Shop smart and eat healthily

Healthy and nutritious foods OR (Shop smart and eat healthily) are not related to expensive foods. It is not important to buy expensive meals to complete your nutrients. You can also complete your daily nutrients on a tight budget. You just have to do smart groceries by keeping in mind healthy foods and your budget.

There are some important points to purchase smartly and also some important nutritious foods that are very important for your healthy lifestyle.

How to shop smart and healthy?

So here are points that you must have to keep in your mind while doing grocery shopping. You have to always buy the products which are healthy for your diet. Here is the list of points which help to shop smart:

• Make grocery list
• Stick to the grocery list
• cook at home
• Avoid highly processed foods
• Check the ingredients on the packet
• Buy in large quantity
• Buy less expensive foods
• Buy from sale
• Replace meat with inexpensive foods
• Buy whole foods

Make a grocery list

It is the most important part of grocery shopping. Make a list according to your budget. Keep in mind that you just have to buy healthy foods, not unhealthy ones. It is the main thing. If you make a list and add “junk foods” and stuff like that it will not be nutritious, remember your health is important. So make a grocery list according to your budget and write healthy foods which are beneficial for your health.

Stick to the grocery list

The next point is also very important because if you have made a list but you are not sticking to it so it is useless to make a list. You must have to stick to it then it would be beneficial to make to list.

Cook at home

It is very well known that if you eat foods from outside (restaurants, street food etc), it will not be cheap and in addition to that also unhealthy. If you cook at home, it will be cheap as well as healthy. If you have no time to cook on a daily basis as you go to work, then you can cook in one day for the entire week. It will save your time as well as money. By cooking at home according to your portion control, you can intake healthy nutrients.

Avoid highly processed foods

First, understand what are highly processed foods. Highly processed foods are those which are taken out or synthesized ingredients. They consist of a very small quantity of fibre, a large quantity of sugar even if it cannot taste in food, and also contains a high amount of salt, fats etc and even those ingredients which are very difficult to describe.
So by its definition, it is very unhealthy to eat highly processed foods. My recommendation is that always try to avoid highly processed foods so they will be good for your health and you keep healthy. Always try to buy or eat nutritious food.

Check the ingredients and nutrients on the packet

The next point is that before buying anything, first check the ingredients and nutrition information calories etc written on the packet. If any of the ingredients are unhealthy leave them. It will also help you to shop smartly.

Buy in large quantities

Always try to buy in bulk. You can buy many kinds of foods in large quantities like grains, millet, cereals, rice, barley and oats and keep them in an airtight container. You can also store nuts etc. This will help you to save money. You can use these all in inexpensive meals.

Buy less expensive foods

The next point is also important. Always try to remain within your budget. Don’t over exceed your budget. By less expensive foods like cereals, rice etc. Do not try to buy expensive foods if you are on a tight budget. It will be good for you.

Buy from sale

It is also a money-saving point. If you have the opportunity to buy from sales, then it is the best thing. Do not feel shame that you are buying from a sale, etc. You can buy expensive foods at a very less price like 30%, 50% off. But remember to buy according to your grocery list and save money and also eat only healthy foods.

Replace meat with inexpensive proteins

Meat is expensive and yeah it is full of proteins but if you are on a tight budget but you have to take complete nutrients and then replace meat with other foods that are rich in proteins like eggs, lentils etc.

Buy whole foods

Always try to buy whole foods. It means that is less expensive than in refined(processed) form. Let’s take an example of cheese it is less expensive in a block of cheese than shredded cheese. It is not tough to shred it at home then why give more money to buy shredded cheese? Grab foods that are less expensive in whole foods than in processed form.

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Foods that are reasonable in price but healthy

Here is a list of some of the cheap and healthy foods:

FRUITS:

APPLE

Apple is a very nutritious fruit. The calories in an apple per 100 grams are 52. Apples have high amounts of Vitamin C, fibre and various antioxidants. It reduces the risk of cancer etc. It has a very low-calorie count. The price of an apple is very reasonable.

The number of nutrients in raw, unpeeled apples is:

Water	86%
Protein	0.3g
Carbs	13.8g
Sugar	10.4g
Fibre	2.4g
Fat	0.2g

Oranges

Oranges contain a large amount of vitamin C and fibre. In addition to that also contains calcium, potassium etc. Oranges help to strengthen help the immune system etc. The calories in one orange (140 grams) are 66. They are also very low-calorie e-count.

The nutrients in one orange (140g) are:

Water	86% (by weight)
Protein	1.3g
Carbs	14.8g
Sugar	12g
Fibre	2.8g
Fat	0.2g
Vitamin C	92% of the daily value(DV)
Folate	9% of the DV
Calcium	5% of the DV
Potassium	5% of the DV

BANANAS

Bananas are rich in potassium and fibre. They control high blood pressure, promote weight loss etc. The medium size banana (100g) contains 89 calories.

The nutrients in 100g banana are:

Water	75%
Protein	1.1g
Carbs	22.8g
Sugar	12.2g
Fibre	2.6g
Fat	0.3g

KIWI

Kiwi is rich in Vitamin C and dietary fibres. Kiwi boosts the immune system and is also useful for bones. The calories per 100g of kiwi are 64.

The nutrients in 100g fresh raw of kiwi are:

Carbs	14g
Fibre	3g
Fats	0.44g
Protein	1g
Vitamin E	83%
Vitamin C	9%
Vitamin K	34%
Folate	7%
Copper	15%
Potassium	4%
Magnesium	4%

Blueberry

Berries contain a large amount of fibre and are low in calories. It helps to keep sugar consumption low. It also helps to lower the risk of diabetes. 148grams of berries contain 84 calories.

The nutrients in 148g of blueberries contain:

Fibre	3.6g
Vitamin C	16% of the DV
Vitamin K	24% of the DV
Manganese	22% of the DV

VEGETABLES:

All vegetables are very nutritious but here I will discuss some of the cheap vegetables that are rich in nutrients.

Carrots

This is also a cheap vegetable. It helps to boost immunity, lowers blood pressure is beneficial for eyesight etc. The calories in 100g of carrots include 41.

The nutrients present in Carrots are:

Carbohydrate	10g
Fat	0.2g
Proteins	0.9g
Vitamin C	9% of the DV

Onions

Onion is a very reasonable vegetable. It is in very low calories. In 100g of onion, it contains 40cal.

The nutrients present per 100g of onions

Water	89%
Protein	1.1g
Carbs	9.3g
Sugar	4.2g
Fibre	1.7g
Fat	0.1g

Potato

It is also a very healthy vegetable at a very low price. It contains carbohydrates, fibres, vitamin C etc. In 100g of potatoes contains 77 calories.

Note:

There are many more vegetables which are low in price and very beneficial for health such as broccoli, bagged spinach, tomatoes, cabbage etc.

Eggs

Eggs are also very cheap and contain a large number of proteins. 100g of the egg contains 155g of calories.

A boiled egg contains

Vitamin A	6%
Proteins	6 grams
Fats	6 grams
Folate	5%
Vitamin B5	7%
Vitamin B12	9%
Vitamin B2	15%
Phosphorus	9%
Selenium	22%

Milk

Milk is very beneficial for all ages. Some thought that tea and coffee is the alternative to milk but drinking milk daily is the best diet for a person. One cup(249grams) of milk contains 152 calories.

The nutrients present in milk are: