10 Strategies to Eat Healthy on the Tightest Budget

"Really, I spent $50 on coffee alone?" a client recently asked, clearly stunned.

About 10 days before, she complained she couldn't afford healthy food, so I gave her an assignment. For just one week, I asked her to track how much she spent on designer coffees, bodega snacks, convenience foods, splurges, and impulse buys. (Hint: A food journal makes a great way to track your spending.)

The experience became a real eye opener about how she spent her hard-earned money.

Eating healthy carries an undeserved reputation for being expensive. Sure, it can be, but with a little savvy coupled with these strategies, you can eat a nutrient-dense, high-sugar impact diet on the tightest budget.

Actually, being a health- and budget-minded consumer means you ultimately spend less than you would on overpriced, poor-quality convenience foods. Plus you get fast, lasting fat loss and optimal health, which becomes priceless. Start with these 10 strategies and see if your food budget doesn't stretch further.

1. Buy in season. Asparagus peaks in spring, while blueberries are ripest in summer. Besides being fresher and more likely to be locally grown, produce becomes more affordable in season. If only buying organic becomes a budget stretcher, see the Environmental Working Group's (EWG's) Dirty Dozen and Clean 15.
2. Buy frozen and stock up. Ever regrettably tossed a head of broccoli that sat in your fridge for a week? Frozen foods eliminate that problem and save you money. You can literally buy months of veggies and other foods to store in your freezer, so you always have organic frozen spinach to toss into soups, stews, or to use as a side dish.
3. More plants, less meat. In my Sugar Impact Diet, I encourage you to only choose the best-quality meats, like grass-fed beef, organic free-range poultry, and wild-caught fish. I admit they aren’t cheap, especially if you’re trying to feed your family. If high-quality meat challenges your budget, opt for more non-starchy veggies, healthy fats like avocado, starchy high-fiber carbs, and other low-sugar impact foods.
4. Start your day with a protein shake. Even when you factor in unsweetened coconut milk, leafy greens, avocado, frozen raspberries, and freshly ground flaxseed, you'll spend about three bucks total for a protein shake using my All-in-One powder. That’s less than you’d spend on a coffee-shop high-sugar impact muffin or smoothie.
5. Don’t snack. I have clients total the money they spend at bodegas, vending machines, and other snack ventures. They’re often shocked at the amount. When you skip snacking, you save calories and money.
6. Join a farmers’ collective or co-op. More cities now have food co-ops where you volunteer your time for reduced-cost produce and other locally grown and raised foods. Farmers’ collectives provide similar opportunities with grass-fed beef and other pasture-raised foods. You probably have a farmers market during the warmer months, although some cities now conveniently have indoor year-round farmers markets.
7. Shop warehouse stores for bulk buys. Make a list and stick to it, since warehouse stores love to lure buyers with serendipitous bargains.
8. Eat more high-fiber foods. Fiber delays gastric emptying, balances blood sugar, curbs cravings, and makes you full faster. What’s not to love? Aim for two to three high-fiber foods at every meal. Excellent choices include avocado, lentils and other legumes, nuts and seeds, and leafy greens. If meeting that quota becomes a challenge, consider my Extra Fiber or Green Balance.
9. Plan ahead. If you know you’ll be stuck late at work tomorrow, prep dinner ingredients and you’ll be far less tempted to spike your credit card bill ordering in or grabbing take-out.
10. Brew your own. Ever tallied how much you spend on those fancy coffee-shop drinks? Become your own barista and brew a cup of Bulletproof Coffee for far less than what you’d spend at a coffee shop.

I'm always looking for ways to stretch my food dollar. What one strategy would you add to eat healthier on the tightest budget? Share yours below or on my Facebook page.