How To Eat What You Want While On A Budget
The title to this is a little misleading, I know. I talk a lot about intuitive eating here and living with food freedom (aka not letting food rules rule your life). So here you'll find lots of talk about making peace with food, honoring your hunger and fullness, eating satisfying foods, and living without food anxiety.Here's where this is misleading, this title of "how to eat what you want while on a budget". It's misleading because intuitive eating is so much more than eating what you want all the time. And it's really not eating what you want all the time.Intuitive eating is about learning your body. And learning to listen and tune into your body with food. That's the basis of it.So when you hear, "eat what you want," the usual thought is that that means eating "junk" food all the time. It doesn't. Our bodies naturally want to eat a majority of healthy, life-giving foods. So eating what you want, when you're eating intuitively, looks very different than just letting the reigns go and being carefree about how you take care of your body through what you eat.I had to set the stage here with that quick but important conversation. But now let's jump to how to eat like this, what you want and what your body wants (ie intuitive eating) when you're on a budget.
When you think about how you'd like to eat, what comes to mind?
Maybe you want to eat more fruits and veggies.Or maybe you want to eat more organic produce and meats.Maybe you value your local farmers and want to support them through your farmers market.Maybe you want to give yourself more space to explore new restaurants in your area.Maybe cooking for you is tough with work and a meal delivery service is something you would like.What is it for you?
What do you value when it comes to food and eating?
Some of these things cost more money upfront. But it's something you value. And something that, in your journey towards food as a way of self-care, you want to make a priority for one reason or another.It's amazing how when I was in the midst of healing my relationship with food, I turned my focus away from trying to have everything low calorie, low fat, basically tasteless and blah to focusing on food being satisfying. And what I discovered was that foods that I really enjoyed were foods that not only tasted amazing because they were fresh and in their purest forms, but also foods that told a story. I fell in love with certain brands when I discovered their mission to do more than just make a product but help the environment. There was a deeper connection between me and the foods I was eating. And that, I learned, was important to me.But for you, this could be different! I invite you to again, think about how you want to eat.And with that, explore where it fits in with your values. If eating organic is a value of yours, yes it can be more expensive, but how can you make that work in your budget.One thing I've learned over the last year, in particular, has been that the quality of my food is really important. And though it costs more, I can make it work through how I set up my budget. I know not everyone is able to do this, but how could you shift things around to make eating food that is satisfying really work for you?And now, use those values to place a dollar number, one that fits in with the rest of your financial life, to this part of your life that includes food.
How to actually stick to your budget.
And now the tricky part. My husband and I always joke, well half-joke, that I like to create the budget but don't like to carry through. It's true. Sticking to a budget is the tough part for a lot of people. And with food it's tough. With groceries we, at least I, oftentimes think that I need something...even though I don't always. And with eating out, I justify it a lot saying, "oh we need a date night out" or "I've worked hard and don't want to cook" or "we have to spend time with friends by going out". And while none of these are bad (I say these things a lot and sometimes it's something my husband and I agree on that it'd be good for us and it's in our budget), other times it can get out of hand.So here's where budgeting really helps! What a budget does is it keeps you accountable to what you spend but more importantly gives you the freedom to spend money without guilt so that you can go out, buy organic produce, enjoy local meat delivery without feeling guilty or like you're going in the hole with eating how you want.Side note... I'd also say, along these lines, that sometimes we can get caught up in spending money we don't have, feeling we HAVE to eat a certain way. Let me say this loud and clear. You don't have to eat any certain way! You have the autonomy, the freedom, the choice to eat how you want. And how you're able. There is no rule that you have to eat a specific way to be healthy.So to stick with your budget, honestly it takes discipline. It takes planning. It takes trial and error. You may go over budget and that's ok. As with everything, it's just important to learn from that case and use that knowledge the next time you grocery shop or eat out.Here're some things I always want to include in my budget around food: Organic veggies and fruits (when I can...but no stress!)Organic meats and dairy (again, when I can...but no stress!)Treats! (these help me, personally, express peace with food for myself + treats bring me joy)Eating out with friends and for date night with my hubby.Easy meals for when I don't have the time or energy to cook (these are often something from the Trader Joes frozen section)*What would these things be for you? So ultimately, eating what you want when on a budget first has to start with 1. figuring out what your values are regarding food, 2. creating a budget that aligns with your values, and 3. sticking with that budget not as a means of taking away your freedom but as a means of expanding your freedom and allowing yourself the ability to feel confident in what you're spending your money on when it comes to food.So what does eating intuitively look like for you on a budget? Or how would you like for it to look? I'd love to hear your responses!