Growing up in Shreveport, I didn’t always have the resources to eat right. In fact, there were plenty of days where it was hard enough just to get a square meal, let alone a nutritious one. As a performance athlete, it’s incredibly important to support your body with nutritious foods, but I never thought I could do it on a tight budget.

When I arrived at Mizzou, I was in for a shock. They pointed me to the cafeteria, saying, “Eat whatever you want, as much as you want.” I’d never had that option, that kind of abundance. All of a sudden, I had access to a variety of foods — both nutritious and not — so I could get the fuel I needed for my workouts and practices.

Of course, that kind of “all-you-can-eat” lifestyle didn’t last forever, and it was crucial for me to learn how to eat right on a budget and on my own. Recently, I sat down with Charlie Racinowski — a trainer at Columbia Strength and Conditioning, a national CrossFit competitor, and a former Marine — to talk about affordable nutrition for performance athletes.

“Without appropriate nutrition, performance athletes are not going to be able to perform at their potential…you’ll be working with a depleted body. This means more fatigue, more soreness, cramps from improper hydration, and even blood sugar crashes, which can make you foggy.” – Charlie Racinowski, Columbia Strength and Conditioning

Many people have the misconception that eating healthy has to be expensive.

Whether it’s “health food,” lean meats, or other nutritious options, people tend to associate a good diet with a big price tag. However, there are plenty of nutrient-packed foods you can get for cheaper than you might expect at your local grocery store. Racinowski recommends:

• Protein: Buy the cheapest eggs you can; they are easy to cook and can be prepared a number of different ways.
• Meat: Buy cheaper cuts of meat (e.g. chicken with the bone in and skin on) to save money without sacrificing substance. Also, try canned tuna or canned chicken, which is available at nearly any grocery store.
• Vegetables and fruits: Frozen fruits and vegetables are a budget-friendly alternative to fresh options, and they also last much longer in your home.
• Carbohydrates: Buy old-fashioned oats or rice, which are both very affordable at any major grocery store.

When you make cost-effective, nutritious choices, you’ll find the results to be extraordinary.

“I know multiple athletes who can do it for $40 and under every week (less than $6/day),” Racinowski says. “I try to do this myself so I can show it and explain to people on a real-life scale.”

Eating the same foods over and over can be a struggle for some athletes, but there are ways to work around the repetitiveness. Racinowski recommends trying different seasonings and methods of cooking your food, such as boiling, grilling, or baking chicken.

He also recommends using a Crock-Pot, which allows you to put in different vegetables to get a different flavor. In addition, you can cook chicken in the Crock-Pot, then use the broth to cook rice for an interesting twist.

“After a period of time eating healthy, your palate tends to change,” Racinowski says. “You start to enjoy the food itself.”