THE KENYAN'S GUIDE TO EATING HEALTHY WHEN FRUGAL OR BROKE AF

Today, so many people all around the world are really watching what they eat and drink.

We live in a world where images of flat tummy tea wielding models and green juice advocates bombard us every day. I hate that Instagram explore page! Anyway, eating healthy does not mean that you have to eat exotic food. You can still cook a great githeri dish and be healthy.

Let’s get real. Do you look for healthy food options but they always seem to cost an arm and a leg? You think about buying that bottle of extra virgin olive oil, artichokes, almond flakes and salmon but your bills are staring at you and you have to prioritize, so you end up eating junk because you think that you have no options? Well, look no further, I have a compiled a guide for the broke or frugal Kenyan who still wants to eat healthy ~~healthily?~~. If you can’t eat kiwis, oysters, almonds, acai and salmon every day (because let’s be realistic, in Kenya, these are expensive), fret not.

*If you can, this is not the post for you. Power to you my friend. You are living the good life.

I even have a great shopping list for you and places to shop.

Here are tips for you;

1. Go to Outdoor Markets and Source Local Ingredients

If you don’t have the money to buy groceries in the supermarkets, look at the fresh food markets and you will be alarmed by how much you will save. You will find that healthy options like sweet potatoes cost triple the price in the supermarkets. For 200ksh, I can buy a big bag of sweet potatoes in the market but in the supermarkets, I’ll get just a few. Look at the nutritious foods that our grandparents ate but we ignore today. I am talking about terere, managu, nduma etc. These foods are very nutritious and our people were on to something. That’s why they rarely fell sick. The best thing about the outdoor markets is that their fruits and vegetables are fresh, and have not been refrigerated because they move volumes. My favourite is that market at Ngara. They have such variety including ingredients that you would not find at your “mama mboga”. These are fresh mint, cayenne pepper, bitter gourd, okra etc. I have also heard that city market is a great place to buy good meat.

2. Try Affordable Fresh Food Delivery Companies

I love Farmers Basket because they find a cost-effective way to assist farmers and consumers to get the right goods and services to satisfy their needs. They deliver fresh farm produce to your doorstep.

3. Buy Some Things In Bulk

Buy some things in bulk because you will save a lot. Buy potatoes in bulk and store them in a dark and dry cabinet because the prices are cheaper than when you buy a handful of potatoes every other day. I had this habit of buying things on demand but I realised that I save up to 5,000ksh monthly when I plan beforehand and buy in bulk. And I love alone! Think about how much you can save if you have a large family. Some of the things you can buy in bulk are tomatoes (ripe & slightly ripe), sweet potatoes, onions and grains.

4. Store your Food Properly

So much food goes to waste because we don’t store it properly. Think about it. Reduce food waste. Always put an amount of food on your plate that you can finish. Make use of your fridge.

5. Consider Meal Planning and Prepping

Plan your meals every week or twice every week and this will save you a lot of money. It will also ensure that you are staying on track with your goals. If you like meal prepping, do it and mix it up to make sure you don’t get bored of the food. Look at Kenyan food blogs who create content about local recipes and start from there. I love kaluhiskitchen.com and leotunapika.com There are many others that you can find on this list.

6. Eat at Home

When you cook and eat at home, you can limit the amount of oil, seasoning and spice you put on your food. You can even portion control and decide on whatever you want. Eating food at home also helps you save a lot. You can even create a great recipe whie you are at it.

7. Replace Ingredients

You can cook with coconut oil which is still healthy and affordable. Try Kentaste coconut oil. If your recipe calls for expensive ingredients, find a way to make it work for you while using what you have. Your food doesn’t have to look like it came from a magazine. As long as it is healthy and tasty you are good to go. Eat traditional food if you have to. I love how Nigerians are proud of their local and traditional foods. Start eating more local foods. Cook brown rice instead of white sometimes. Buy brown bread instead of white.

pic/ kentaste.com

8. Buy Grains

Buying grains is a great practice. Buy lentils, beans, green grams and rice and use them to meal prep. There are so many grains that you can buy in the market and all you have to do is soak the legumes for hours before cooking to shorten the cooking time then you can make many meals with them.

9. Green Juices and Fruit Juices

Instead of buying soda, make your own juices at home with the ingredients that you have.

10. Buy the Expensive Ingredients/ Superfoods Periodically.

If you really have to, buy chia seeds this week, flax seeds the other, almond flakes next month and you will slowly fill your pantry with amazing ingredients. However, when you buy all the expensive & healthy ingredients at once you will put a big dip in your pocket. Ensure that you really need it before you buy it.

11. Learn How to Whip up Easy Meals Using What You Have

Learn how to create a great meal with what you have. For example, a simple meal would be sweet potatoes (pan-fried/boiled), a scrambled egg and a salad on the side.

12. Learn how to Make Salads with Local Ingredients

There are hundreds of salads out there. You will be surprised how filling a good salad can be. Use what you have and create a meal. You can chop onions, cucumber, carrots, tomatoes and add a mango for sweetness. It does not have to be a gourmet salad.