5 Strategies for Cutting Costs on Healthy Groceries
One of the biggest drawbacks to healthy eating is the misguided assumption that it means spending copious amounts on organic items. But eating healthily really doesn’t mean you have to break the bank at all. Cut the costs and enjoy nutritious, delicious meals at home without investing a ton of effort or time.
Make a List and Meal Prep
Don’t go to the store without a plan! You might find that sticking to a strict list is more effective than going in with a mental idea of what you may need. It takes a little practice but after a few rounds, we noticed this strategy becomes decidedly easier. To cut even more costs, we love setting up a meal plan for the week so that you know exactly what ingredients you need. This can remove the temptation of fast and less healthy decisions in the moment - and can also save takeout for a special treat. However if you’re new to meal planning, we also like the idea of just planning for 3 weekdays and leaving the rest open. This allows some flexibility while guaranteeing you get a few healthy meals in there without too much overwhelm. Plus, the easier it is to plan ahead for you, the more likely you’ll keep it up. A few questions we like to ask ourselves during meal planning are:
What do I want to eat this week?
What can I make quickly?
Are these meals healthy and balanced?
Can I substitute ingredients for something I already have?
Shop Sales
One of the most effortless changes to make to your shopping habits is to focus on sales. Choosing products that are in season and on sale will significantly affect your grocery bills. Perhaps buying a $6 pack of berries during winter isn’t worth the cost.
Use the sales papers to help you meal plan. That way, you know you’re saving money and eating healthily! You might consider going to different stores in the area to ensure you find the perfect deal. One thing we like to do is to reserve food sale items or the more affordable and in-season specials for one of our wildcard week day meal options.
Skip Prepped Foods
Prepped foods such as chopped tomatoes, onions, melons, or broccoli may be convenient, but they ultimately cost more. The few minutes of chopping at home can save you more money overall. Of course, prepped foods can be great if for on-the-go moms, so decide what’s worth spending more on and where you can save. This is where personal priorities really come into play. One of our favorite ways to do this is to go for pre-chopped produce with minimal water and safe the more water-heavy ones for chopping the day of. Or sometimes when we have the time, we like to set aside an hour to chop all water-light veggies for the week ahead to minimize time on the day of cooking.
Only Buy What You’ll Use
A vast grocery shopping expense that we often regret is buying food we think we might eat and then throwing it away when it inevitably expires in the back of our fridges. Additionally, determining the different ways you can use staples such as dry goods and nut butters is a great way to save money on future grocery trips.
Avoid Shopping Hungry
When we shop hungry, we’re more likely to buy way more food than we intended to. We also have a lot less impulse control. Try eating a hearty meal before heading out to ensure you set yourself up for success.
