Eating Healthy On A Budget??

viva_la_mandee

It has only been a few months since I have started my new healthy lifestyle. I feel great and I love eating healthy. But one thing I have noticed is that we spend so much more in groceries than we did before. Before we would spend about $400 in groceries for the whole month. Now it's almost double that!

I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on shopping for healthy food on a budget. I'd like to continue eating lots of fresh produce and lean meats without completely breaking the bank.

Thanks in advance.

LessHeavyVeggie

Someone asked a similar question yesterday - hopefully you'll find some useful ideas on this thread:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1341658-tips-for-staying-stocked-with-healthy-foods-on-a-budget

gizmo_2014

I personally do not find eating health is more expensive. The key is planning properly. We spend $350 a month at the grocery store and that includes 2 adults, dog food, toiletries and formula for our 7 week old.

The key is planning. Have a meal plan and buy what you need for that meal plan. Also, look at sales. We do not buy strawberries for example if they are not on sale. We buy produce that is in season and this time of year we do a lot of our produce shopping at the farmers market. We do not shop at the health food store (except to stop in to grab my TVP and nutritional yeast), we shop at Walmart and price match for sales from other stores.

Plan meals that can stretch your money. Add veggies and a lean meat to a smaller portion of pasta. You don't need a whole chicken breast per person for example that way. Same with stir fry. Add in a lean meat, some veggies in season and some rice. Avoid buying prepared foods or foods already cut, grated, etc. Make from scratch and it's cheaper. Buy dried beans instead of canned. Make your own soups. Cook and slice thinly chicken or turkey breast for lunch meats. Have meatless meals now and again to save some money. Buy cheaper cuts of meat and cook them slowly for flavour.

You can eat healthy and not have it cost a lot of money. I actually find now, with proper planning, I spend less on groceries then I did before. For myself and my husband, out of that $350, probably only about $220 of it is groceries for us.

kommodevaran

Not everything you eat have to be healthy, to eat healthy. Rice, bread, pasta and potatoes are fine. Frozen vegetables are fine. Even some cookies inbetween are fine. You don't have to buy asparagus and lobster. Carrots and pork chops are just as good. Read the labels or buy stuff that don't need labels. Buy what is cheap, but choose as much variety as you can to get all the nutrients you need.

prism1968

Everything I was going to say was just about noted in the posted thread link... (Farmer's Markets, Aldi's)
I would add: cooperatives
Look around you and see if anyone offers the co-ops, where you all go in together to buy weekly/monthly packages. I have done that with whole meals and with meats around here. The meats came out to be a GREAT deal for all I was getting (grass-fed beef, etc.).
Good luck

RodaRose

Frozen fruit and vegetables, beans, potatoes, nuts, eggs, yogurt, fresh greens.

If you have a Super Walmart near you, you have everything you need.

littlefoot612

I find I spend a lot less than when I bought a lot of packaged and prepared foods. I went grocery shopping with my sister once and I had about 5 or 6 bags of groceries (fresh veg, fruit, fish and chicken etc) and it cost less than her 2 bags of packaged and prepared foods like chicken nuggets, frozen meals etc.
A family pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts just cost me $13 on sale. That's 7 large breasts which would equal 14 portioned meals if just for me, add seasonal vegetables to that and my cost per meal might be around $2.
Buy fresh in season fruit and vegetables, either from the grocery store or farmer's market, on sale family size packs of meat/chicken/fish(and portion those as soon as you get home).
I feed 2 adults and one teenage boy, which is the equivalent of 2 more adults, plus 3-5 daycare kids, on just under $100/week. That is also Canadian $ and things cost more here on average.

RllyGudTweetr

$400/month is eating on a budget? Fascinating.

itsbasschick

oats are a very healthy food, and also very inexpensive. a big container of quaker quick oats is like $5 and lasts me all month or longer. buy generic non-fat milk and use it to make the oats and you have protein and complex carbs and healthy fiber.

if you have a food scale, potatoes are inexpensive and good for you, with plenty of vitamin c, potassium fiber and complex carbs. with the food scale, you can control your portion size to meet your calorie needs. eat it with light sour cream, no butter. or if you don't have a food scale, try dry mashed potato flakes. cheap, cheap, cheap, and when made with milk for protein, good stuff. i eat mine with pepper and a tablespoon of light butter and greek yogurt mixed in.

i find egg beaters to be cheaper than whole eggs because i don't use the yolks. egg beaters or egg whites are a very bioavailable protein, easy to digest and fat free.

non-fat greek yogurt has tons of protein and, well, no fat. it's also a good source of calcium.

broccoli can be inexpensive, is quick to cook lightly in the microwave, and has tons of vitamin A and C. skip the cheese sauce, though - try light italian dressing or a little greek yogurt with lemon and lots of dill on the broc.

if you're good at measuring portions, boxed pasta is a great deal financially and also a good complex carb for energy.

dried beans and rice are inexpensive, keep well, and are good foods for complex carbs. beans are also high in fiber, which helps you feel full longer, and have some protein. and my personal favorite dried grain is barley - it's lower in calories than others and higher in fiber, it's chewy and it tastes great eaten cold with a protein mixed in (cold cooked chicken, low fat cheese or tofu or tuna or tempeh) plus a low calorie dressing.

keep in mind that there are about a gazillion free recipes on the web, and amazon tends to have at least a couple free recipe ebooks daily.

Chenry18

I have been meal planning, and creating dishes that are so budget friendly and delish!

I promise you, Trader Joes (if there's one by you) has produce that is less expensive than your chain grocer, and also meat that is similarly if not less expensively priced. Their frozen seafood and veggies are also less expensive (and organic, mind you)

I was apprehensive at first to even go in, because I've found Whole Foods is way out of my budget, but I have spent less at T.Joe's than at Kroger.

Example of one of my cheap meals:

1 serving whole grain pasta
1/4 cup broccoli (frozen or fresh)
1/2 cup sliced bell peppers ($2 for mini assorted bag at T.Joe's!)
2 TBS T.Joe's Bruschetta ($2 as well!)
4 OZ chicken or shrimp
Garlic powder
Red Pepper Flakes
Sea Salt & Pepper

Boil pasta WITH broccoli and peppers, once fully cooked, toss in bruschetta & chicken or shrimp, and spices

Cheap meal that gives you whole grains and a full serving of veggies and protein

shapefitter

I can't really speak for people in America, but a lot of common sense, and planning your meals would help. Make a shopping list, and note down prices. Bring a calculator, if you want. I generally, only buy food when I need to eat, as nothing goes to waste, but not everyone can do this. I used to do a big weekly shopping, but would eat most of it, by the following Monday. Now, I don't store food at home, except for a pint of milk, and some oats.

soccerkon26

I've noticed since I've been eating better, I also eat smaller portions. So, I spend less! I also buy fruits and vegetables weekly or bi-weekly so they do not go bad. I also stick to cheap vegetables (carrots, broccolli, onions) and I will only pick fruit that is a decent price that week.

And, with fruit like bananas and strawberries that seem to go bad before I am able to eat the whole pack/bunch, I will cut and freeze them, so I can make smoothies for them later!

Just be smart about what you are buying, and do not waste Try to be flexible with your meals!

Tilim

Shop sales, look for produce that are in season. Stock up on protein when you find it on sale, clean it, packet it and freeze it. No need to buy chicken breast at $4 lb if at least once a month store will run it at $2.

viva_la_mandee

Thanks for all the suggestions, everybody! This really helped.