Ask Crystal: Is it possible to eat healthfully on a budget?

Every Thursday in 2025, I’ll be answering a question on money and/or budgeting. If you have a question you’d love for me to answer in an upcoming post, please submit it here.

Here’s today’s question from a reader:

I need help with getting deals on healthy food. I need to lose weight, but it’s a lot cheaper to buy fattening food than healthy food. -a reader

I hear from women all the time who feel frustrated because they want to eat healthier but feel like it’s just too expensive. And I get it! When you walk into the grocery store, it can seem like the cheapest options are the processed, high-calorie foods that don’t support your weight loss or health goals. But here’s what I want to encourage you to do: Shift your mindset!

Instead of telling yourself, “Healthy food is too expensive,” start asking yourself, “How can I make healthy eating more affordable?” This small shift in thinking can help you start thinking outside the box! And an open mindset will usually open up new possibilities and solutions!

To get you started in thinking of ideas, here are some of my favorite ways to make eat healthfully less expensive:

1. Start With a Can-Do Attitude

The first step to success is believing that you can do it. If you tell yourself it’s impossible to eat healthy on a budget, you’re already setting yourself up for failure. But if you approach it with curiosity and creativity, you’ll start seeing opportunities everywhere.

My friend who blogs at Cheapskate Cook is constantly sharing creative ways to eat healthfully on a budget. If you need some inspiration and down-to-earth ideas, I recommend checking out her blog and following her on Instagram or YouTube.

2. Adjust Your Budget Priorities

If you are in a really, really tight spot financially, my recommendation is to just do the best you can do and not stress about eating as perfectly as you feel you “should”. Truthfully, stressing over not being able to afford to eat healthier could negatively impact your health, too! So do the best you can do and be okay if it’s not as good as you would love to if you had more time and money.

For those who have a little more wiggle room in the budget, one way to have more money to afford healthier foods is by thinking creatively if there are ways you can reallocate funds from other parts of your budget to bulk up your grocery budget. For instance, maybe you decide to not eat out at all (or half as often as you usually do) in order to free up money to buy healthier foods. Perhaps you forego a vacation (or choose to have a staycation) and invest the extra money into buying beef in bulk (see next point!)

Every family’s financial priorities are different, so figure out what works best for you. In seasons of our life, we’ve chosen to drive older cars and live in a smaller home so we have more financial flexibility for what our family’s priorities are. It’s all about trade-offs—spending in a way that aligns with what matters most to you.

3. Buy in Bulk and Plan Ahead

Bulk buying can save you a significant amount of money, especially on staples like rice, beans, oats, and meat Look for local farms or co-ops that sell meat in bulk—you might be able to purchase beef in bulk and save a few dollars per pound compared to grocery store prices.

Other bulk-buying options:

• Check local orchards for discounted “seconds” (imperfect fruit that tastes just as good!)
• Look into warehouse stores or food co-ops in your area that might offer bulk discounts.
• See if Azure Standard delivers in your area.

4. Grow Your Own Food

Even if you don’t have a huge backyard, you can still grow some of your own food. Herbs, lettuce, and tomatoes do well in small spaces or even indoors. If you have kids, get them involved! It’s a great way to save money and make healthy eating more fun.

As a child, I loved growing lettuce every summer. It was such a fun process to plant and water it and watch it grow — and then get to harvest it! I’ve even heard of some parents paying their kids for the produce they grow. It will be much less than buying it at the store and it will allow your kids to have a way to earn money!

Psst! Speaking of paying other people to grow things, check to see if anyone in your area loves gardening and would be willing to sell, barter, or give away extras from their garden!

5. Check Online Sites for Deals

You don’t have to rely solely on local grocery stores to find good deals on healthy food. Websites like Amazon, Grove.co, Vitacost, and Martie sometimes offer great sales and deals on organic and natural products. A pro tip: Use CamelCamelCamel.com to track price drops on Amazon and get notified when items go on sale!

6. Keep It Simple

Don’t overcomplicate healthy eating. Focus on simple, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Pay attention to when items go on sale and stock up. Freeze or can extra fruits and veggies when they are on sale.

One of the easiest ways to start is by making small, gradual changes. Swap out sugary cereals with oatmeal, learn to make some of your own snacks instead of buying them, start making homemade whole wheat bread, or cook more meals at home instead of eating out. These small shifts add up over time.

7. Prep Meals in Advance

One of my best secrets for sticking to healthy eating is meal prepping. When you have easy, ready-to-eat options in your fridge, you’re much less likely to reach for unhealthy convenience foods.

Some ideas:

• Wash and chop veggies ahead of time so they’re easy to grab.
• Hard-boil eggs for quick snacks.
• Cook a big batch of brown rice or quinoa to use throughout the week.
• Roast a whole chicken and use the meat for multiple meals.

8. Define Healthy Eating Based on YOUR Priorities

Healthy eating looks different for everyone. Maybe your goal is to eat more vegetables, avoid processed foods, or reduce sugar intake. Don’t feel pressured to follow someone else’s food rules—focus on what makes sense for you and your family.

And I just have to say it: if weight loss is your goal, remember that the number on the scale isn’t the only indicator of progress. Focus on how you feel. Do you have more energy? Are you sleeping better? Are your clothes fitting differently? These are all signs that you’re making positive changes!

9. Give Yourself Grace

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Life happens. You might have days when you really fall off the health eating bandwagon—and that’s okay! The goal isn’t perfection, but consistency. Do the best you can with what you have, and let go of the guilt.

At the end of the day, eating healthfully on a budget is absolutely possible. It just takes a little planning, creativity, and a shift in perspective. Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, start looking at what you can do. You’ve got this!

What advice and suggestions do you have for this reader? I’d love to hear!