(Newswire.net — September 6, 2022) — As we head into the fall months, pumpkin-spiced lattes and oversized knitwear are starting to enter our lives again. There are heaps to be excited about in the cozy months ahead, but it does mean our eating habits will gradually start to change, too. Our cravings for light salads and grilled veggies will be traded for rich flavors and stodgy carbs.
When the days get shorter and we have fewer sunlight hours, we tend to crave fatty, heavier foods. According to Everyday Health, sunlight triggers the release of serotonin — a huge mood-boosting neurotransmitter — so when we have fewer daylight hours, we crave carbohydrates to increase our serotonin levels instead.
As we know, however, too many carbs can offer momentary gratification, but leave us feeling sluggish and tired. Health coach Erika Schlick is a firm believer in the paleo diet and says it’s a fantastic way to keep a healthy, balanced lifestyle even when you are fighting cravings. It means avoiding highly processed and sugary carbohydrates, instead getting them from meat, fruit, and vegetables. Here are four ways Schlick can help you stick to a paleo diet this winter on a budget.
Buy Cheaper Grass-Fed Meat
“Of course, the quality of our meat matters to people who are health conscious,” Schlick says, “but if we lose inspiration when it comes to meal variation and new recipes, we’re drawn to simple, premium cuts of meat like steak.”
These premium cuts of meat are easy to cook and always taste good, but this is one way to unnecessarily raise the food bill, Schlick says. “Instead, you can try grass-fed meats like ground meats, stew meats, and chuck steak. They still taste great and have excellent nutritional value, but won’t make such a big chunk of your grocery receipt.”
Meal Prep and Freeze Food
Making freezer space can save you hundreds of dollars in the long term. “Particularly when it comes to buying meat, purchasing a quarter, half, or whole cow can work out much cheaper than smaller cuts at a time,” Schlick says. You can ask around at your local farmers’ market and maybe even split the bill with friends. Additionally, if you can do some meal prep — whether it is for two days, half the week, or half a month, you will find yourself being much more economical with food.
“We’ve all experienced making a huge batch of something for dinner, convinced we’re going to eat it again the next day, only to grab seconds,” Schlick adds. Cooking ahead of time — especially when you’re not hungry — helps you manage portions and use up everything you’ve bought, rather than letting things go out of date.
Order Online
“If you can find a reliable online retailer for your most expensive groceries, you can massively cut down your food bill,” Schlick explains. Particularly if you’re having a hard time finding a quality meat source locally, she recommends meat and fish from online sources like Butcher Box, US Wellness Meats, Thrive, Wild Fork, and Vital Choice.
For pantry items, she also uses a website called Thrive Market, which breaks foods down by dietary requirements (like Paleo and Gluten-Free). There are a lot of products you can find there that you won’t find cheaper anywhere else.
Use a CSA box
If you want to stick to organic food, a CSA (community-supported agriculture) box is a perfect solution. A CSA is essentially a partnership between farmers and their local consumers, whereby they share a portion of their produce for a fixed subscription price.
“Not only do you get delicious, organic, clean fruit, vegetables, and even dairy, but you can end up with tons of products if the farmers have had a good yield,” Schlick says. “It’s all about sharing the rewards and risk together, while ensuring the farmers are paid a fair wage that is also reasonable for you — the consumer.” Farm Fresh To You is one option that has a range of different boxes tailored and customizable for different diets.
Eating paleo will inevitably increase your food bill, but there are always ways to be savvy and keep the costs from spiraling. And, as Schlick says, “It’s far cheaper to be healthier than it is to be sick.”
Find out more Paleo health and wellness tips from Erica Schlick on Trail to Health.