How This NYC Nutritionist Buys Healthful, High-Quality Food While Saving for a Home

Ella Davar is a registered dietitian, integrative nutritionist, and certified health coach based in New York City. In her work, she helps clients manage weight, stress, and health conditions through diet and lifestyle modifications — and she practices her own methods at home, too.

The Russian immigrant to the U.S. wasn't always a professional in the big city. "Growing up poor, my mother always taught me, 'You can wear the same clothes for years, but never save money on food,'" she says. "Being a dietitian and an immigrant who at some point had to rely on food from local food pantry donations, and then used food stamps to be able to afford the cost of living in NYC, I've mastered the art of healthy eating on a tiny budget!"

Davar is single and lives by herself. And although her budget is overall tight as she saves to become a homeowner some day, she spends about $100 to $150 per week on quality foods.

"The cost of living in NYC is very high, but I strive to choose the most nutrient-dense foods of high quality," she says, "because I view it as an investment in my health, longevity, and a happy life."

She explains that this is at the core of the philosophy she shares with her clients: "Your health is an investment, not an expense — but it can become an expense if you don't take care of it and invest wisely."

Guided by those priorities, balanced against her plans to buy a home eventually, here's how she shops and cooks.

Prioritizing Produce and Protein

"I never compromise on the quality of my produce, because I know too much about food production and manufacturing," she says. "I always choose organic, non-GMO, and locally sourced produce. And I buy it in bulk whenever I see it on sale."

Davar loves buying produce from local farmers markets — something she considers a worthy splurge. "The produce is usually very fresh and of the highest quality," she says. "It can be a bit costly compared to supermarket prices, but I think about it as a way to support hard-working local farmers, because their job supports the quality of the air we breathe, and helps us to have access to the most naturally and traditionally produced food."

Davar explains that high-quality animal protein — such as grass-fed meat, wild Alaskan salmon, and pasture-raised chicken — is another area where she splurges with intention. "These can be very pricey, but if you think about the reasons why, you'll realize that small farms that don't feed their cattle cheap GMO-containing grains and hormones for fast growth the way mass-produced large conventional farms do it, relying on a much slower growth rate of their animals," she says. "This is the most traditional and natural way of raising and treating animals."

An Authentic Farm-to-Table Philosophy

For Davar, farming animals isn't just an abstract concept. "I grew up in a small town in Russia where my grandparents had a big garden and a farm with animals like cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens," she says. "It allowed our entire family to be very self-sufficient in terms of foods and nourishment."

She says that growing up so close to animals and gardening instilled a deep connection and appreciation for nature and the circle of life. "I saw how the animals that I'd feed during summer would get slaughtered late fall for the family to have food during the long cold winter," she says. "Vegetables from the garden that I'd plant, water, and take care of from spring to fall, would get pickled and fermented for the ability to have access to naturally grown local produce during winter months. That's why for me it makes sense to buy expensive organic heirloom produce. Not only does it taste better but it is also more nutritious."

Budget Choices, Big Flavors

While Davar splurges on proteins and produce, she also has some big-time budget-friendly go-tos that cost little but can elevate an ordinary meal with big flavors. "The best cheap thing I buy is canned sardines," she says. "It is the most convenient way to incorporate healthy protein for a quick green salad lunch. It is also rich in highly beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids, which help prevent heart disease due to their anti-inflammatory properties."

She stocks up on affordable non-perishables, such as canned beets, beans, peas, corn, sardines, tuna, bone broths (in glass jars or frozen), nut butters, and frozen foods such as berries, mangoes, broccoli, spinach, and fish.

She also loves scoring cilantro for a dose of affordable nutrition and flavor. "For a dollar, I get one of the most powerful phytochemicals that help natural detoxification processes," she says. "I highly recommend it!"

Vary Those Veggies

"I walk my talk and eat vegetables at every meal," she says. "I love them raw, roasted, blended in soups or smoothies. The amount of fiber and antioxidants you get is associated with a low risk of developing all major metabolic disorders and longevity research also supports high intake of beneficial phytonutrients as one of the major contributors to a long and healthy life."

For breakfast, she might add spinach, kale, cucumber, or celery into her smoothie or omelet. For lunch, she loves a big green salad like arugula, endive, or mesclun greens topped with beets, avocado, carrot, sweet potato, artichokes, and tomatoes. For dinner, she might make a bone-broth based vegetable soup, with a side of cooked veggies like bok choy, parsnip, sauteed colorful bell peppers, and leeks.

Fuss-Free Cooking

She loves cooking and typically eats three homemade meals a day — but she doesn't like to "feel like a prisoner" by spending too much time in the kitchen. "That's why all of my recipes are either very quick and easy, or I cook in bulk. I love having leftovers the next day! I cook vegetable soups and stews in bulk and freeze after two days to prevent spoilage," she says.

One simple, healthy go-to: She sautés greens such as broccoli, spinach, leeks, brussels sprouts, zucchini, or bok choy in a large pan with water, covering for five minutes. "It creates a steaming effect, which softens the veggies without frying and drying," she says. After the water has evaporated, she opens the lid and adds just about a half tablespoon of ghee or olive oil and continues to cook for five more minutes. "Sprinkle some salt and voila! The healthiest side dish you can possibly think of," she says. "I like to have it for breakfast with eggs, as a salad topping for lunch, and as a side dish for dinner."

First In, First Out

If eating seasonally sounds like an elevated concept, Davar reminds us that it's in fact a very budget-friendly approach. "During the high season, a lot of produce is being sold at reduced prices," she says. "Things like berries and greens go on sale during summer, apples and pumpkins in the fall, and oranges in the winter."

To reduce food waste and maximize value from all that fresh produce, Davar enforces the "first in, first out" rule. "That is, I'm mindful not to let my salad greens get wilted and try to use them first, followed by other veggies such as zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes," she says. "Root vegetables last the longest so I do not rush to use them as soon as possible."

Have a Grocery-Shopping Action Plan

"My best tip is to go food shopping with a grocery list and an action plan," she says. "Having a list of items to buy helps me and my clients to stay on track with the health or weight goal. Because food is such an emotional topic for many, we can easily get sidetracked from the fresh vegetable aisle into what we may consider more fun."

Sticking to a pre-established plan can help both save money and eat more healthfully, she says. "We walk into the store with great aspirations to only get the most nutritious items, but then the smell and the look of cookies quickly makes us forget our plan," she says. "That's why it is essential to plan in advance and have it written down on paper in front of you to prevent derailing. When you feel like getting additional treats, I tell my clients to proceed to check out without it, pay, and then come back for it!"

Don't feel like coming back for it? Well, "then you don't really want or need it," she says. "Put it on the list and buy it next time... or don't!"

Related Content:

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!