One of the top concerns I hear when I talk about shopping on a budget is eating healthy. Before I really started delving deep into the frugal world I thought the same things. It’s just not possible to be eating healthy on a budget. Wrong! You totally can!
Really it comes down to prioritizing. If eating healthy is a priority for your family, then within your budget you need to make it a priority. You might have to sacrifice a little in other categories to bump up your grocery budget a little.
If there is no room for movement in your monthly expenses, don’t you worry! I still have a few more tips up my sleeve for you! It’s not a secret that eating healthy takes a little more work. But don’t you agree that it is so worth it? Not only are you physically going to be healthier, you might even loose some unwanted L-Bs, and your food is going to taste way better then something that has been processed!
7 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget
1. Shop in bulk
This is a pretty standard rule for any type of grocery you are shopping for. But did you know that more and more stores are offering an increase in the amount of healthy foods they offer in bulk.
My word of caution in bulk buying is this, make sure that your family is going to use it before it goes bad. There is no point in buying in large quantities if it’s going to go bad. Also, be sure to pay attention to your food intake when buying in bulk. It is really easy to increase your portions or frequency of eating when you have a full pantry. Stick to what you normally would eat.
2. Grow a garden
Seeds cost about $1.50 per packet. You can use the packet for at least 2 seasons if you store them correctly. So spend about $5 to $10 buying seeds and getting your frugal garden started. The produce can last you even past the growing season if you use vacuum sealers or canning techniques.
3. Chop it up
Because eating healthy can be a little time consuming, it is so tempting to buy all of the pre-chopped, sliced, or shredded fruits and veggies. Don’t give into the temptation. You can DIY your own. Most veggies can be prepped ahead of time, put into freezer safe containers, and then frozen. They will be all ready to go the next time your recipe calls for that veggie chopped, diced, or minced.
4. Shop the perimeter
An almost sure fire way to make sure that you are buying something healthy is to keep your cart on the perimeter of the store. This is where you are going to find all of the produce, dairy, and fresh meats. Keep your eyes open for the sales and create your weekly or monthly menu catered to what is cheap. If the produce is on sale, that usually means that it is in season, which usually means it is going to taste delicious!
5. Last minute butcher counter discounts
Some stores, I think Albertson’s does this in some areas, will discount their leftover butcher counter meats right as they are closing for the day. So if you can, make your shopping trip right before the butcher packs up to go home.
Next time you are at the store, make a pass by the counter and ask the butcher if they do this and what time is usually best to come snatch up the deals.
6. Local farmers markets
If you are looking for organic or super fresh produce then you need to head out to your local farmers market. The produce you find there is going to taste wonderful since it was most likely harvested that day or very recently! Don’t forget to haggle on price! In my experience a lot of vendors are willing to drop the price a little if you buy in larger quantities.
7. There are coupons for healthy foods!
Contrary to what the majority of the “coupon haters” think, there are coupons for healthy and sometimes even fresh foods. There are also websites out there like Organic Deals that will even match the healthy coupons with the healthy sales. Major savings!
One of the easiest ways to save on fresh produce is by using quick apps like Ibotta. If you sign up with my link, you will get a $10 rebate!
Checkout51, Shopkick and Jingit. Before you go out to do your shopping, take a quick peek into the apps to see what produce you can get a rebate on. After you pay, upload the receipt into the app, and within a couple minutes you will have the rebate amount in your app account!
What do you think?
Now do you believe me that it is possible be eating healthy on a budget? Do you have any tips that I didn’t talk about? What about any questions? Let me know in the comments below!
smore traiolit
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