It shouldn’t be, but healthy eating is more costly than eating junk food. A lot of people deter from eating healthy because of their fixed incomes which sometimes cannot afford a healthy lifestyle.

 Downloading Free Health Apps

There are apps on smartphone that are dedicated to healthy eating on a budget. Some of these health apps allow you to track how many calories you are eating; how much sugar is in your food and how much you should eat to gain or lose weight. While some of these apps may have a cost to download, many of them are free so there’s no need to spend a fortune on nutritional advice from influencers. A simple search in your Play Store or Apple Store can deliver you hundreds of health apps, some that are free.

Plan Your Meals

Planning your meals can also be a great way of saving money on food.  Use one day each week to plan your meals for the upcoming week. Then, make a grocery list of what you need and also checking if you currently do not have any of the items already in your fridge or cupboard. It also helps if you eat for your blood group.

Cook Your Meals at Home

Cooking at home is much cheaper than eating out. We often spend fortunes on takeout’s where one meal for one at a restaurant could feed a family of three. Making it a habit of cooking at home can also save you from ordering food that may go against your healthy lifestyle.

Consider store brands

Store brands are cheaper than more known brands. Brands such as Shoprite, Checkers, PnP and Woolworths have their own store brands which are cheaper than named brands.

Buy fruits and vegetables from street vendors

Registered Dietitian Jessica Byrne says fruits like bananas, apples, oranges, potatoes, dark-green leafy vegetables, peppers, and regular spinach are available from street vendors at reasonable prices compared to those from the shops. These also tend to be fresher and have a longer shelf-life.

Watching Workout Videos Online

What’s a healthy lifestyle without a good workout? Gym can be expensive, and some people do not have the time to go. There are tons of videos on YouTube where trainers have shared free home workouts and exercises that one can do.

Pack Your Lunch To Work

Buying takeout during lunch is another reason people do not stick to a healthy lifestyle because often we get tempted when we are around other people to try new foods. Packing your own lunch can save you money and also ensure you stick to your diet plan.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a healthy lifestyle. As long as one plans their meals and cuts down on buying junk food, then it is possible to have a healthy lifestyle.

Phumlani Kango is a contributing writer for the Anova Health Institute and these are his views, which may or may not reflect those of Anova and its affiliates.