Eating healthily when trying to stick to a budget can be challenging, but there are many ways to save money without sacrificing your diet. Explore the tips below to get started.
Plan. Decide ahead of time what meals and snacks you and your family will have throughout the week, and make a grocery list. Planning can reduce impulse buys. For less waste, buy or cook only what you need for the week, and don’t forget to take an inventory of your pantry before heading to the store.
Search for the best prices. Check the newspaper, internet or your local stores for coupons. Look into loyalty cards for extra discounts at your preferred grocery stores and compare prices between stores.
Preserve food. An excellent option for cutting down on the cost of food is buying in bulk when you find the best price and preserving it yourself. Common options include freezing items like meat and vegetables for later use. A less common but extremely effective method is pressure or water bath canning, which makes food shelf-stable for years without the negative effects of synthetic preservatives.
Be aware of convenience costs. Convenience foods, like frozen, ready-to-eat meals and pre-cut produce, often cost more than preparing meals from scratch. Consider following recipes from a cookbook to help you get used to using basic ingredients.
Prepare food ahead of time. One option is to create convenience food items yourself. Consider baking bread from scratch and freezing it so you have it on hand when needed. Or, next time you make a casserole, make two and pop one in the freezer to make your own easy, affordable, readymade meal. It may take a little more time, but it can save a lot on the next grocery bill.
Look for generic store brands. Store brands usually cost less. Look at the shelves higher or lower than eye level to find them. Comparing per-unit costs can also help you get the best price. It is also a good idea to look into the regulations around terms like “organic” so you can make an informed decision on whether it is worth spending more on items with that label.
Focus on nutritious foods. You may be surprised by how much you spend on packaged, processed snack foods that provide little to no nutrients to your diet. Choose fresh, unprocessed foods that will give the most bang for your buck regarding nutrition.
Grow it yourself. No matter where you live, whether a farm or a skyline apartment, you can grow at least some of your favorite foods right at home. If you have a lot of land or even a small backyard, a traditional garden could save you a lot of money while providing you with the highest quality fruits and vegetables. However, even if you only have a balcony or large window, you can still grow things like tomatoes, herbs and even potatoes to help ease your grocery bill.
Eat in. Making a home-cooked meal will save you money and can even be more nutritious than eating out. Try a new recipe, or get creative and make something up. There are no rules in your own kitchen.
Eating healthy on a budget may not always be easy, but viewing it as a challenge and an opportunity to use your imagination can help, so don’t be afraid to try new things.
