Do you want to eat healthily, but hate to cook? If you’re like most people, the answer is probably yes. Cooking can be time-consuming and messy, and it’s often much easier (and cheaper) to just order takeout.
But eating out all the time is not only bad for your wallet, it’s also bad for your health. processed foods are loaded with sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and it’s all too easy to overindulge when you’re eating out.
So, if you are also trying to stick to a budget, how can you eat healthy without spending hours in the kitchen? Here are some tips for eating healthy on a budget, even if you hate to cook:
Buddha Bowls, Burrito Bowls, and More
It’s all about the bowls! These are so handy and easy to put together when you hate to cook. Plus, they rarely require much cooking at all and can be extremely budget-friendly.
To put a bowl together, start with a base using ingredients like rice, potatoes, or shredded lettuce. These are all cheap ingredients that go a long way. You can then top it with your favorite veggies, a low-cost protein source, and add toppings like sour cream, hummus, or salsa.
The key to making bowls affordable is to use ingredients you already have in your pantry or fridge. Don’t go out and buy a bunch of new ingredients that you’ll only use once.
One-Pot Meals
When you hate to cook, one-pot meals are your best friend. These are usually very easy to make and don’t require much cleanup. One-pot meals can be anything from a simple soup or stew to a more complex dish like chicken and Rice.
When looking for one-pot meal recipes, focus on recipes that use cheap ingredients that you already have on hand. For example, beans and rice are very inexpensive meals that can easily be made in one pot. If you want to add some protein, you can always add a canned chicken or fish.
Pasta Your Own Way
You can still have pasta when you are trying to eat healthier, as long as you put a healthy spin on it. For example, instead of your typical spaghetti with garlic bread,
consider doing pasta with vegetables. Use more veggies in your sauce, or just do
olive oil instead of tomato sauce, and add cooked veggies to the dish.
On the side, have a little side salad instead of garlic bread, and it’s much healthier for you.
You can also change up your pasta by using whole wheat or quinoa instead of white pasta. These have more fiber and nutrients, and they’ll help to fill you up.
Eggs Go With Anything
Eggs are one of the star players when you are on a budget, want to eat nutritious
meals, and are not a big fan of cooking. Just about anyone can cook eggs, and they are done in only a few minutes.
You can make any meal with eggs, from quiches to scrambled eggs with diced veggies, omelets, and more. If you want to get a little fancier, try frittatas or shakshuka.
These are all healthy, cheap meals that you can make even if you are not a big fan of cooking.
Use a Whole Rotisserie Chicken
While cooking your own chicken from scratch is going to be cheaper, the whole cooked rotisserie chickens at the grocery store might be a better option if you’re willing to trade convenience for a slightly higher price.
For about $6-$8, you get an entire cooked chicken that feeds a family or gives you leftovers if it is just for one or two people. Serve it with a salad or veggies and rice, and your meal is done.
You can also use the leftovers to make chicken soup, chicken salad, or any other number of things.
Sandwiches, Salads, and Wraps
For a quick meal, don’t forget about something simple like a sandwich or wrap. The ingredients for these foods are minimal, easy to find, and typically inexpensive as long as you pay attention to normal portion sizes.
You can also turn a sandwich into a salad by using lettuce instead of bread. Just add your favorite toppings, like chicken, cheese, veggies, and more. Add a simple dressing, and you have a healthy meal that didn’t take much effort to make.
Leftovers for Lunch or Dinner
If cooking is not your thing, then you’re probably not going to want to cook every day. A great way to eat healthy on a budget is to make a big batch of food on the weekends and eat it throughout the week. This will save you time and money.
Some things that work well for leftovers are chili, casseroles, soup, and more. Just make sure you reheat them properly so that they are still safe to eat.
Another great way to use leftovers is to turn them into a new meal. For example, if you have leftover chicken, you can shred it and add it to a salad or wrap. If you have leftover veggies, you can make a frittata or omelet. There are endless possibilities.
BONUS: Meal Planning
One of the best ways to save money and eat healthily is to meal plan. This will help you to know what you need to buy at the store, and it will help you to use up all of the food that you have.
Meal planning can be as simple as sitting down once a week and writing out what you want to eat for the next week. Then, make a grocery list based on that.
You can also meal plan by cooking a big batch of something on the weekends and eating it throughout the week or freeze them for later. his could be a big pot of soup, chili, casserole, or anything else. Cooking in a batch will save you time and money in the long run.
Conclusion
There are plenty of healthy, cheap meals that you can make even if you hate to cook. If you are on a budget, want to eat more healthily, an are not into cooking, these tips will help you out. Healthy happy meals are only a few minutes away.
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