Eating Healthy Doesn’t Have To Break The Bank
Presented by Society Insurance
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By Kimlai Yingling
I get these questions a lot: Do you have to spend a lot of money to eat good? How do you meal prep? I want to eat better but don’t like to cook, how do I do it?
There’s a misconception that you have to spend a lot of money to eat healthy. This is absolutely not true, and I’m going to give you five, easy tips to help you kick-start a new routine:
TIP 1 : Look at Weekly Ads.
This requires a teeny bit of time and while it can be overwhelming for some, let me share what I do. I pull the ads for the three markets I visit the most, the rest of them get tossed. I take a quick look through, circle items that catch my eye and/or make me hungry, or say in bright bold letters “BUY 5 and SAVE.” Make sure to also download the markets’ apps to take advantage of their digital coupons. The doubling-up can make a huge difference.
TIP 2 : Make a List.
I keep a notepad and pen on the fridge to keep track of things to pick up at the market as they pop up in my head. Grocery lists are great, because they free up your brain to think about other things. If you have kids, encourage them to get involved and be a part of the process. It’s never too early to think about healthy foods, and creating effective lists is a great skill to have.
TIP 3 : Shop the Outer Aisles at the Grocery Stores.
There, you’ll find fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meat and seafood. Real food tastes real good and it’s the right kind of fuel your body needs to perform at its peak. Think of your body like a Formula One race car — without the right fuel, your car probably won’t finish the race.
TIP 4: Search Online for Healthy Food Ideas.
I use Google, Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration. A lot of us are visual, and looking at healthy food pics will trigger our taste buds. Save or bookmark the recipes you love so you can refer back to them when you need to create something delicious. This is adding to your tool kit.
TIP 5 : Set Time Aside to Plan Your Meals and Snacks.
Not being prepared gives you permission to make bad food choices. If you leave the house hungry, you may have set yourself up to make bad choices. You plan your outfit for the day — plan your food. Plus, one whiff of a greasy french fry and your brain is convinced you need it, but your body will end up paying for it later. FACT: it’s cheaper to plan and eat healthy than it is to spend $10 on a quick-fix fast-food meal that adds no nutritional value to your body.
Food is fuel, and building a new routine will help you save some dough, make better choices, and most importantly — have a plan!
Headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wis., Society Insurance has been a leading niche insurance carrier since 1915. As a mutual insurance company, Society focuses on the small details that make a big difference to its policyholders while offering top-notch insurance coverage, service and competitive pricing to businesses in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Tennessee, Colorado, Georgia and soon Texas.
Kimlai is a culinary content producer residing in Los Angeles, California. She has appeared on The Today Show, KTLA-TV (L.A. News), The Hallmark Channel’s “Home and Family,” as an on-screen culinary expert on the Cooking Channel’s “Food: Fact or Fiction,” and most recently as a host and culinary expert of “Cooking in the Comments” on All Recipes. Her articles and foodie videos have been featured on MSN, AOL, Entrepreneur Magazine, and The Daily Meal. She loves sharing her journey and knowledge about food and creating recipes that show people how to eat with a purpose.
Find Kimlai’s work: online at EatinAsian; on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @kimlaiyingling, and on TikTok @iamkimlai.
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