How much do you spend on shopping healthy? any tips?

bowlofpeaches

I'm trying to start buying healthy, Shopping for just my fiance and I for 2-4 weeks, how much would you spend to make it last. I usually shop at Winco foods, or Walmart. Normally around 150. What's on your grocery list to eat healthy and for good recipes, on a budget? How do you stay away from tempting foods? What are your must haves for shopping? Any tips?

eblakes93

I'm trying to start buying healthy, Shopping for just my fiance and I for 2-4 weeks, how much would you spend to make it last. I usually shop at Winco foods, or Walmart. Normally around 150. What's on your grocery list to eat healthy and for good recipes, on a budget? How do you stay away from tempting foods? What are your must haves for shopping? Any tips?

It depends on what you define as "healthy" and your lifestyle preferences. Do you like to cook? Then buy lots of fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats, rices and grains. Do you prefer the microwave? Try Kashi, Lyfe, or Amy's frozen meals. If you think only organic things are healthy, then you are going to the spend a lot more money, especially on meats and dairy. How much it will cost depends on how much you want to eat.

I prefer cooking but find I often can't because I live at home and my mom does most of the food prep.

Foods that I like:
Brown Rice
Bananas
Avocados
Peaches
Blueberries
Strawberries
Romaine
Spinach
Lentils
Beans
Lean, low sodium deli meats
High protein yogurts like Greek yogurt
Eggs
Chicken thighs or drumsticks (cheaper than breasts)
Carrot Sticks
Oil and Vinegar for salad or low-cal dressings, sauces and marinades

aquarabbit

Shopping here in Hawaii is expensive, but we manage to do about $200 or slightly more depending on how much my husband wants, and if something is on sale. We buy in season things and I make a lot of stuff myself rather than buy it. My must haves are mangoes, strawberries, chicken, milk, oatmeal, parmesan cheese, and zucchinis. Otherwise we rotate around, but those are the things that I usually have every week.

Edit: For tempting foods, I try to go to the grocery store after I've just eaten. That way my resolve is a little strong to say no to those foods. But really, it's just about buckling down and saying no for me. My husband likes a lot of that stuff, so I'm around it anyways. It gets easier over time.

bowlofpeaches

thanks and I love cooking!! I'd go Organic but it's so expensive!!! ;_; haha but for now I'm fine with just regular fruits/veggies I think my main issue though is when I buy food or cook I never know how much I need and make way too much food for the two of us or buy too much...

eblakes93

thanks and I love cooking!! I'd go Organic but it's so expensive!!! ;_; haha but for now I'm fine with just regular fruits/veggies I think my main issue though is when I buy food or cook I never know how much I need and make way too much food for the two of us or buy too much...

Do you have enough freezer space? Invest in some good Tupperware and freeze your leftovers! Or, make meals that stay well in the fridge for the week, portion out servings to take to work each morning/the night before. I would go organic too if I could - hopefully one day when I have a job I will be able to!

pinkraynedropjacki

I spend about $30 a day. But I buy daily & from the only local supermarket here. Fresh market is only open a few days a week & it's easier for me to just buy daily.

Edited to mention that's just MY food. Son & hubby eat different to me (all crap) so I usually buy for them as well.... all up about $60 each day.

cyoka13

thanks and I love cooking!! I'd go Organic but it's so expensive!!! ;_; haha but for now I'm fine with just regular fruits/veggies I think my main issue though is when I buy food or cook I never know how much I need and make way too much food for the two of us or buy too much...

Do you have any CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) around you? For $15 a week, I get a share of whatever the local farmers are producing. For a family of 3, (myself, husband and son), that makes up the bulk of our produce. I still have to supplement with fruits from the grocer but I love getting my share. It forces me to try foods that I may not have purchased before. Plus, there is nothing like getting fresh peaches grown within 75 miles of your house

bowlofpeaches

ahh!! you're lucky!! I live in the desert all our produce is usually from California, and I wish I could shop daily but I have to travel 40 miles to the town we shop in because it's cheaper there than it is here!! Freezing sounds like a good idea I'll have to invest in some more Tupperware!!! Also when you first start eating healthier what do you do when you get cravings?

cyoka13

Hmm, living in the desert would make it a bit tougher! What type of cravings do you get? And can you have just a bite without eating a ton?

I have a major sweet tooth. When feel like I need some sweets I either A) eat a piece of dessert that fits into my cals for the day or eat fruit. I love having frozen yogurt with berries over it. For a half a cup of vanilla, that is maybe 125 cals with berries on top.

SJVZEE

I'm trying to start buying healthy, Shopping for just my fiance and I for 2-4 weeks, how much would you spend to make it last. I usually shop at Winco foods, or Walmart. Normally around 150. What's on your grocery list to eat healthy and for good recipes, on a budget? How do you stay away from tempting foods? What are your must haves for shopping? Any tips?

Like others said-it will depend on your definition of 'healthy' For me, I eat a whole foods, plant based diet and need to stop in the store/farmers market about 3 times a week for fresh produce. Besides that it's a few other staples at the store-whole grains, beans etc. I don't spend a lot on myself anymore, but I also shop for the rest of the family, who eats SAD yet. Grocery budget is $90 a week for a family of five-$20ish of that is probably what I spend just on me.

bowlofpeaches

Hmm, living in the desert would make it a bit tougher! What type of cravings do you get? And can you have just a bite without eating a ton?

I have a major sweet tooth. When feel like I need some sweets I either A) eat a piece of dessert that fits into my cals for the day or eat fruit. I love having frozen yogurt with berries over it. For a half a cup of vanilla, that is maybe 125 cals with berries on top.

I'm a sweet tooth too, I love yogurt though, I'll have to try switching it up thanks!!! and Yeah nothing grows out here, I used to grow my own zucchini and squash at my old house though!! One day i'll start my own green house!!

wolfchild59

I have a $100 a week grocery budget for my husband and I, but that includes all grocery items, not just food. So TP, Paper Towels, cat food, cat litter, etc. all fits into that amount.

For me, I read the sales ads every Tuesday and make a note on my phone which store has the cheapest price on the item I need. All of the stores are very close and convenient, in fact, I can go to any of them on a lunch break during week after eating my lunch, so I don't worry about excess "running around" cutting into savings.

I also signed up for the coupon program with one of the major grocery stores in my area. So each week I can go to their website and add all of the coupons they publish that are for items I need to their value card, so I don't have to clip coupons. They also have a personalized coupon section that is even lower prices on items I buy a lot and I can add those prices to my card as well.

I don't do any excess coupon clipping (e.g. buying a paper and going through the paper coupons). Mostly because the few times I did it I found that there were very, very few coupons that I ever needed and it wasn't really worth it. But I do occasionally get the store coupons from the register that are related to the items I'm buying and do also use some of those.

I've also been shopping for a long time so I have a good idea about how much any particular item should cost and don't pay over certain amounts for that item. For example, boneless, skinless, chicken breast goes on sale at two of the local stores for $1.99 or $1.88 per pound, so I buy a lot when it's that price, trim it, portion it, and freeze it. So that way I always have some on hand and only buy it when it's the price I want to pay. Even boxed items like the granola bars my husband likes for breakfast typically go on sale for $1.99 a box and also will show up on my personalized coupon price for $150-$1.75. So I stock up to my max purchase on the lowest price, and supplement in between when they're on sale, so I never get stuck being out and having to pay the $3.99 shelf price.

Finally, find your local farmers market or a farmers market style store. I hit up the local latter version of those for all of my produce needs since they are always cheaper than the regular grocery stores for all of my produce. But I also use the same idea as above when shopping there. Like this week, strawberries are on sale for $1.25 per container, and I pretty much only buy them for smoothies. So I'll buy a few containers this week and freeze most of them. But Brussels sprouts are full price right now at $2.49/lb, so I'll wait until they go back on sale for .99/lb before I pick any of those up. Instead I'll grab some jumbo artichokes that are on sale for $1.50 each.

It sounds like a lot of work and thinking ahead and it did feel a little difficult/overwhelming at first, but now it's just second nature. You just have to stay aware of your local stores and prices and you'll be able to make your budget work.

Mokey41

Shop the outside edges of the store. Avoid anything that comes in a box. Frozen veggies are as good or better than fresh (they're flash frozen right out of the field instead of riding around in a truck for days losing nutrients). The highly processed foods live in the center aisles so the less time you spend in there the less junk you buy.