Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
“Why buy the fresh fruits and vegetables, when you can buy a party-sized bag of chips for half the price?”
One of the most common complaints that I hear from my clients is that eating healthy is too costly. But I’m here to tell you that eating well really can be done on just a few dollars a day! Here are my top tips to help trim your grocery bill…and your waistline:
Buy local—Purchasing from farmers in the area is a great way to support local economy, reduce energy emissions, and get better tasting and more nutrition foods…all at a great price!
- Buy in bulk—For staples foods that you eat often, it’s almost always more cost effective to buy in large quantities. Prepare large meals one night, then store the leftovers to enjoy the rest of the week!
- Go vegetarian for a night—Meats can be an expensive purchase at the supermarket, so try switching to a meat-free alternative one night a week. Try a filling whole wheat pasta dish with marinara, veggies, and garbanzo beans. Not ready to go meat-free yet? Buy higher fat cuts of meat and cook. Then simply drain the fat after cooking to create a leaner meat!
- Buy generic brands—As shoppers we tend to gravitate towards brand name items we recognize from TV ads, but store-brands contain almost the exact same ingredients, and come with a much lower price tag
- Become a bargain shopper—Collect coupons and check your grocery store for weekly sales, then develop a meal plan for the week based around these ingredients. Also check the discounted produce section for fruits/vegetables, which can be a great addition to soups or smoothies!
- Make your own snacks—Forget the overly-processed and unsatisfying 100-calorie snack packs, and make your own pre-portioned snacks at home. Some simple grab n’ go treats: trailmix, granola bar, hummus, sliced veggies, whole wheat crackers and peanut butter etc.
Top foods to make your wallet (and waistline) happy! 
-Brown rice (~$0.10 cents per serving)
-Eggs (~$0.20 cents per egg)
-Beans (~$0.15 cents per serving)
-Whole wheat pasta (~$0.30 cents per serving)
-100% whole wheat bread (~$0.30 cents for 2 slices)
-Frozen vegetables/discounted veggies (~$0.15 – $0.20 cents per serving)
-Canned fish (tuna/salmon) (~$0.60 cents per serving)
-Oats (~$0.20 cents per serving)
What are some of your tips for eating on a budget?
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