Healthy Food Malaysia

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. People believe that to eat healthily, they have to spend a lot of money on good food. That doesn’t have to be the case as there are ways you can choose to cut costs.

Sure, eating healthy at restaurants can be pricey. But have you thought of making the very same meal at home that costs way less than what you normally pay?

In this article, we The Happy Hormones have gathered some good 10 simple tips to help you stay healthy while being on a budget, you can thank us later!

1. Opt for water instead of sugary drinks

When you eat out, we understand that you’d want to order an ice-cold drink, especially on a scorching hot day. However, if you want to save money and stay healthy, opt for plain water instead of sugary drinks! This can help you save a lot long term. Even better if you can bring your own water bottle! 

2. Make your own coffee, tea or hot cocoa drink

Instead of buying a cup of coffee from Starbucks, make your own coffee at home. This saves you a lot of money! Other than that, you get to decide how much sugar and creamer to put in. The lesser the better! The same goes for tea, coffee, smoothie, you name it. Almost everything can be made in the comfort of your home!

3. Cook at home

By making the effort to cook at home instead of ordering a take out every other day, you can save a lot as ordering food from restaurants can be very expensive, not even mentioning the delivery charges. Think about it, if you cook at home, you get to experiment and try different healthy recipes. Plus, this makes you a lot happier and healthier!

4. Shop for locally sourced meat and fish

Love grocery shopping at the supermarket? While it’s good to get certain things from the supermarket, when it comes to meat, get locally sourced meat and fish from wet markets instead. They cost less and they stay fresher for a longer time! 

5. Shop for locally produced vegetables and fruits

You’ll be able to save a lot over the long run when you purchase locally produced vegetables and fruits instead of imported ones. They are just as nutritious and they are much fresher as well. Instead of getting imported berries every week, swap for locally sourced strawberries. This way, you will be able to save some money as imported berries can cost quite a lot. 

6. Check for deals

Always check for deals. A lot of grocery stores offer deals and discounts from time to time. This is a great way to save money. So the next time you want to get something from the grocery stores, best to check if the items you want are on offer or not. 

7. Practice proper food storage

There are ways to properly store food such as vegetables and fruits to extend their shelf life making it last longer so as to reduce food wastage. For example, store your vegetables and fruits separately from meat and dairy products. This can help avoid contamination of bacteria and it will also help them to last longer. 

8. Eat leftovers

Practice the habit of eating leftovers instead of throwing them out. You could make a simple leftover meal the next day as long as the leftovers are stored the right way. Other than saving some money, you can also save some time! However, try to finish it the next day itself and not prolong it as keeping them might reduce its freshness. 

9. Eat before going for your grocery run 

Have you ever noticed that you end up putting a lot of unnecessary items into your shopping cart when you’re hungry? Not only that, you tend to also take unhealthy food such as snacks. The next time you go grocery shopping, try going on a full stomach and when you’re in a calm state. This helps you save money on unnecessary items. 

10. Make a shopping list ahead of time

By making a shopping list, you won’t have to do double or triple trips to the grocery store if you forget something. Making a list does not only help you save time and money but helps you not to get things you don’t need. Most people have the tendency to put whatever they want into the cart when they don’t actually need them. So the next time you need to go to the grocery store, make a list first!