How to Make Healthy Eating Sustainable & Affordable

Thank you to IKEA for sponsoring this post.

Every once in a while I get a bit of sticker shock from my grocery bill. Helping my family eat healthy is extremely important to me and I do not hold back on buying healthy, real food ingredients to make that happen!  So occasionally I need to remind myself about the other side of the coin: By cooking and preparing healthy food for my family, I’m actually saving money in the long run. The most expensive ways to eat – restaurants, takeout and frozen or ready-to-eat meals are at a minimum for us – and that savings adds up!

That got me thinking about a few other ways that you can save money, while still eating really well. I’m partnering with IKEA for this post because they have some products that are essential for making this plan work. IKEA has some awesome food storage containers that are very affordable so you don’t have to spend a fortune on your healthy eating plan. And what I really love about these suggestions is that not only do they help make healthy eating more affordable, they are safe and sustainable too.

Buy In Bulk

How many times have you purchased a bag of a specialty flour or a new spice for a recipe, only to have the rest go stale in your cupboard? I love buying ingredients in bulk for just that reason alone – I can buy just what I need, with no waste. But I also love that the cost per pound is usually less that for the same item in a package on the shelf. Think about it – when you buy in bulk you are skipping the packaging and the marketing – both things that really don’t matter much when you are focused on buying healthy ingredients.

IKEA has glass containers that are perfect for storing foods purchased from the bulk bins. I particularly love the DROPPAR jars because the clear top allows you to easily see what is inside the jar. And the jars can be reused over and over, saving resources in the long run.

I buy so many things in bulk – beans, pasta, grains, flour, oats, granola, dried fruit, spices, nuts….

…and yes, you can find some pretty great treats in the bulk bins – just don’t go overboard!

Love Those Leftovers

This next way to save money on healthy food is pretty simple: Eat what you buy. Take care to package foods properly in your fridge and don’t let leftovers turn into science experiments!

IKEA has excellent containers for storing leftovers and any foods you need to package up. The FORTROLIG containers are made of glass which is one of the safest materials for food storage. And because the containers are clear, you can easily see what’s inside so you won’t forget about it in the fridge.

Pack Your Lunch

Last but not least, skip the temptation to go out to eat at work, and take a healthy lunch from home instead. It’s a great way to use up those leftovers and is certainly cheaper than eating out every day!

The glass containers from the FORTROLIG line can safely be heated in the microwave at work. A stainless vacuum container like EFTERFRAGAD vacuum food container keeps food warm when you don’t have access to a microwave. Pack it all up in a durable lunch bag like the SMORSOPP and you’re good to go!

How do you make healthy eating more affordable?

(Disclosure: As an IKEA Ambassador, I was compensated and received products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own. IKEA is a registered trademark of Inter IKEA Systems B.V. and is used with permission.)