Six tips for eating healthy at home without breaking the bank

Tips for preparing a healthy meal 1:50

(CNN) --

The Monday night dinner dilemma: You're adding up all the money you've spent on food over the weekend and thinking, "I really should cook tonight."

But that requires shopping and cleaning.

And now you're hungry.

So you pick up the phone, and before you know it, you've already spent $35 on a carb-heavy meal that would have cost you a fraction to make at home.

It's a less-than-ideal start to the week, and making it a habit could have consequences for your overall well-being.

According to Anya Rosen, a New York-based registered functional dietitian, one of the most important things you can do for your physical and mental health is to eat balanced, nutrient-dense foods.

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Luckily, there are ways to do it without going over budget.

Here are six ways to eat healthier without spending your entire paycheck at the grocery store.

Prepare meals in batches

When we are hungry, we tend to make decisions that are not in line with our wellness or financial goals.

So when you take the time to prepare multiple meals for the week, you're giving yourself a safety net to fall back on when you're in a rush and hungry.

Preparing multiple meals at once can seem intimidating, thanks in part to the myriad social media sites boasting balanced and aesthetically pleasing meals by the dozen, but it can actually be downright simple.

Some Instagram accounts that might motivate you to break out the cutting board and food storage containers are @meowmeix (food facts and meal inspiration), @keto_adapted (keto, or high-fat, low-carb meals) and @dailyveganmealprep (plant-based recipes).

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Cereal bowls are a good starting point.

Put in 8 ounces (226 grams) of chicken breast (which will make five to seven meals, depending on how much you eat), an easy-to-cut vegetable like zucchini or asparagus, and some quinoa or rice.

Or choose your own favorites;

any protein, vegetable or grain will do, the key is balance.

Your best friends here will be a chicken shredding tool and a vegetable cutter, which you can easily find online and will save you a lot of chopping time.

You can keep cereal bowls interesting and varied by making them using different sauces, dressings and condiments throughout the week, Rosen said.

And whether it's meal prep or a single dinner, simple cooking at home can also save you the thousands of calories of oil and butter that restaurants typically put on your plates, Rosen said.

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Keep a reserve in the freezer

Stocking your freezer with nutritious foods will save you from the tempting late-night takeout splurge.

For example, you can buy frozen broccoli, shrimp, and parboiled rice separately to combine in a pan with a little oil and seasonings for a healthy dinner in 10 minutes.

Although you won't see significant savings by buying frozen foods like chicken and vegetables instead of fresh, you will save money by having nutritious staples on hand, with the added benefit of a food with a longer shelf life.

Consider plant-based proteins

If you want to prepare a balanced meal without splurging on meat or fish, try a vegetarian protein like tofu, tempeh, beans or legumes, says nutritionist and CNN health contributor Lisa Drayer.

These foods are healthy and much more affordable than animal proteins.

High in protein and containing all the essential amino acids your body needs, tofu is also very easy to cook.

Cut it into cubes, sprinkle them with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika (or the seasonings you prefer) and put them in the fryer or in the oven until golden brown.

If you prefer them even crunchier, add a little cornstarch to the mix.

Pair them with a vegetable and a grain or mix them into a slow-cooked curry for a hearty, hearty meal.

Other plant-based staples include vegan "meat" pasta bolognese, chickpea "tuna" salad, and quinoa and lentil burgers.

A healthy plant-based meal includes a colorful mix of greens, chickpeas, hummus, and tofu.

Get creative in the kitchen

Some of the most affordable foods may also contain the most nutrients.

For example, a pound of sweet potatoes costs about a dollar, according to the US Department of Agriculture, and is packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

A quick internet search will give you dozens of ways to get creative with these nutritious gold mines.

Bake them whole, cut them into strips and season with salt, pepper and paprika for sweet potato “fries”, or simply cut them into medallions or cubes and bake them in the oven or fryer.

Other low-cost, healthy food options include beans, rice, eggs, oatmeal, and lentils, which can become the basis of any number of healthy and tasty dishes.

And if you're not in the mood to cook, the carrots and hummus, the protein bars (be sure to check the ingredients first, as many have high amounts of sugar and additives), and the fruit and yogurt come ready to eat.

Another way to save money in the kitchen is to reuse food scraps, says Rosen.

For example, use meat or poultry bones to make a broth, pour leftover pasta sauce or soup into large ice cube trays to keep on hand for smaller recipes, and freeze fruit and vegetables that are about to spoil to be used later in a smoothie.

(A general rule of thumb is a week after purchase to use fresh fruit and vegetables, but just check for mold growth before freezing.)

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smoothies

One of the easiest and most affordable ways to introduce a delicious, nutrient-packed snack or meal into your diet is with shakes.

With the right ingredients, you can create a complete meal in a matter of minutes.

Plus, most components can be stored in the pantry or freezer.

A simple smoothie might include frozen banana slices (for texture and a natural sweetener), frozen or fresh spinach, frozen cauliflower rice (for added nutrients and texture), and fresh or frozen berries, protein powder, and nut butter ( to get healthy fats).

On Instagram, @healthyblends shares great smoothie recipes and inspiration.

Think of smoothies as a vehicle for your daily veggie intake, as leafy greens like kale and spinach are easy to mask among sweeter ingredients like blueberries, strawberries, and bananas.

The mistake most people make with smoothies, according to Rosen, is focusing on fruit and skimping on protein and healthy fats, which can cause blood sugar to spike and crash.

If you find yourself sipping your shakes too quickly, sprinkle some chopped nuts or granola with little added sugar on top to encourage you to slow down and chew.

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Try these changes at the supermarket

Often you don't have to completely give up what you love to eat healthier and save money, you just have to make the right choices.

If you take into account these changes recommended by

Rosen when shopping, you'll give your body a nutritional boost while saving:

healthy changes

• Swap bananas for apples for more fiber.

• Instead of white potatoes, try sweet potatoes for extra vitamin A.

• Skip the lettuce and add spinach for extra folate.

• Swap plain yogurt for Greek yogurt for more protein.

economic changes

• Save by swapping packages of shredded cheese for block cheese.

• He prefers nuts and seeds in bulk, rather than packaged.

  It is a saving that applies to most foods, since the individual container is more expensive.

• Along the same lines, swap the canned beans for a bag of dry beans.

• Substitute canned fish for fresh fish.

  The latter may be an acquired taste, but it's still rich in nutrients.

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