How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

It can be challenging to navigate a world filled with convenient but costly and not always healthy food options like ready-to-eat meals, fast food drive-throughs and Grubhub. And with soaring food prices, it can be even more challenging to plan a healthy diet without breaking the budget.

Are there biblical principles that we can apply to help us in today’s modern age? And is it even possible to eat healthily in an affordable way?

In this article, let’s consider five principles for how to eat healthy and on a budget:

1. Plan ahead.
2. Buy in bulk.
3. Learn to cook.
4. Navigate dining out.
5. Take a gut check.

But first, let’s cover some basic biblical guidance on healthy food and budgeting.

What does the Bible say about food?

The Bible includes dietary laws of clean and unclean meats in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, as well as God’s blessing to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He told them, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food” (Genesis 1:29).

A fun study would be to research the different foods mentioned in the Scriptures, such as bread, barley, beans and lentils (Ezekiel 4:9; 2 Samuel 17:28-29); vegetables (Daniel 1:12, 16); figs, olives and grapes (James 3:12); herbs and spices (Job 6:6-7; Genesis 43:11; 1:11-12); broiled fish and honeycomb (Luke 24:42; Matthew 15:36); and butter, milk and beef (Genesis 18:8).

Of course, these are the foods that were available in the Holy Land, and today we are blessed with even more variety available around the world.

The Bible gives instructions about eating sweets in moderation (Proverbs 25:16, 27) and avoiding gluttony and drinking too much (Proverbs 23:21). It also talks about eating with joy (Ecclesiastes 9:7).

You can learn more about what Scripture says on this subject by reading the following articles on LifeHopeandTruth.com: “Clean and Unclean Animals,” “Healthy Diet and the Bible” and “3 Obstacles to Healthy Habits.”

Does the Bible give us insight into how to budget?

God also wants us to learn how to handle our money and finances so that we live abundant lives. As wise King Solomon shared in Proverbs 21:5, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want” (New Revised Standard Version).

You can learn more about budgeting and wisely handling your finances by reading the following articles on LifeHopeandTruth.com: “Living Within Our Means,” “Christian Budget” and “3 Principles for Family Financial Planning in Uncertain Times.”

Now, let’s talk about how to budget appropriately and eat healthy simultaneously.

Five principles for how to eat healthy on a budget

When we read scriptural references to healthy foods and resource management, one theme consistently shines through—simplicity. God’s laws, commandments and plans are simple. While simple doesn’t always mean easy, they produce great benefits.

With this in mind, here are five principles we can practice when learning to eat healthy on a budget.

1. Plan ahead: Start by setting a food budget that determines how much you can afford to spend on groceries every month. Budget experts say that 10 to 15 percent of your monthly budget is generally a good amount to set for your food budget.

Next, practice going grocery shopping once a week (going multiple times can drive impulse purchases) and make it a priority to block time in your calendar to plan your weekly meals beforehand.

When writing out your weekly meal plan, consider the following “meal events”: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, road trips and church snacks or potlucks.

And remember to use ingredients you already have so they don’t go to waste. Planning ahead will help when you are in a mad rush and junk food, takeout and drive-throughs are most tempting. Those add extra costs to your budget!

Lastly, block time in your calendar for food prep, especially for the most challenging meals. Breakfast prep can start the night before. Yes, it can feel time-consuming to plan a food budget, go grocery shopping once a week, and write out a meal plan that includes all meal events and food prep time, but I guarantee it will save you time and money in the long run.

2. Buy in bulk: When did you last check what was available in bulk quantity at a reasonable price? And, no, I don’t mean a 36-pack of individual-size bags of chips at the warehouse club. Buying nonperishable foods in bulk can be an excellent way to stretch a food budget and eat healthy. A good rule of thumb is to shop the perimeter of your grocery store (where fresh produce, meat, dairy and other unprocessed foods can be found)—and the bottom shelves. Many private-label bulk items with a lower cost per ounce are shelved in this space. Look for wholesome ingredients, such as dried beans, lentils, brown rice, oatmeal, olives and olive oil.

Many health food stores and co-ops have bulk grains and fruits and vegetables such as carrots and cabbage at economical prices. Consider splitting large quantities of perishable items with a friend or family member to maximize the freshness and cost advantages. Buying frozen fruits and vegetables is another good way to buy in bulk. Putting in the time and effort to shop for quality ingredients at reasonable prices has advantages.

Lastly, share information about the deals you find with your friends and family and ask them to share when they see a good deal on seasonal ingredients. And if you and those in your circle grow vegetables and herbs, work out a way to share your bounty.

3. Learn to cook: Many people weren’t born into a household where they learned to cook and bake at a young age. I still remember taking home economics as a teenager and college student and learning to make the simplest dishes. It was hard then, yet it did get easier.

Learning to cook takes practice, and I recommend keeping meals as simple as possible. I often have to go back and simplify my meal plan.

Cooking from scratch is less expensive than eating out and can be healthier. You control the ingredients. You control the portion sizes. You manage the waste.

If you think eating at home takes too much time and effort, retrain your mind to think of “cooking” in simpler terms: canned salmon or tuna, raw veggies, salads, hummus and boiled eggs. Yum!

Look on the Internet for easy, healthy recipes with no more than five ingredients, for simple meal plans based on your dietary needs, and for videos that demonstrate basic kitchen tasks such as mincing garlic, washing greens and boiling eggs. The point is to make time to learn how to do things efficiently and then make time to do it.

4. Navigate dining out: Not only is dining out expensive, but it also takes away some of our control over eating healthy food. Often restaurant food contains excess salt, additives, preservatives and unhealthy oils—and comes in oversized portions.

That said, as you train yourself to eat healthy and learn how to cook and bake, you are also training yourself to use simple ingredients. This knowledge can help you look at a menu (try studying it online before you arrive) with a fresh perspective.

For instance, order a fresh salad at a Mexican restaurant, add fresh avocado slices or find a fast-food option on the road that serves a baked potato or fresh vegetables, such as broccoli. Vegetable sushi to go is another great option. There are possibilities!

Even better is planning ahead (see point 1) for a trip by packing simple healthy snacks and meals to go. This includes filling water bottles and making your own coffee (skipping the Starbucks line). You’d be amazed how much a Starbucks habit can steal from your food budget.

5. Take a gut check: Remember that a nutritious, whole food-based eating pattern is one of the most cost-effective ways to stay healthy and prevent chronic disease. Nutrient-poor, highly processed foods can negatively affect our health when we eat them frequently.

God designed foods to nourish our body, heart and mind. Do your best by adding a variety of wholesome fruits, vegetables, proteins and complex carbohydrates. Watch portion sizes, eat more slowly and listen to your hunger and fullness cues.

Research what is good for your gut (think plenty of plant fiber, fermented foods, antioxidants in colorful fruits and vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids like in fish and flax), perhaps talking with your doctor or meeting with a dietitian. And strive to think of your gut when meal planning, shopping, cooking and dining out.

Giving yourself a “gut check” is also beneficial when working through these principles: Where could I improve? And where should I spend less effort?

Lastly, consider that God created food to be good and pure, so we don’t need to stress about it. Do your best to eat healthy without getting fanatical. We shouldn’t make pursuing “healthy food” our god.

Give thanks!

The first Christians devoted themselves to doctrine, fellowship, sharing meals and prayers. You can read about this in Acts 2:42-47. In this passage, you will find a description of their daily habits: “And breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people” (verses 46-47). These are good habits for us to emulate!

By focusing on God’s principles for food and drink and following Jesus Christ’s example of giving thanks to God for our daily bread (Matthew 6:11), we can eat healthily on a budget with gladness and simplicity of heart.