How to Eat Healthy on a Budget (While Still Getting Exceptional Nutrition)

The most common excuse for not eating a whole foods diet is money. Almost everyone living in our society is strapped for cash and when confronted with options like organic food, it becomes a non-option. Why not spend our money on clothes, cars, jewelry, nice furniture, the latest Nike shoes, chemical laden makeup, & other materialistic distractions that only burden our life? Many people in the US and now in other countries are stuck in whats called "Babylon smeared perspective" which causes them to live a life based on gaining things, of material nature, in order to boost one's status & feel superior as a "sense of achievement". Are all materialistic things bad? Of course not. They are a means to an end, yet when one is consumed in such a devoid meaningless life, seeking viable options seems limited.



So when someone says, "Yea, I'd love to eat healthy but its just not affordable" you can give them some helpful tips as we will discuss in this article to circumvent such useless excuses...

• The first step in making strides towards a healthy, sustainable, affordable diet is to exclude unnecessary purchases. A good friend told  me that our world is designed to strip people of cash, which I've found to be very true. We should buy whats necessary and ask ourselves if what we desire is really necessary. Sometimes people get caught up in race to gather all that they can in order to give them a sense of meaning. This way of thinking is void of any true value and only leads the individual to succumb to a life entrapped by materialistic misery.
• Choose cheap foods! Eating organic doesn't always have to be expensive. Shopping in the bulk section at health food stores can make big difference in prices. For example, healthy & nutritious choosing food grains such as quinoa or amaranth will make all the difference in the world in price range & sustainability. Why spend money on food that is not nurturing us? Although we may be saving money by buying cheap junk processed foods, we are only deterring our health in the long run & preparing our bodies to an invitation to needless hospitals, doctors, & drugs, which are not cheap by the way.
• Local farmer markets, if available in your area, are very good as well. Supporting local farmers is great because you are giving money back to sustainable practices, instead of corporate greediness. Local produce can also be cheaper, if compared to produce sold in stores, since taxes, shipping, growing, & processing fees can all add up to create an expensive product.
• Get the majority of your calories/food nutrients from vegetable foods. While we all require some type of animal food to survive, if we focus on eating mainly vegetable based foods we will experience a higher state of health, vibrancy, & will be spending less on food in the long haul. Some animal foods such as local organic eggs can be pretty cheap. Wild caught fish is a good option as well, depending on the species, can provide a ton of nutrients for a fairly cheap cost. Sardines for example, while they may not appeal to everyone, are chalk full of nutrients such as: selenium, calcium, potassium, vitamin B-12, CoQ-10 as well as an excellent source of amino acids. A typical serving of wild sardines cost a little over two dollars. Meats, on the other hand, tend to be more expensive not only on our wallet, but on our health as well. Originally considered "food for kings" meats are more pricey & can lead to gout, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, & other pitta excess congestive disorders.
• Prepare your own food. So many people these days eat out regularly. Maybe its because we've lost connection with our food and what it really means to eat a natural diet. If we start preparing our foods at home versus eating out on lunch break or for dinner, we will surely be saving lots of money for other things that have more importance.
• Gardening. This is a surefire way to save money on groceries. People who have gardens & regularly attend them are not only healthier, but tend to live happier lives & have been shown to live longer as well. Here is an article that I've come across recently that proves how effective organic gardening can be: 

http://wakeup-world.com/2011/07/14/how-1-million-pounds-of-organic-food-can-be-produced-on-3-acres/

We will conclude for now with this article. May peace, happiness, & abundance be yours permanently. Bless.