Achieving Wellness Goals Without Going Off Track Financially

By Michelle Dawes, Health Coach and Wellness Consultant, AllOne Health

It can be tricky to eat healthy while attempting to tighten your budget. However, with a little extra effort and planning, your pocketbook doesn’t have to suffer extensively just to keep moving toward your health and wellness goals.

Here are a few financially smart tips for improving your personal well-being:

Plan your weekly meals and snacks, in detail. Take inventory of your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. What do you already have on hand? What needs to be used? After taking stock, write a list of needed items. This will help you avoid overbuying, prevent food waste, and taper impulse purchases. Consider the time you have to dedicate to meal preparation in the week ahead and purchase an appropriate amount of perishable foods that can be eaten or frozen within a few days.
Minimize food waste. Shockingly, studies show about 30-40% of the US food supply is wasted each year. Minimizing food waste can have many benefits, one being less money spent on food not eaten. Observe for yourself over a few weeks what food items you throw out and why. Consider keeping a log to help you identify patterns that can help you buy and use what you have in smarter ways. If produce or meat is reaching its prime, consider freezing it for later use.
Use frozen and canned produce. Fresh produce can be costly, especially when it’s not in season. Using more frozen and canned items is an easy and cost-effective way to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.

To learn more, please reach out to your Assistance Program anytime for personalized support. The program is free to use and confidential.