Eating Healthy On A Budget
You can eat healthy on a budget! Here are some tips to help you eat healthy while not breaking the bank:
- Buy produce in season – Stock up on in-season produce because it will be cheaper during the season. Not sure what is in season now? Check out this guide to see what produce is in season now and they have an app to add to your smart phone. Also, eat local produce bought at farmer’s markets. Generally, the prices are a bit cheaper since there is no middle man to pay. Check out this guide to find a local farmer’s market in your area.
- Skip prepackaged produce – You are paying for someone else to cut and package prepackaged produce (i.e. those baby carrots). If you buy bulk produce (organic where you can) and chop it yourself, you’ll save money. Prepackaged salads, carrots, and celery are big culprits to make you spend more money.
- Bulk up when it makes sense – Compare the price per weight for other bulk items (besides spices) to those in packages before you assume that the bulk section is always a better deal.
- Stock up on staples – Stock up on staples, such as olive oil, nuts, pasta and canned beans, when they’re on sale.
- Love the potato – Russet potatoes, which are a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C, are a great nutritional bang for your buck—they only cost about 30¢ apiece. And these babies are truly versatile. Try baking them, then stuffing them with beans, vegetables and salsa; mash them; slice and roast them; or turn them into hash browns for breakfast.
- Bulk up with beans – At about 50¢ or less for a ½-cup serving of canned beans, you just can’t go wrong. They’re packed with fiber and protein. We always keep cans in the cupboard and whip them out to toss with salads, pasta, stir-fries, in soups or for an easy dip. Dried beans are even less expensive than canned. Cook a big batch then freeze extras for when you’re ready to use them in a recipe.
- Shop with coupons – Whoever said that there aren’t coupons for healthy products is WRONG! You can find coupons for gluten free products, produce, meats, dairy/dairy alternatives and more! Check these sites monthly for printable coupons: MamboSprouts and Coupons.com. Another way to get coupons is to contact the manufacturer of key products you buy each week. Contact them via their website and ask for coupons to be mailed to you. Most of the time, they send coupons!
- Sign up for store loyalty programs and weekly email newsletter – Stores like Earth Fare, Whole Foods and Harris Teeter will send out weekly emails (and texts) that can really save you money! Earth Fare is famous for having weekly savings in their weekly newsletter and on the weekend, they generally have additional savings via text (sign up is required).
- Buy a deal! Follow a discount site to help you find deals. One of our favorite discount sites is Gluten Free Saver. They have weekly deals that will save you big money, usually 50% or more!
- Shop online – You can shop online and save money – and pay $0 shipping! Amazon is the best resource for this. To get free shipping, you must spend $25. Their “subscribe and save” feature is another way to save an additional 5-15% per order. We use this feature for Lara Bars and Kind Bars.