Too often we think that eating a balanced diet and following a diet is expensive. And yet this is not always the case ...

1.  The fresh products
Fresh products do not always rhyme with strong purchasing power.

You have to buy seasonal fruits, vegetables and fish. The production cost is lower and the products are sold cheaper.

To save money: 

* Try  to go to the producer directly,

* or think  at the pickings q

* or take advantage of promotions (  check the prices per kilo) and  buy wholesale and freeze for a lower price

*  or grow it yourself (you can sow radishes, zucchini, carrots ...), ofite promotions (check the prices per kilo), buy in bulk and freeze for a cheaper price.

2. Frozen products

We often think that fresh products are much better than frozen ones, and yet ... their nutritional value  are almost identical to the fresh ones. Of course, you have to choose them plain and not cooked.

Frozen products have it all: they keep longer, are sometimes already peeled and  have a large variety of fruits, vegetables and fish, meats even out of season.

3. Preserves

First of all let's try to understand how the preserves are made. It is the sterilization of vegetables by heat in airtight metal or glass containers. This high temperature heating unfortunately destroys some of the vitamins, in particular the most fragile ones such as vitamin C, while allowing bacteriological stability. So be careful with excess salt and sugar (in peas for example) because some foods are often soaked in a covering juice consisting of water, salt and sometimes sugar. It is strongly recommended not to consume it for people who must limit these foods, but for others, the juice can be consumed, especially since it contains part of the vitamins and minerals of the vegetable.

Beware of ready-made meals: because sometimes these are high in calories, so buy them plain.

Think of fruits in syrup: they are inexpensive and low in calories if you drain them well.

4. Proteins

Protein is often our biggest budget in the diet. Try to find solutions. Here are some examples:

Try to favor meat and fish at low prices: poultry or saithe are protein at low prices.

Revisit your habits: meat and fish for lunch and dinner is it really useful? As part of a healthy and balanced diet, it is recommended for women to consume a portion of 150g and for men 200g.

Regarding dairy products: you have the choice, from nature to fruit flavored, prefer large jars which are most often less expensive.

Think of eggs, which are inexpensive and a great source of vitamins and minerals. In particular vitamins A, D and E. On the other hand, limit yourself to 6 eggs per week because of course the egg white consists of water and proteins but in the egg yolk are concentrated the lipids.

A portion of meat can be replaced from time to time by cereals or pulses. Vegetable proteins are incomplete unlike animal proteins, but by cleverly associating certain vegetable proteins with each other. To replace an animal protein, it is necessary in the same meal: eat a cereal (2/3) and a dried vegetable (1/3). Example of meal / protein: corn / beans, rice / lentils, semolina / chickpeas ... This formula is possible at one of the 2 meals of the day because the quantitative and especially qualitative iron intake would not be equivalent to meat.

All starches and pulses purchased raw are inexpensive.

Quinoa and amaranth are found a bit apart since their proteins are of satisfactory quality and are sufficient on their own.

5. Cook yourself

The best way to eat better and cheaper is still to cook at home.

If you work during the week, try to devote an afternoon on the weekend to preparing your meals and freezing them in portions to take them out on weeknights.

Do not throw anything away: for example on a bunch of radishes, prepare the radishes as a starter and make a soup with the tops.

Get organized, anticipate, prepare, freeze, cook to eat healthily at a lower cost.