How to Buy Heart Healthy Foods on a Small Budget

According to the American Heart Association, a heart-healthy diet is one made up of a variety of nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and it includes fish that contain omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, trout and herring a few times per week. Heart-healthy grocery shopping on a small budget might seem daunting, but with a little planning it is possible.

Instructions

1

Eliminate unhealthy foods from the grocery budget to free up more money for heart-healthy foods. This includes foods such as potato chips, sugary snacks, cookies, cakes, candies and sodas. These items might seem cheap, but they add up fast--and they take money out of your budget that could be used to buy nutrient-rich food.

2

Shop the sales. Pay attention to the weekly grocery store fliers you receive in the mail. If boneless, skinless chicken breast is on sale this week, then plan several meals for the week that include chicken. When items such as fish go on sale, buy a little extra so you will have some next week. The same goes for fruits and vegetables. When bananas and apples are on sale, make them the fruit of the week. Next week, enjoy peaches and melon. Shopping the sales will provide variety in your diet with little effort.

3

Plan out dinners ahead of time. Once you know what is on sale, sit down and plan out what you will cook for dinner each night. This way you can be sure to purchase all of the necessary ingredients and avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store, which can be costly.

4

Regularly include low-cost meals in your plan. These include items such as oatmeal, which makes for an inexpensive breakfast, or beans and brown rice, which provides a healthy and complete source of protein and is a great lunch or dinner option for those on a budget.

5

Stick the the outer ring of the supermarket. This is where the heart-healthy and natural foods are located. Fruits and vegetables, meats and dairy products are all found on the outer ring. The inner aisles of the grocery store contain the heavily processed foods, which are high in sodium and often contain trans fats. Only venture into the inner aisles to purchase oats, whole grain pastas, breads and spices to flavor your heart-healthy foods.