Clean Eating on the Cheap
By Joel Constantino – Smith
Two places to get healthy food for a relatively low cost: Costco and the 99¢ store. Healthy food is food that is not highly processed or high in sugar. Eating close to the ground – fresh and not processed is a good rule of healthy eating. Another way to look at your diet is the color of your diet. Do you eat green food? Yellow or red food? Try to eat at least four to five colors of food a day. Another hint is to avoid white food. White rice, white potatoes, white bread are all typically high in sugar and can increase your risk for chronic disease. People with diabetes are taught the saying “if it’s white, it’s probably not right.” Pay attention to your intake and the quantities of your intake. Too much of something or too little of something could be bad for your health. Moderation is the key.
A Costco warehouse superstore in Manassas, Virginia, USA Getty Images
Let’s talk about Costco first. Although at Costco you need a membership you can share one with a friend or if you have to purchase one, it’s a good $60 investment. Quality toilet paper cannot be beat anywhere else. Costco is a wholesale store that sells everything in large quantities. At Costco you should buy your meat, some fruits and vegetables (not all), and other staples like oil, flour, rice, coffee, and bread. It is easy to over spend at Costco. If you go once a month with a list and stick to your list; you will be fine. Do not veer off the list and impulse buy. I would recommend shopping at the 99¢ store for your fruits and vegetables before you go to Costco. Another great thing about Costco is if you go before 4 pm and you can get free samples. If you are careful and thorough, you can get a free healthy meal from all the samples. Again, if it is not on your list and even though it tastes great, do not buy it
The 99¢ store is the place for fruits and vegetables. Most are, guess how much? 99¢ a pound or 99¢ for one. I love cauliflower. It is usually $2 – 3 per head. You can get white, purple, and green cauliflower for 99¢ a head. It’s a great deal. Green peppers are usually four for 99¢. Bananas typically are less expensive than any other store in town. The 99¢ store typically get a truckload of fresh fruit and vegetables every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I suggest you go midday. They often get so much food on the truck that they cannot get it out on the floor early in the day. Midday is usually a safe bet for getting the freshest produce. Depending on how quickly you use your produce, I would recommend going to the 99¢ store twice a month. Just like Costco, the 99¢ store can lead to impulse buying. Especially since it’s only 99¢! Believe me that can add up. You should have a list when you go, but you do not have to stick to it as strictly as Costco. There is no real prediction what produce they will have. They may have tomatillos for four pounds/99¢. That would be an opportunity to make chili Verde. Keep an open mind at the 99¢ store when it comes to your produce and your meals for the next week or so.
Eating clean on the cheap is not as hard as it seems at first. Once you get about two weeks into a healthy diet and shopping for your own food you will start to feel better. I encourage you to make your lists and give it a try. Keep an open mind about fruits and vegetables. Green cauliflower tastes just as good as white cauliflower.
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I'll keep my eye out on those locations, thanks!
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