If you want to stay healthy you must avoid eating the typical fast food and instead opt to eat food that is prepared at home. Dining out is typically more expensive, as well. Overall, you will probably stay healthier and save more money by eating at home! However, this rule doesn’t always apply. You can actually stay healthy by selecting the right food even if you oftentimes dine out. If you eat all of your food at home but eat in excess or eat unhealthy foods, you will probably not stay as healthy as you could be. To stay healthier, you need to learn some tips for eating healthy food on a budget. To make cooking at home a little easier, you can try to plan your meals and spend one day a week preparing food ahead of time. Then all you have to do is grab the meal you planned and warm it up or take it to work for lunch. Meal planning can also make grocery shopping easier. Even preparing half of the meal can motivate you to cook instead of eating out on your way home. If you really want to become healthier, you should try to get the recommended amount of nutrition values each day. According to the food pyramid; you should get 2 servings of meat a day, 3 servings of dairy, 4 servings of fruits or vegetables, and 6 servings of grains. You should also consume 8 glasses of water per day. To figure out the recommended calorie intake you should consume based on your body type, you can use a calorie calculator . It can be much healthier to eat fresh foods as opposed to processed foods. Shop at the farmers market instead of stores where you don’t know what chemicals have been used on food. If you shop wisely you can save money. Focus on leafy greens such as kale, collards, chard, spinach and broccoli. Leafy greens are more nutritious and generally less expensive to buy. This is true not just in farmers markets but also at the grocery store. Buying in bulk can also save you money. Dried beans and other grains from the bulk bins at your local health food store are typically pretty cheap. You can cook these staples in large batches and save them in your freezer for cheap, quick and nutritious meals anytime. Meat is generally one of your biggest expenses. Try cutting back on your meat intake or buying it in bulk to save money. Some local stores in Branson offer special deals on certain days of the week, where you can buy meat at a great price. While fresh fish is the healthiest options, eating fish from cans is cheap and contributes a healthy diet. Canned salmon, sardines, smoked mackerel and anchovies can be inexpensive alternatives for protein, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Always think long term. This doesn’t mean that buying every single food item at the farmers market is the easiest way of shopping but it is almost certainly the healthiest way. People have tendencies to patronize cheap, greasy foods but you should consider what you are really paying for in the long run. Those foods can be attributed to most health cases of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer. Make a habit of eating fresh foods and eating according to your suggested calorie intake, as well as planning and preparing your meals ahead of time. Experts also suggest getting 30 minutes of physical activity a day and a good night’s sleep . These will not only promote heart health but will give you more energy. By making a few small healthy choices, you can improve your overall well-being.