AGRICU EAT HEALTHY, BUT DON’T SPEND MORE MONEY

Next to junk-food cravings and time constraints, money is one of the biggest reasons people don’t eat healthier.

Go to the grocery store and compare the prices of organic produce to nonorganic. It can be steep. The same goes for the difference between healthy cereals and cheap sugar-filled cereals. But you can eat healthy without increasing your monthly food budget.

Cut out fast-food and other restaurants. Fast-food restaurants might look cheap, but if you cooked at home and broke down the cost, that would be cheaper. Unless you’re cooking expensive cuts of steak or eating too much, preparing meals at home is cheaper. High-end restaurants waste even more of your monthly food budget on unhealthy options. You don’t have to stop eating out all the time, but cut back.

FRESH NONORGANIC IS STILL A GOOD ALTERNATIVE. If you can’t afford organic food, that doesn’t mean you should buy canned vegetables or no vegetables at all. Even frozen vegetables are a better alternative to freeze-dried meal packets and canned foods that are both full of salt and contain few nutrients. Fresh vegetables aren’t as expensive as you think. Organic food is ideal, but it’s not a requirement to eat healthy.

JUNK FOOD IS ALWAYS EXPENSIVE. The price for a box of cookies or a bag of chips may seem cheap, but if the alternative is not buying it at all, you’ll save money. Instead of having multiple junk-food snacks a day, have one or two snacks like a piece of fruit, vegetables sticks or a small handful of nuts.

SHOP LOCALLY. Farmers markets are available throughout Central Florida. They offer higherquality foods at a lower price. You can also get more variety in your diet because farmers can grow foods that aren’t able to travel across the country or the world like most supermarket produce. Some even offer organic foods at a much lower price.

START A GARDEN. Aside from the cost of seeds or plants, tools and fertilizer, starting your own garden will save you a lot of money. You can grow your own organic produce for a fraction of the cost. Start with easier-to-grow vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers and green beans. Start small this year and try something new every year after that.

Beating Budget Blunders

1. PLAN YOUR MEALS and snacks for the week according to the established budget. By including on your grocery list only the meals you plan to cook that week, you will save money by buying only what you need and limiting frivolous purchases in the process.

2. DO IT YOURSELF RATHER THAN BUY IT. Make your own organic granola bars, kale chips, smoothies and juices to replace store-bought with more overhead.

3. BUY LOCAL. Find a farmers market near you through LocalHarvest. org or the USDA — get to know your local farmers, create a personal relationship and negotiate prices.