Most of these habits are frugal, many are healthy, and quite a few are both. Enjoy!
At Work
1. Bring your own morning coffee in a travel mug; that’s good for the environment, your wallet, and will keep things warm.
2. Bring leftovers for lunch.
3. If you do splurge on eating take out with everyone else, have a healthy high fibre snack at least 15 minutes before hand so you don’t eat as much.
4. Always have water on hand. Always. Consciously set the amount of water you plan on drinking every day.
5. Have a big glass of water a few minutes before your lunch, it’ll help you to feel fuller.
6. If you don’t want to miss out on the social aspect of eating out at lunch. Eat a snack or your lunch first, and just order an appetizer when you do go out.
7. If you do eat out with everyone else take a minute to study the menu and consciously make healthy food choices rather than letting your hunger guide you. You can use some of the healthy substitutes in the restaurant survival tips below.
8. If everyone orders in, you can still bring your lunch and socialize with them. If they’re really your friends they won’t judge you for trying to be healthy and taking care of yourself–plus it’ll be a nice break from your work day.
9. Go one step further and actually bake or make your snacks brought from home. Baking a whole batch of muffins and throwing them in the freezer can be a quick breakfast or snack to grab and go.
10. If you have the time, start a group that walks for a few minutes after lunch. Even a spin around the block or building will help your lunch to settle a bit.
11. If you get tons of treats delivered to your place of work by appreciative clients during the holidays, I have some suggestions. Freeze some of them to enjoy later. When I used to work over the Christmas holidays, I’d put some of the stuff away for the staff for later and take the boxes and boxes of unopened chocolate to the food bank for their baskets. There are also charities like Second Harvest that will gladly pick up perishable and non perishable food for others to enjoy, you can check them out at http://www.secondharvest.ca/ in Canada or http://www.secondharvest.org/ in the U.S.
At restaurants and take-out places
12. Order water with lemon instead of sugary drinks or alcohol. The lemon is refreshing, and will help your body process the fatty food you’re eating.
13. Order a baked potato or salad instead of those fries.
14. If you just want a bite, split a dessert with others.
15. Better yet, just get something tasty (and less expensive) on your way home from the restaurant.
16. When ordering at a fast food place, get the kids combo–which incidentally is the size that combos actually used to be.
17. At many fast food places you can usually substitute that sugary soda for a milk or cup of tea at no extra charge.
18. When ordering Chinese food, you can get steamed rice instead of fried rice.
19. Get take out and eat with a side of cut up veggies at home. No tip required and the carrot and celery sticks are a good, high fibre compliment to whatever greasy, delicious food you’ll be eating.
20. Many pizza places have a special price for walk-in customers on a one topping pizza. Maybe this is all you need and it’ll cost a whole lot less. Our personal favourite is the large, walk-in pineapple pizza from Pizza Pizza for $8.99. We get extra sauce, and get them to leave it in a bit longer than normal, then put fresh basil and crushed chili flakes on it when we get it home. Yum!
21. If you’re going out to a restaurant late in the evening, just order a couple of appetizers and split them. You can nibble on the food while you’re talking. This will probably be enough food, besides–you really shouldn’t eat a huge meal late at night anyway.
22. If you want to go to an expensive restaurant or buffet, go for lunch, you’ll enjoy the same quality of food at a much lower price. You also will have that big meal earlier in the day.
23. Say yes to a doggie bag. If you know the portion is going to be huge, remove the temptation and ask them to please put half of it in the doggie bag before they serve you your meal. Lunch the next day and built-in portion control.
At parties
24. It can be challenging not to fall off the wagon at social gatherings or during the holidays. Some people actually eat more because they are stressed–there is a chemical reason for it. Do some deep breathing, stretching, take a walk, to try listening to your favourite song to try to get those stress-hormone levels down before you surround yourself with food.
25. If you’re drinking alcohol, always alternate one alcoholic beverage for a glass of water. This will help to keep your bar tab down, keep you from making an ass out of yourself, and help keep the aforementioned body part from getting any bigger 
26. Eat something sensible before you go. Don’t go to these things ravenous, it spells E-A-T-I-N-G D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R
27. Balance some of the higher fibre veggies or hard fruits with the fatty foods. If you want to make sure there’ll be something healthy for you to munch on, offer to bring it yourself as a contribution to the party!
28. Just say no. Politely decline the tray that gets passed around again, with a word about just how great the food is and how you’re good for now.
29. Be conscious of what you’re eating and enjoy every bite. It’s not worth the calories if you don’t even remember eating it
30. If it’s a potluck, plan ahead to bring something you made yourself, creative, and good for you. This is a much better contribution than running to the grocery store at the last minute and buying an expensive and lame fruit tray.
31. Don’t double fist drinks or food. Leave one hand free to shake hands and hug your friends.
32. Just take a few things at a time on a small plate–you can always go back for more later if you need it.
33. If you see something you really like, but don’t have room, split it with a friend or partner, that way you can still have a bite to try it.
34. Take people up on their offer to send some of the food from the party home with you. You won’t have to cook later and you’re saving the food from going to waste.
Meals at home
35. Use smaller plates. If you feel the need to fill your plate, you’ll be eating much less food. If you want seconds then you don’t have to feel guilty.
36. Have some veggies cut up in the fridge and put them out to munch on while you’re getting dinner ready.
37. If you’re trying to lose weight, try eating 4 to 6 smaller meals instead of 3 including a big dinner.
38. Make large quantities of food at once so you have some for lunch, or to throw in the freezer for another day when you have less time.
39. If possible, grow a little vegetable garden–you’ll never match the taste of homegrown food!
40. Have a little indoor or outdoor herb garden. Fresh herbs are loaded with flavour and countless health benefits.
41. Just heard this tip from Dr. Oz, and am trying it, have a piece of whole grain bread with extra virgin olive oil 5 minutes before dinner to help keep your appetite in check. I do it more like 15 minutes ahead of time.
42. Make meals from scratch, or close to it. It’s generally less expensive and you control what ingredients go into them.
43. Have an orange or some grapefruit after your meal for dessert. This will also help to cut the fat you just ate.
44. Consider just eating the whole piece of fruit instead of buying juice. More nutrients and more filling. You can get a fair amount of fruit for what you’d pay for premium juices.
45. Toast up some sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or slivered almonds for your salads. You can get small amounts for less money at places like Bulk Barn.
46. Add small amounts of ground flax to your yogurt, prepared oatmeal, smoothies, or many other things. It’s rich in omega fatty acids and has been taken by some breast cancer patients due to its high lignin content.
47. Add just half the amount of salad dressing you normally eat and mix it in well. If you do end up needing more add a bit in later.
48. Make your own salad dressing using olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or olive oil and lemon juice, or do a web search for more cheap and healthy dressings that aren’t loaded with bad-for-you-oils.
49. Make your own delicious dips and spreads to help fill you up such as a kalamata olive tapenade, roasted red pepper dip, hummus, or onion dip with low fat sour cream.
50. Snack on high fibre crackers and breads like Wasa crackers, whole grain Melba toast, and whole wheat pita bread–try putting your homemade spreads on them. Who cares about chips when you’ve got this!
51. If you have kids, just remember that all of the bites of kid food you eat to clean up plates adds up. A nugget here, macaroni and cheese there, and before you know it you’ve gained weight trying to stop wastage. Instead, serve them very very small portions and they can always ask for more if they finish what they have.
52. Make a conscious effort to have at least one serving of fruits and or veggies with every meal and snack. If you look in the food guide, one serving really isn’t that much.
53. Have a bowl of broth-based soup before your meal, you’re likely to eat less at the main course.
54. Try food from different countries, “ethnic” foods can be more economical and in some instances healthier than what you normally would eat. Looking for ideas, try reading my posts on Food Around the World, Ethnic Food to Try Part 1 and Part 2.
55. Take a look in cookbooks, magazines from the library and online to always search out new and exciting recipes.
56. Try to re-create your favourite restaurant dishes at home for less to keep yourself motivated not to eat out. You never know, you may find the recipe on the web. Right now, I have my own version of East Side Mario’s Cheese Capeletti in the oven…can’t wait!
57. Learn and teach other family members to share food with each other. There’s a priceless lesson in being just as happy with less.
When travelling away from home
58. Bring your own snacks to eat in the airport. I can guarantee the $10 you’d have spent on airport coffee and a bagel could be put to better use.
59. Pack salty and sweet snacks like crackers and granola bars in your suitcase for when you get there. You’d be surprised how handy they come in when you’re hungry, grumpy, and have taken a wrong turn in a foreign country.
60. Get a travel guidebook or go online and plan which restaurants you’re going to eat at. You can sometimes even get an idea of pricing or see some, or all of the menu items ahead of time!
61. When you get to your destination, find a drugstore or supermarket and buy your own case of bottled water for the time you’ll be there. Otherwise you’ll pay way too much for little bottles, one at a time at the tourist areas.
62. The night before, pick up some fruit, cheese and buns or pastries for breakfast the next morning. I like that much better than paying for an expensive hotel breakfast or hungrily walking the streets in search of food.
63. Plan a picnic for lunch wherever you’re going that day.
64. Provided the food is cooked well, and everything appears clean, you may want to try some of the local food for that country from an inexpensive street vendor. If you’re not comfortable with that of course, you could try it for a bit more in a restaurant too. Afterall, a big part of why we travel is to fully experience other people’s cultures.
65. If you save on breakfast and lunch, then you can splurge a bit on dinner, or vice versa, and you might get a really nice meal for lunchtime prices!
66. Get some take-out, a bottle of wine, and enjoy a nice dinner in your hotel room.
67. This isn’t technically an “eating habit”, but carry hand sanitizer in case you can’t wash your hands before you have to eat something.
68. Being frugal isn’t about being cheap–don’t drink tap water or get ice in your drink when you travel–or you may get a whole lot more than you bargained for.
At the Grocery Store
69. Eat before you go grocery shopping to avoid the impulse purchases of a starving person.
70. Do most of your shopping around the perimeter of the store, where more of the whole and unprocessed (and often less expensive) foods are.
71. Know the prices for everything you buy. Yes, this means you have to learn what is a good price. Many people also keep price books to help with this.
72. Go right when the new flyer comes out, if you wait, you may miss out on the specials or loss leaders that week, or end up with no selection.
73. You can usually buy just one item for the discounted price when there’s a 2 for this price sign.
74. Don’t buy pre-prepared food unless it’s selling for less than you could make it yourself.
75. If you see a great deal stock up.
76. Make a list and plan your meals according to the sales (for more on this read My 25% Grocery Savings Rule and 10 Ways to Save on Groceries).
77. As you’re going through the grocery store, grab any coupons for items you think you might use in the future.
78. Coupons are no good when they’re expired or you can’t find them. Buy or make some kind of coupon organization system so you always have them at your fingertips when needed.
79. Before using your coupon weigh its use against another comparable or possibly identical house brand product. Sometimes even with the coupon you’re not saving enough. On the other hand, sometimes there’s just no substitute for the real thing and you can get it on sale!
80. By completely cutting out pop (or soda for my American friends) you’ll save money and can lose an unbelieveable amount of weight over time.
81. If you want to buy sweet treats like chocolate, wait until after a big holiday like Christmas, Easter, or Valentine’s Day when they’re eager to slash the prices on the stock to clear the shelf. Chocolate keeps well in the freezer–and it’ll help with the portion control. You’ll have to make a trek over to the freezer if you really want some.
82. Some items are less in bulk. Consider splitting a Costco or other price club membership with a friend or family member. If you don’t have a large family, you can also share the cost of some of the items you buy in large quantities.
83. For more specific ideas on portion control and packing nutrients into your meals and snacks check out Frugality and Calorie Control
84. Just remember–you’re in control of your own eating habits–you can’t eat what you don’t bring into the house. Healthy eating starts with the decisions you make and follow through with at the grocery store.
In the car
85. Always take some water in the car with you. It will quench your thirst and cut down on the craving to stop for a sugary drink–and then a cheeseburger on the side.
86. Ditto for the snacks. Have both salty and sweet snacks on hand to cover whichever craving and help get you through until you’re back on home turf.
87. Keep your car free of garbage, don’t let last week’s McDonald’s bag send you a subliminal message to stop for an unnecessary snack or meal.
88. If you’re in a rush, bring a breakfast you can eat in the car (when you’re stopped of course), or when on public transit.
89. If you plan on being on the road all day, or don’t want to eat a soggy sandwich or take-out, plan on stopping at the grocery store for lunch. You can pick up a bun, some cheese, cold meat if you like, and a fresh piece of fruit. Less expensive and much better for you than fast food.
In general
90. Stop eating 2-3 hours before bed time, this way you’re not going to bed on a full stomach.
91. Make a conscious effort to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day, for more tips read 7 Ways to Increase Your Water Intake
92. If you have a fast paced job or do shift work, force yourself to eat a meal or at least have snacks throughout the workday, this’ll avoid the gorging on expensive and high calorie food later in the day, or right before you go to sleep.
93. Eat breakfast every day. Once you get into the habit, it’s not that hard to do. If you need to start off by making it easier on yourself and buying transportable things like yogurt cups, then go for it. The earlier you start eating in the day, the sooner your metabolism starts working, and the less likely you are to crave large amounts of high calorie food later in the day.
94. Try to have some protein in your snacks, this helps to even out your blood sugar throughout the day.
95. Keep a small snack in your bag or purse to ward off any low-blood-sugar-induced grumpiness or bad eating decisions.
96. Try to make sure you eat or drink something with some protein in it right after you exercise to help your muscles recover. I don’t usually feel like eating, but I do drink chocolate milk!
97. Try focusing on the quality and taste of the food rather than the quantity.
98. If your partner’s bad eating habits are dragging you down, talk to them about it, and reach some kind of a compromise that will work for both of you.
99. Organize a cookie or other food swap with your co-workers and friends. For example, everyone brings a dozen of their snack for each person there, and they all go home with a freezer full of treats.
100. Bring your own snacks to the movie theater rather than eating the overpriced, oversized offerings they have. Shhhhh…you never heard this from me. If you somehow feel guilty about this, go to the drive-in where you can see 2 movies for the price of one!
Now for the bonus tips…102 Frugal and Healthy Eating Habits didn’t have the same ring to it…
101. If you fall off the wagon with your healthy eating plan, jump back on! It’s never too late.
102. If you’re trying to break a habit or establish a new routine, I’ve heard 30 days to break a habit. If you can make it 30 days with whatever your goal is, you’re almost there!
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