Eating right on a budget: common highly nutritious foods you should include in your diet this year!
I can’t eat healthy, it’s so expensive!
Bet you’ve heard that line before… Or does it sum up your diet life?
True, if you’ve walked down the famous ‘Ronald Ngala’ street or held ‘chama’ meetings at downtown Nairobi, then you would agree that unhealthy foods are more indeed affordable and accessible than healthy alternatives. Sadly, these are the very foods that make us unhealthy and overweight, causing all sorts of these LIFESTYLE diseases down the road.
2017, the line must be drawn here!
Did you know that healthy eating on a tight budget IS possible? It takes just a bit of creativity and a game plan, that’s where we come in!
Now, let’s talk about these common but highly nutritious foods that are a great bang for your money, of which you should include in your diet this year. So, whether you’re trying to shed weight gained over the holidays or simply staying in shape, making the right dietary choice will contribute to your success.
Game on!
- Vegetables:
- For starters, Kales, locally known as SukumaWiki: If there is one super cheap superfood, kale and leafy greens are it!Best gift mother-nature would give us, Kales are packed full of Vitamin C, K and A, fiber, magnesium, iron, potassium and a whole lot more! Despite them being bitter when eaten raw, there are a ton of recipes on the net that can make kale delicious! So, get browsing and make the most out of this economical food!
- Broccoli: Not everyone’s favorite but provides excellent nutritional values, whether fresh or frozen
- Cabbage: Apart from it being versatile in whipping up a meal (soups, sandwiches, salad, stir fry) cabbage is both affordable and nutritionally dense; from antioxidant to vitamin C.
- Carrots: A great snack with crazy amounts of vitamin A, good carbs, and a little bit of everything else; carrots are a solid choice to supplement a salad or soup.
- Proteins: We know, we know, adding meat to your budget on a month like January would be absurd! But thank heavens for:
- Legumes: Beans, Lentils, Chick peas, oh goodness! Legumes are jammed packed with nutrients that work great in soups and salads! Plus, they are economical! Diet list? Check!
- Eggs: Eggs are a simple yet nutritionally a good source of protein. Toss hard boiled eggs in your favorite salad, scramble eggs, maybe? Or prepare a regular breakfast, eggs are usually too cheap to pass up.
- Fruits: Yes, there are still some brilliant cost efficient options for fruits. Like:
- Watermelon: It’s not just water! But as it turns out, watermelons are not only cheap but also full of vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. With the blazing sun, get yourself a watermelon to quench your thirst and enjoy the nutritional deal it offers!
- Other fruits: Bananas, plums (though seasonal) offer incredible nutritional value and are quite easy on the pocket!
What foods did we miss that you find to be an incredible value on a tight budget? Leave comments below!
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