How can I afford to eat more fruits and vegetables?

Fruits and vegetables may seem to cost more than some processed and boxed products, but they are worth every penny for your health. Fruits and vegetables can save you money in both the short- and long-term if you buy frozen, canned, and seasonal fresh produce.

Dietician Daniela Knight, RD, recommends that her patients check out the weekly ads. "If bananas are on sale, load up on those and skip the $5 per carton blueberries that week." Lettuce, carrots, onions, apples, oranges, and potatoes are typically inexpensive year-round. Frozen fruits and vegetables are packed with the same nutrients as fresh ones, yet often cost much less. Additionally, there is nothing wrong with canned vegetables or fruit, either, despite the incorrect notion that they are vastly inferior. Yes, watch for sodium in canned goods, but the nutrients are fine!

Remember, you can buy an entire bag of potatoes for less than the cost of a bag of potato chips, which are up to $3-$4. Pre-washed, packaged vegetables like broccoli and green beans are simple to pop in the microwave, and now you've got quick and reasonably priced veggies.

By eating more fruits and vegetables, you may improve your health enough to save money by reducing or eliminating medications for diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol.