On Tuesday, April 21, DU hosted a presentation called “Eating Well on a Budget” as a part of its “Money Smart Week” initiative. The talk went from 12 to 2 p.m. and was held in the Loft of the Anderson Academic Commons. Hosting the presentation was Mandy Sigmund, DU’s Wellness Program Manager, who brought with her over 10 years of experience in the wellness industry.

There are three general rules to follow when trying to eat healthy on a budget, according to Sigmund: plan ahead, shop smart and cut corners without losing nutritional value. Here are her suggestions for sticking to all three.

Plan ahead

Sigmund suggests planning out meals before you go shopping, using a grocery app if this makes planning easier, such as AnyList, Grocery IQ and Wunderlust. This will allow you to have an idea of how much food you will need for the week and what ingredients you will need to buy, rather than shopping blindly, spending more money and picking up easier foods that are more likely to be less nutritious. It’s also smart to choose recipes with similar ingredients each week, as you can buy ingredients in bulk and use them week-to-week.

She also recommends planning out snacks and lunches that you can take to work or school, allowing you to resist the temptation of unhealthy and expensive snacks from vending machines and other convenience-based food suppliers.
Sigmund says that using a weekend or day off to cook for the week will save time during busy work and school days in terms of preparing food. Cooking extra servings of meals you do make during the week is also a smart idea, as they can be eaten as leftovers later in the week.

Shop smart

Sigmund recommends checking specials and sales before heading to the store, as well as shopping with a friend so that both people can buy in bulk together and make the purchase less expensive individually. However, she cautions against easy, packaged meals and pre-made foods (salad bars, delis) as they are often expensive as well as high in sodium. Buying seasonal produce, often cheaper and of better quality than that out of season, is another of Sigmund’s recommendations for the grocery store.

Joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) will give you great deals on local produce as well as allowing you to support local agriculture, according to Sigmund. Farmers markets, or even growing your own food in a community garden, will also give you the opportunity to get fresh produce at a discounted rate.

Sigmund also suggests not eating out as often, but to do so only once every few weeks as a treat, as it can be very expensive and often not very health-conscious.

Cut corners without losing nutrition

Sigmund recommends buying frozen produce, which can be kept for longer than fresh, for staple fruits and veggies. If you can’t afford to buy all organic, she also recommended straying from the “Dirty Dozen,” a yearly list of produce most affected by pesticides, and buying organic of those specific fruits and vegetables.