CBS NEWS – Eating well doesn’t have to be expensive — something plant-based cookbook author Toni Okamoto lives by.
The recipes she shared with CBS News last month from her latest “Plant-Based on a Budget” book showed it’s possible to cook healthy meals without spending big on inflation-impacted shopping staples like eggs and butter.
And the blogger and social media star also shared tips on how to make eating well for cheap part of your lifestyle.
If you’re looking to save some money without sacrificing healthy food options, Okamoto suggests keeping these things in mind:
Aim for progress, not perfection
For starters, Okamoto suggests leaning in to your position and process.
“There’s a lot of shame around being on a tight budget, giving something back at the register because you couldn’t afford it,” she says, recalling her own childhood memory of being in a grocery checkout line with someone impatiently tapping their foot behind her family. “My dad used to say… ‘They don’t pay my bills.'”
“Remove that shame and understand that this is a long game and you have your family (and goals) in mind,” she says, offering encouragement to be OK with progress over perfection as you start your journey.
“Sometimes when people are trying a new diet or whether they’re trying to eat healthy and they slip up, it can be an overwhelming feeling and it can be a disappointment, but the cool thing is you can continue choosing a healthier meal for the next meal and the next meal,” she explains.
“And even if you make that choice to have a quick fast food stop, that doesn’t have to mean that everything else gets thrown out the window. It just means that the next opportunity you have you can choose a healthier, more balanced meal.”
Meal plan to save money
You’ve heard of meal planning as a way to stay on track for your nutrition goals — well, it can also help with your budget goals, Okamoto says …
