Keep your body healthy and save money with these eating healthy tips from the Frugal Grandma
Over the last few weeks, I’ve covered how to save money and keep healthy by exercising and seeing the doctor regularly but we’ve yet to talk about the most important way to stay healthy and save money.
Check out these earlier posts in the series!
- How much money do regular checkups save you?…the answer will surprise you
- How to turn 5 minutes a day into a fit and frugal you
According to experts at the University of Minnesota, your doctor’s decisions account for just 10% of keeping you healthy. The remaining 90% is controlled by eating healthy and exercising regularly.
A big part of staying healthy, and saving money on those expensive medical bills, is eating healthy.
And it turns out, eating healthy and saving money may be easier than you think.
You take care of your car, your home and all your material possessions before they breakdown, but you are missing the biggest savings of all when you do not take care of your health!
Eating Healthy and Food Storage
Nutrients in fruits and vegetables start to break down immediately after harvest. It doesn’t do much good eating all those healthy foods if they’ve already lost most of the stuff that’s good for you!
The loss of nutrients can be limited by storing your food wisely. Try to get your fruits and vegetables at a farmer’s market if you can. Fruits and vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator to make them last longer and slow down spoiling. It’s best not to wash fruits or vegetables until you are ready to consume them to reduce mold growth.
To replace some of the nutrients lost in foods, I take a regular supplement and multivitamins from A1 Supplements. The company is the single largest wholesaler of supplements and offers prices up to 60% off retail price. Best yet, I can order online and they ship it right to my door.
While at the farmer´s market, I always ask if they also have fresh eggs or grass-fed beef. It’s an eating healthy alternative to the factory-raised food you get in the store and a lot more humane for the animals.
If you’re grocery shopping for a week or longer, you need to keep food as fresh as possible. Freezing retains many of the nutrients and flavor. The Eating Well website offers a helpful guide on prepping and freezing your fruits and vegetables to help make them last longer without losing the flavor.
- Here’s a tip from the Frugal Grandma, don’t throw your freezer bags away after just one use. Wash the bags in warm, soapy water, vinegar rinse, dry and reuse.
Don’t overcook your fruits or vegetables. Water-soluble nutrients are destroyed with prolonged cooking time. Steam vegetables just briefly but not so long that they lose that crispiness. For example, asparagus and broccoli should retain their glorious bright green color and all those eating healthy vitamins. With canned foods, drain the liquid and keep it for soups and stews.
Try new foods for eating healthy variety
An apple a day keeps the doctor away but the same saying can go for just about mix of fruits in your diet. If there are some fruits or vegetables you’re not crazy about, try cooking them differently or mixing them in with different recipes. My son hates canned spinach but loves it on pizza or raw on a salad.
I came across Marla’s frugal grocery list on the Wisebread blog and love that she includes the occasional treat for dessert. It’s a little harder for some of us to keep that healthy waistline but you can’t go your whole life depriving yourself either. Don’t forget to live!
Want to see my all-time favorite ways to save money? These 20 money saving tips could save you more than $7,500 a year!
Eating healthy and hydration
Drinking eight glasses of water per day isn’t necessary according to the Mayo Clinic because you get liquid from any beverage and the foods you eat. Not all fluid has to be just plain water but it’s helpful to have a glass with each meal to help with digestion.
Of course, you need to replace the water you lose when exercising. Sports drinks can help replace electrolytes and other nutrients but get expensive if you buy them often. For a frugal alternative, try this homemade sports drink:
- Brew a quart of green or herbal tea with coconut water (or just plain water)
- Add a 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt and a ¼ teaspoon of calcium magnesium
- Add a ¼ cup of cranberry, apple, pineapple or grape juice
- Use a tablespoon of honey for sweetness
What is your favorite money-saving recipe, your go-to meal that costs pennies and tastes great?
You should consume more water if you live in a humid climate and therefore sweat more. Heated indoor air causes your skin to become dry and itchy in the wintertime and you need more water. It could be as little as two more glasses of water per day to make you look and feel better.
Good money habits start at home – 36 personal finance gurus share their top tips for teaching kids great money habits!
Eating healthier is, by far, my favorite of all the frugal, saving money ideas. Not only can you save money now and down the road on medical bills but you’ll really notice the difference in how you feel.
Try eating healthy for a few weeks and you’ll love how it makes you feel and will build habits that will become second nature. I’d love to hear any of your frugal living, eating healthy ideas. Frugal Grandma