Eating Healthy is so expensive: How do you do it?

amberlyn2008

When it comes to groceries money is tight! Any advice on how to shop cheap AND healthy?

Noctuary

I eat at home every single night. I shop and get all my healthy foods at Walmart of all places. I make sure I eat the correct portions. This will make sure you food stretches as far as possible. And I make sure my food does double duty. I buy veggies for my pizza and for my omlettes. I buy tortillas for my chicken and my pizza etc. I eat less meat. I try not to buy too much processed stuff. It's not that you need to buy fancy cheese as an example. I buy low fat mozzarella. It's not special. Look at your food bill and see where you spend the most money on. Then see if you can find a cheaper way to make it. Also for a large family buy and freeze meals. Fill up with homemade soups to your meals.

emccand

Do you have an Aldi's by you? We shop there for some stuff they usually have a nice variety of fresh fruit and veggies for really cheap, they also have their own brand of like 100 calorie snacks, cookies, and fruit strips and meal replacement bars that are generic so cheaper.

Noctuary

Oh forgot. If you have a Hispanic market, try going there for fruit and veggies. They always have alot of choices and dirt cheap.

MB_Positif

There are a lot of resources out there with inexpensive healthy meals. www.5dollardinners.com (not always perfectly healthy, but cheap), http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/tag/real-food-on-a-budget/

Also my best simple advice is to stick to recipes with 5 ingredients or less. This cuts down on cost. Flavor it up with spices and you'll never notice that it's not full of different things

keelekat

I try to hit the shops at around 6pm when fruit and vegetables are being discounted. There's normally nothing wrong with them, but because they have display until dates on them the shops have to get rid of them. Last week I walked out with a full salad, bananas and satsumas for 90p ($1.50).

Other thing to do is to have stand by tinned vegetables. Not as healthy as fresh or frozen, but if you make sure they are stored in water then you don't have to deal with added salt or sugar.

CaptainGordo

I eat at home every single night. I shop and get all my healthy foods at Walmart of all places.

Me too, sister!

FROZEN VEGETABLES
Frozen veggies are typically a great value, and very nutritious.

BEANS
Crock pot (slow cooker) is great way to go. Cook 'em overnight and then freeze any surplus. If you go with canned beans, I would recommend rinsing them to cut down on the sodium. Some nice folks have even added the rinsed versions of most canned beans to the food database.

OATMEAL
Oatmeal is another great, cheap, healthy food.

COSTCO REAL EGG (EGG WHITES COLORED YELLOW)
The box of 6 cartons comes out cheaper than even Walmart's brand, and is a great low-calorie, protein-rich food.

GROCERY STORE PRICE MATCHING (WALMART)
We have been able to buy a lot more fruit and veggies (along with meats and other items) thanks to Walmart's price-matching policy on groceries. We check all of the special that come in the junk mail for local grocery stores, jot them down and head to Walmart.

The best fruit and veggie prices here are found in the Latin markets -- it's not uncommon for us to pick-up 6 lbs of oranges for $0.99, for example. Sometimes, though, the quality can be poor at the store offering the sale, so we just take that price to Walmart. It will also save you time and gasoline/bus fare. Walmart's price match policy is that you don't have to bring the ad -- just be able to tell them where you found the offer. They keep the local ads there, supposedly. We've never gotten any hassle though.

Here's another recent post on the same topic, with some great tips: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/241647-cheap-healthy-help

harley0269

easy, buy fresh & frozen meats fruits & veggies!!
i perimeter shop at the grocery store. it saves time & money
no junk food or processed food equals more money for the good stuff!!
i havent spent any more money now than i did when i used to eat all the packaged, boxed & canned foods & junk food.

snobuny032

I know what you mean! Good Grief my food bill doubled! Unfortunately I really don't think there is a fix for this.. The more I learn about the foods I chose the more expensive they are getting lol

CaptainGordo

Oh forgot. If you have a Hispanic market, try going there for fruit and veggies. They always have alot of choices and dirt cheap.

Seriously, you're stealing all of my best tips! :laugh:

Heatherbelle_87

Shop the healthy things that are on sale, albertsons & safeway run $1.98/lb chicken breasts atleast once a month. Buy fruit/veggies that are in season and on sale. Rive goes a LONG way as a side and all it takes is a little seasoning or broth to give it a different flavor. Low/no sodium canned veggies. Frozen fruits & veggies (Frozen fruits are amazingly cheaper and for smoothies, amazing, the only time I buy fresh and freeze them myself is when the grocery stores are clearancing berries right before they go bad because you can get a pound for 50 cents)

We have Sprouts farmers markets here, all of their produce comes from within a 300 mile radius for most locations and their fruits and veggies are amazingly cheap. They were havin 99 cent melons last week (cantaloup honeydew or watermelons) and I know (because of buying them weekly for the past month!) the watermelons are 9-12 lbs each so it average to around 10 cents a pound

sarah44254

I am saving money buying fresh foods weekly and cooking my own meals.

I was spending more money buying frozen pizzas, ice creams, and meal boxes to cook up (really to warm up).

Then again, I think all food has gone up in price that makes me sad. Cause I eat a lot of food.

ruststar

I make as much as I can from scratch - pizza dough, pasta sauce, etc. Pre-packaged food is often far less cost effective than the fresh stuff because you can get so much more out of what you make yourself. Meat I buy only when it's a good deal - Safeway had a buy one get one free deal on boneless chicken breasts in large packs. I also buy whole chickens when they're on sale (like three or four at a time when they're priced at less than $1 a pound), and every week I roast a chicken that provides meat for 2 to 3 more meals. I also started paying attention to store circulars and coupons. I don't go to extremes - who has the time? - but I do buy the things that are a good deal and plan my meals around that rather than the other way around.

The key is to shop with a plan - and don't bring the husband.

elliecolorado

I spend less eating healthy than I did before. Once I cut out the majority of the un-healthy foods and take out I ended up with a lower food bill. I shop once a week and usually spend $20-$30 (for one person) I buy fruits & veggies that are in season and therefore cheaper. I buy things like chicken in bulk when it's on sale and portion it out and freeze it. Eggs are cheap and can be cooked many different ways. As far as dairy I usually get the store brand (milk, yogurt, low fat cheese).

dmest

I agree with lots of the tips you've already received. If you can hit a farmer's market, typically the food will be cheaper because it's local and there's no middleman. As an added bonus a lot of the food will be organic. Also skip all of the processed meals at the store and make as much as you can at home. Eating whole, real foods cooked from scratch is way cheaper and typically better for you too. Sodas, meats, and prepackaged meals & snacks tend to be the most expensive items at the store.

sarah44254

The key is to shop with a plan - and don't bring the husband.

I don't know how, but bringing him turns my $90 bill into a $280 bill! (he frequents the electronic section and wanders thru the frozen foods!)

mlemonroe2

for my husband, my 16month old, and myself, i spend $80 a week on groceries, including diapers. i shop at aldi for whatever i can get there, we buy our pork, beef, and chicken from the local butcher in bulk so it's healthier and less expesive. we also eat a few vegetarian meals a week to save $$. we also shop at target and use a target debit card so we save 5% on everything we buy there. it adds up! i make a list every week and stick to it! i buy multiples of things when they are on sale. i go to targetcoupons.com and print coupons ONLY for the things on my list. i make a lot of casserols because they are really inexpesive to make. (whole wheat pasta, pasta sauce, mixed veggie, 1/2 pound ground beef or chicken, shredded cheese) i can make 1 pound ground beef last for 4 meals this way. (a casserol will feed us 2 nights) i never buy brand names.

melzteach

I read my local grocery store flyers and make my list from them. Most produce I won't spend more than $1.29/lb with the exception of some berries. $2.50 per pound or package is really pushing the limits.
For lunches, I'll have some "staples" like frozen veggie burgers and the cheapest veegies that are on sale that week. I'll put that together on a sandwich round or while wheat bread for a super yummy sandwich. Sometimes I'll have a sandwich but with a whole wheat tortilla and again load up on fresh veggies.
I try super hard NOT to buy processed foods, as they tend to be pricey and less healthy. Although sometimes you can find a good deal, then I'll get as much as I can. I don't eat a lot of soup but it's a quick filling meal if you pair it with a small sandwich. Last week I found this really good organic soup, that's normally really expensive, but it was the same price as Progresso AND a lot healthier!
For dinners, like I said above, I'll look at my weekly grocery store flyers and do my dinner meal plans according to what happens to be on sale that week. Last week they had seasoned chicken leg quarters for 99 cents a pound! So I got a couple of packages and will be able to fed my family two meals for less than $3.00 for the entire meal!
I've been watching a lof of Extreme Couponing and since there's no way I can do what they do, I'm starting small. When I see a good deal on something I know I'm going to need I'll buy a few extra and have a very small stock pile. Then instead of running out of soap, deodorant, toilet paper, make-up or other pricey toiletries, I already have them. Then my actual food budget can be stretched a little further.

ruststar

I don't know how, but bringing him turns my $90 bill into a $280 bill! (he frequents the electronic section and wanders thru the frozen foods!)

Mine always gets sucked in by the Ben and Jerry's - that's when I had to ban him. The worst thing is he's lost 2 lbs a week since I banned him from shopping with me while doing NOTHING (except not eating Ben and Jerry's).

jmgj27

I'm currently trying to live £1 per day for food so I really do sympathise. Here's some meals I've had: tomato soup and cheese sandwich; colcannon- mashed potato with braised cabbage and bacon lardons; pasta with tinned tomatoes, chilli flakes, courgette, onion and bacon; homemade potato wedges with low fat cream cheese and mushrooms. All of those were well under a pound. Good luck!

keelekat

Oh, forgot to mention it's often worth paying a little bit more for joints of meat rather than individual cuts of meat and then working out a meal plan for the week around leftovers. For example in one week you can cook a whole chicken and get three meals out of it, including soup for lunches, and also use a 1kg pack of beef mince to make another three nights worth of meals.

Sometimes a little can go a long way

tpwhite2000

I remind myself, that while healthy food might be more expensive now, it is money I'll save by not having buy diabetic and heart medication later on in life.

baisleac

Weekly ads
Coupons

Eat fresh, in season foods.
Prepare meals from scratch.
Make big batches and freeze in individual (or family sized) portions.

fteale

I have found my food bills have gone down as I am eating so much less.

callipygianchronicle

A few more tips...

BULK BINS

buy anything you can from grocery store bulk bins. Beans, oatmeal, rice, bulgur, nuts, raisins, etc. are al significant;y cheaper when bought this way. They also tend be freshers, because the product turnover in these bins is faster than prepackaged goods.

BUY BONE IN CHICKEN

You pay an absurd premium for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Why? Because you are paying the labor costs for someone else to handle your chicken. Chicken on the bone is significantly cheaper, has had less handling, and is tastier. If the recipe you are cooking absolutely has to be made with boneless chicken, it is worth the savings to do the butchering yourself.

BUY ON SALE AND FREEZE

We have a deep freezer that sits on the patio of our condo. When chicken breasts or whole chickens go on sale for $.99/lb or less, I stock up. This stash usually lasts me until the next sale. I also do this with chuck roasts or tri-tip.

MAKE SOUP

There simply isn't a better way to make your food dollar stretch than by making larger stashes of nourishing soup. You will use less meat and create a dish that feeds your family for pennies a meal. It is a great way to use leftovers, and to hide vegetables if you or your family are picky.

GRATE YOUR OWN CHEESE

Pre-grated cheese is covered in corn starch, so you pay extra to have cheese that tastes worse. Buy cheese in large quantities and grate it yourself. If you have access to Costco, you will get the best cheese for your dollar. I prefer to use smaller amounts of real cheese and not low-fat substitutes, but everyone is different here.

DO NOT BUY, WHAT YOU CAN MAKE FOR LESS

These are some things I never buy, and only make from scratch. The homemade versions are lower in sodium and only filled with ingredients I can pronounce. Added benefit, they cost a lot less: salad dressing (vinaigrettes, ranch, caesar), spice mixtures (taco seasoning, cajun rub, sazon, etc), marinades, pancakes, scones, muffins, oatmeal, breadcrumbs (bread + food processor), and chicken stock (I make it my slow cooker and freeze).

dmest

A few more tips...

BULK BINS

buy anything you can from grocery store bulk bins. Beans, oatmeal, rice, bulgur, nuts, raisins, etc. are al significant;y cheaper when bought this way. They also tend be freshers, because the product turnover in these bins is faster than prepackaged goods.


I second the Bulk Bins! We have a Sprouts Farmers Market where I live and they have tons of stuff in bulk. I save a lot of money there.

smile72101

I feel your pain...I just posted on my facebook page today that if healthy living wasn't more expensive I don't think so many would be over weight...

Some tips I have learned (it is myself, my husband, and our 5/8 daughters)
I just started to buy chicken breasts at sams club. They are individually frozen, already portioned out into 5oz cuts and it is $22 for a TON of chicken! I was buying it at the store and spending at least twice that for less product.

use a menu to plan out veggies etc. I don't use canned but love the birds eye veggies that you steam....

Use coupons, try to use left overs for lunches (I break a day in between dinner and lunch) I also go to the farmners market a lot. We eat a lot of tihngs that are on sale...that is what works for us but have found that if I am cutting back on junk food/soda etc/eating out as much I am able to spend some of that money on better cuts of beef and veggies!

Good luck!

maddymama

You've gotten some great advice.
Here's my two cents:
Dried beans are amazingly healthy, filling, and CHEAP. Soak them over night and cook in the crockpot all day.
Veggie soups in the crockpot are cheap and easy.
Use the crockpot to cook tougher cuts of meat until tender. Ususally the cuts of meat that are best for the crockpot are cheaper than the other cuts of meat.
Cook with tofu instead of a pricier meat one or two evenings a week
Make your own bread in a bread machine. I got my bread machine for free from my in-laws, but they are cheap on craig's list all the time. I make a whole wheat bread from scratch that is yummy and cheaper than store bought bread. I can usually get soup in the crockpot and bread in the machine in just a few minutes in the am.

Cristy_AZ

You know I hear this a lot and personally just don't find it to be true. Buying whole foods instead of processed stuff is cheaper. pop and processed foods and chips and packaged snacks are all very expensive and it's nice to never even think about spending money on such things. Some of the fruits and vegetables can run pretty expensive but if you buy in season and on sale you can do pretty good. Lot of good tips here, so I won't go through them again. I do make my own bread in the bread machine and cooked from dried beans and a lot of these other tips. Good luck shopping healthy!!

❤B☩❤

There are a lot of resources out there with inexpensive healthy meals. www.5dollardinners.com (not always perfectly healthy, but cheap), http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/tag/real-food-on-a-budget/

Also my best simple advice is to stick to recipes with 5 ingredients or less. This cuts down on cost. Flavor it up with spices and you'll never notice that it's not full of different things

Thank you for sharing this! :drinker:

MyNameIsNotBob

I find it easiest to buy things I don't have to cook / prepare. It cuts down on the ingredients from week to week. So, yogurt, berries, bananas, granola, cereals, cheese, etc. are all staples in my diet. I can just grab and go, and some of that stuff lasts a long time.

I usually make big batches of things like beans or soups. I keep about half of the batch out to eat for the week, and freeze the other half in individual size containers.

Those are my tricks. If I made full dinners with multiple ingredients every night, I'd go broke. Plus I don't really like to cook.