Do you want to eat healthy food AND still save money? That is always my goal when I enter the grocery store. Use these helpful tips and start saving today!
SHOP THE SALES
Take advantage of your grocery stores weekly ad sales and stock up on certain items you use regularly. I almost never buy something if it’s not on sale! I really stock up when my local grocery store has buy 10 items for $10 and get the eleventh free. I recommend checking the weekly ads of all your local grocery stores to see which sales are best for you. I find that some stores don’t carry a lot of the brands I like, except the one I go to.
Have you checked if your grocery store has a rewards program? Some even have gas stations you can cash your points in for gas. I use an app from my grocery store to virtually clip coupons, make a virtual grocery list, view my weekly ad, and add up rewards to get free cash towards my purchases. Last year, I saved $1,450.00 in sales and coupons just from this one store! You can find free printable coupons if you search google, and I always clip coupons from my local Sunday newspaper. Those are usually the best!
Make a list and stick to it. Getting in and out quickly (and in one trip) avoids extra purchases you weren’t planning for and also saves you on gas from extra trips. Keep your shopping to the perimeter of the store as much as possible!
BUYING OFF BRAND IS OKAY
As long as you’re looking at the ingredient labels, stores usually have off-brand alternatives that are fairly healthy.
TIP - Avoid ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and fructose.
For example, I am a HUGE chocolate lover so naturally I am drawn to Nutella, but it’s not exactly cheap.
(PS - I use it as a small treat when I need that chocolate fix, so it lasts me awhile!). One day I stopped at a smaller store by my house because of convenience and I stumbled upon their own version of Nutella. Not only did this off brand have the exact same ingredients as the real thing AND taste exactly the same, it was much cheaper. I’m all for buying all of your groceries in one place at one time, but if you have a small list of items you can get cheaper at a different local store every once in awhile, do it!
BUY FROZEN/CANNED FRUIT
I used to think that frozen or canned food wasn’t as healthy but it’s actually the opposite. Frozen food is preserved at its peak time so it still holds all of those great nutrients that we need. They also have a longer shelf life, and you get way more for your money! At our local Bulk store, I can get a 64 oz bag of frozen strawberries for under $8 versus buying 16 oz of fresh strawberries at my local grocery store for $4. Big difference, right?!
BUY LESS MEAT
Get your protein from beans! Not only are they cheaper, but also have added fiber. Things like soups and stews can be made in big batches, are pretty inexpensive, and can be frozen. Add additional veggies to keep you full and satisfied long after your meal!
Great meatless recipes:
- Chili
- Spaghetti/Pasta/Lasagna
- Shepherds Pie
- Bean recipes
- Quesadillas/Tacos
- Soups
- Eggs
- Salad
PORTION YOUR MEALS/FREEZE
Try to portion out your meals according to how many are eating. I usually package my meats in two portions because it’s almost always just the two of us eating. If I have guests, it’s easy for me to grab two bags for double the portion. If you do end up with leftovers, freeze for an easy meal in the future.
INVEST IN A WATER FILTER
My motto: WATER FIRST. Drinking water when you wake up and before every meal helps to curve your appetite and loss weight...plus it’s what our bodies need most.
TIP - Your daily water intake in ounces = your weight divided by 2.
Instead of juices, add flavoring to your water including lemons, limes, berries, mint, and more.
Drinking all of this water can get EXPENSIVE. Save money on buying plastic water bottles and invest in a water filter. I like to have fresh bottles of water for our guests, which doesn’t cost that much. But for us, I wash and refill plastic bottles (or use cute ones I’ve purchased) and refill using my water filter. I replace the filter every 6 months and it’s super cheap. Now we have a constant flow of filtered water without the price or damage to the planet!
BUY IN BULK
I make two separate grocery lists. One for regular store items (once/week), and one for bulk items (once/1-2 months). It does cost more up front when you buy in bulk but you are almost always getting more for your money. Some bulk items will last me literally MONTHS, like the laundry detergent. The amount I save on buying paper towel and toilet paper in bulk versus on sale in the store is astounding. I also buy my water, frozen & canned fruit, fresh meat, blocks of cheese, coffee, coconut oil, beans, nuts, and more at the bulk store versus the grocery store. It takes time in the beginning, but compare prices once and be DONE!
Don’t have a membership to buy in bulk? First off, it’s totally worth the price you pay yearly. Second, find a friend or two to go in on it together. Everyone makes a monthly list and you all go together. This way, you can also split bulk items that you rarely use but comes out cheaper to split.
MEAL PLAN
This was a life saver for me! Not only does planning out your meals weekly help you to eat healthier, it saves on your grocery budget because you are avoiding waste and can visually see which meals you can swap out for cheaper ones ahead of time. This also saves time because you know exactly what you’re eating, avoiding the time it takes standing in front of the fridge wondering what to make or searching for recipes last minute.
One of the BIGGEST benefits I receive from meal planning is control over my food. I’m an emotional eater, addicted to sugar, and an over-eater. This helped with all of that and now I’m in charge of what I put in my body.
BOTTOM LINE
You don't need to break the bank just to eat healthy. You just need to get a little creative! Follow these helpful tips above and get to saving. Do you have more money saving ideas for healthy food? Drop them below in the comments or message me personally. I'd love to know!!
Commentaires