander through the kitchen on my breaks from writing and pop something in my mouth at every round. Am I really hungry every 45 minutes? Did I need to eat that cheese stick, handful of grapes or nuts to satisfy my hunger or did I eat it because it was there and convenient? Most likely the latter. Knowing is the first step to changing.

If you are trying to lose weight (lose fat) then your daily goal is to be in a calorie deficit, to consume less calories than you burn for the day. Even if all your meals are on track, you can throw yourself out of a calorie deficit into a calorie surplus by mindless eating. The candy from your co-workers desk, the leftovers from your kid's plate and the pre-dinner and post-dinner snacks, they all add up. 

EAT SLOWLY

Once you determine that you are physically hungry and ready to eat, the next signal your body will send is a satiety or fullness signal. This one can be especially hard to hear because in our busy lives we tend to do everything at lightning speed, including eating. 

It takes about 20 minutes for the body to send fullness cues to the brain, so if you scarf your dinner down in four minutes flat, you never give your body the opportunity to communicate the signal that tells you it has had enough. You can overeat before you realize it. 

The solution? Slow down. Chew slowly. Put your fork down on your plate between bites. Savor every bite. Take a sip of water between bites. This is not a pie-eating contest. Set a timer. Plan to eat meals slowly and undistracted. Turn off the TV, put down the phone and step away from the keyboard. Give your meals the attention they deserve. This is more important than your Instagram feed or that email from your boss (just kidding boss, we'll call you back in 20 minutes).

EAT TO 80% FULL

Now that you are eating slowly and spending 20-30 minutes eating your meals, you can be more in tune with your body's fullness signals. Eat until you feel satisfied, not stuffed. Eat until you feel about 80% full. This can be challenging in the beginning, but with a little experimenting you can find your sweet spot. Include whole natural foods with fiber, protein, and fat to help you feel full and stay feeling full longer, so you are not hungry again an hour after you ate a meal.

IT'S OK TO FEEL (A LITTLE) HUNGER

Feeling a little bit of hunger is a natural human response. Slight hunger you can ignore is normal, especially when in a calorie deficit and trying to lose weight. When the hunger signals get stronger, usually 4-5 hours after your last meal, it may be time to feed the hunger. If you ignore the hunger signals too long, you may start to feel ravishingly hungry and that can lead to poor food choices. The key is to listen and feed your hunger signals just like Goldilocks would; Not too little, not too much. Not too soon, not too late. It takes practice.

Our body tells us when it is hungry it also tells us when it has had enough. Can you hear and interpret it properly? Once you learn to eat when you feel physical hunger rather than for social, emotional or environmental reasons, you slow down and stop eating when you feel about 80% full it becomes much easier and natural to maintain a healthy body weight.

Does all of this sound reasonable? Are you tired of strict diets, yo-yo weight gain/loss, food rules and quick fixes that aren't sustainable? Are you looking for a sane and sustainable plan that builds healthy eating habits from the ground up? Then join my online nutrition program that plays the long game for long-term results. The first month is 75% off so you can see if it will be a good fit for you. Choose between self-guided coaching at a huge discount or let me personally help you reach your goals. See if you qualify for nutrition habits coaching. 

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How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

When questions come up from several different clients or readers around the same time, I take it as a sign that it is a topic that people want to learn more about. When you ask me questions, it helps me too, because it gives me ideas about new blog content, so keep the questions coming. 

Last week I had two nutrition clients and a follower on Instagram ask me about eating healthfully on a budget. The general consensus was they were having trouble choosing healthy foods and avoiding food waste while not breaking the bank. They have the intention that they want to eat healthier, but have this obstacle of cash flow to overcome. 

How to eat healthy on a budget - save to Pinterest for later.

While it may seem cheaper to hit the drive through for a fast food meal on the dollar menu it is important to consider the long term cost to your health of eating fast food and low quality foods on a regular basis. It may be a little cheaper when you pull out your wallet, but it is a lot more expensive to deal with health care costs if you have less than optimal health in the future. The choices you make today can help make your future-self healthier and less prone to illness, sickness and disease. This is not meant to scare you, but just to consider that taking care of your body and your health today is actually less expensive in the long run. 

I realize that doesn't help with real world budget issues. If you have $50 to spend on food this week you can't spend $100 on healthy groceries if it isn't in your bank account. Our goal is is to get the most healthy bang for your buck. Let's figure out to eat the healthiest food possible while not breaking the bank.

Just like anything else, healthy eating isn't all-or-nothing. That means that if you can't afford all organic vegetables from the expensive market, then you shouldn't throw your hands in the air and buy potato chips instead, because at least they are made from potatoes (hah) and they are cheap. Non-organic vegetables are healthy and chalk full of necessary vitamins and nutrients. If you can't afford grass-fed beef that doesn't mean your only other option is a fast food burger.

You have choices. It's not a choice between the best possible option and the worst possible option, there are plenty of alternatives in the middle. You don't always have to make the most nutritiously perfect choice, just strive to make the best choice that is reasonably available to you in the moment. If you are mindful of making good-enough choices most of the time, you'll be well on your way to a healthy lifestyle, even on a tight budget.

SHOPPING FOR HEALTHY FOOD ON A BUDGET

Here are 10 low cost healthy food choices to cover all your nutritional bases. Healthy eating does not need to be expensive. If you stick to the basics of whole foods from nature, you can eat healthful foods that you actually enjoy without breaking the bank.

10 low cost healthy foods. save to pinterest for later.

1. Frozen Mixed Vegetables

Bags of mixed frozen and vegetables can be very inexpensive, especially when you choose the store brand. When you buy mixed veggies you can get a variety of colorful, nutrient-rich vegetables for a fraction of the cost than buying all those fresh veggies separately. Frozen vegetables are picked at their peak and then frozen to preserve their nutrients. 

If frozen vegetables sound boring, don't be afraid to add seasonings or even a little butter or cheese for flavor. You will be adding calories, but I'd rather see you eat vegetables with cheese than not eat them at all. Remember the choice doesn't have to be between steamed plain veggies or no vegetables at all. How can you make it work for you? 

2. Fruits

Bagged frozen mixed fruits (no sugar added) are great as toppings and in smoothies. You can also choose fresh bananas, apples and oranges as affordable choices for snacks, sides and healthy desserts. What are you favorite fruits? Fruits are taste bud friendly and can be lower in cost when compared to packaged sugary sweets.

3. Old Fashion Oatmeal

Old fashion oatmeal provides fiber and healthy nutrients for your breakfast. Buy plain dry oats in the tall canister and add your own fruits and flavoring (like ground cinnamon). The prepackaged sweetened pouches are less-healthy and usually more expensive. 

I like overnight oats for a delicious nutritious breakfast on the go. Check out this post I wrote for a variety of overnight oats ideas.

4. Potatoes

Potatoes are a power powerhouse of nutrients. They are inexpensive and have a long shelf life. Wondering if you should buy white or sweet potatoes? This interesting article goes into depth on the differences in nutrition. Spoiler alert: if you like white potatoes, there is no need to shy away from eating them. Whatever variety you choose, potatoes are an excellent whole-natural carbohydrate source to fuel our workouts and our lives. 

5. Beans

Dry beans are an excellent source of quality carbohydrates and protein. With a little work upfront you can prep the beans in advance for an inexpensive and healthy meal or side dish ready to go when you are. 

Pour one part beans into a large bowl, cover with four parts water and leave them on the counter overnight. The next day, discard the soaking water, put the beans into a pot, cover with fresh water and boil until tender. 

6. Frozen chicken breasts

Chicken breasts are a high protein, low fat food. You can buy frozen chicken breasts in three to five pound bags that need to be thawed and cooked before eating for the best value. You pay for convenience, if you buy frozen cooked chicken breasts, they usually will be more expensive than frozen raw. If you buy fresh chicken, buy in bulk and freeze. We often cook two weeks of chicken portions at a time and freeze until needed. It is easier to make a healthier choice when a chicken breast is a defrost away. 

7. Tuna/salmon packs

Tuna and salmon packs are inexpensive protein choices. One serving of tuna can have as much as 30 grams of protein. That is a lot of protein for your money. Watch for added sugars and choose water-packed tuna instead of oil-packed. Generally speaking, the plain versions are the healthiest and least expensive. You can add your own flavors: mustard, mayo, pickles, onions, peppers, cheese and/or nuts. The choices are endless to spice it up. Use in salads, in wraps or as a snack right out of the pouch.

8. Eggs

Eggs are another good source of protein, pair them with veggies and oatmeal for a balanced breakfast. Hard boil eggs for a healthy snack. Don't be afraid of the yolks. While the whites have the protein, the yolks are full of healthy nutrients. 

9. Greek Yogurt

Choose plain Greek yogurt for the highest protein yogurt choice with the lowest sugar content. Buy the big 24 oz tub and separate into small storage containers. While the small pre-packaged cups are more convenient, they are also more expensive and tend to have a lot of added sugars. Flavor plain Greek yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit for a healthy, inexpensive, high-protein snack without the extra sugar. 

I use these cups to portion out my servings. (click on the image for an affiliate link.)

10. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a fantastic low cost, high protein choice. Buy the big tub and portion out the servings. If you don't think you like cottage cheese, try adding a bit of canned pineapples (packaged in water or juice, not syrup) for a delicious snack or side dish. Cottage cheese is delicious with frozen berries or fruits. 

MORE STRATEGIES TO SAVE MONEY

DRINK WATER

Water is the healthiest drink choice and it is virtually free. You can flavor water with cucumbers, lemons, fruit or berries. Here are some ideas for additional strategies to drink more water in your day.

WASH/CHOP YOUR OWN VEGGIES

Generally speaking, the more convenient it is, the more expensive it will be. You can buy pre-washed, pre-chopped salad greens and spinach, which is great if you have the money, but it is less expensive to buy spinach leaves and wash and chop it yourself. Here are 10 easy ways to eat more veggies.

AVOID WASTE

Avoid waste by storing veggies in air tight containers in your refrigerator.

Freeze bananas when they start to turn brown and use the frozen bananas in smoothies or as toppings on your yogurt and cottage cheese.

A lot of times waste happens because we have big plans to meal prep and we make all these healthy meals but when the time comes to eat them, we'd rather just order a pizza. (What? Just me? I didn't think so.) Make sure you are prepping meals you actually want to eat. If you meal prep six chicken breasts and six sides of steamed veggies, most people won't have the will-power to eat that all week long for months on end. It's just too boring. 

It's OK to enjoy your food. Really! Mix up flavors/seasoning so you are not eating the same thing every day. Cook and prepare six chicken breasts, but prepare two with salsa, Mexican style, another two with red sauce, Italian style and the last two mixed up in a big garden salad...Um, Lea style! Keep it interesting so when it comes time to eat the meal you worked so hard to prep, that you actually want to eat it and it doesn't get thrown away. 

BUY IN BULK

Buy non-perishables in bulk. Buy meat in bulk and freeze. I buy nuts and seeds in bulk (I know they won't go to waste). Sometimes joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) to share the cost of high quality produce with your neighbors can be less expensive than buying from a store. Research the cost locally as it varies by location. 

EAT AT HOME

It's usually less expensive to prepare your meals at home than it is to eat out at a restaurant. Even if you make healthy choices at a food establishment, a home cooked meal will almost always be healthier, less-expensive and less-calorie dense. You can save a lot of money by limiting restaurant meals to an occasional treat, rather than a regular habit. Some people say they can't afford to buy healthy groceries but eat out at restaurants several times a week. It's about priorities. If healthy eating is important to you, you can find a way that works within your budget. 

Did I give you any ideas? Did I miss any big ideas? How do you save money on groceries and healthy eating? Are you going to try any of my suggestions? Let me know how it goes. Need more help? I still have room in my online healthy habits nutrition program. Learn to build healthy habits and maximize your nutrition from the ground up. Ignore all the latest food fads and learn how to lose weight and feel great the sane and sustainable way, once and for all.

Still have questions? I'd love to help!

Coach Lea

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