Tips for staying stocked with healthy foods on a budget!

Do you have an Aldi close by?

They have cheap produce.

Also, I know it's not fresh, but I get bags of steamable frozen veggies from Aldi ten or more at a time for $1 each.

I go through them quickly.

Onions last a long time.

I do usually grocery shop 2-3 times a week.

We put a garden in our backyard, we have tons of fresh veggies every summer and then we can or freeze the extra. We also set up blueberry bushes and strawberry patch. Its a lot of work, but definitely pays off in the end!

Make a nice bean stew in the crockpot using frozen veggies.
Also, you can buy frozen fruits.

Another Aldi fan here.

We get a lot of produce there and at the local ethnic/natural food store...not a fancy, trendy one, but the type that reeks of incense and has people at a table in the corner ripping up branches of herbs and filling containers with spices.

Generally we just shop on Sunday and prep a lot of produce immediately for use in the next 2-3 days, and still have some left for later on in the week. We tend to plan our meals around which produce items need to be used right away and which will be fine later in the week. For example, we're eating lots of strawberries right now because they were cheap but slightly overripe. The nectarines will be fine even in 4 days from now.

I go 2-3 times a week. It takes very little time, since I know where everything is and I only have to go to the produce section, usually.

I buy some frozen veggies, too.

I never understand all the talk about the expense. I spend less now than I used to. I know everyone else isn't lying and just consider myself lucky. Maybe I was spending too much before, lol. Lucky Charms and Dry Roasted peanuts aren't cheap!

As someone else mentioned, growing fruits and vegetables yourself is a real money saver, if you are able to.

In the short term, try to buy fruits and vegetables when they are in season as they will be cheaper and better quality.
I'm not sure where you live, but this is a UK site for fruit/veg in season http://eatseasonably.co.uk/what-to-eat-now/calendar/
I'm sure you can find a similar site or list for your country.

For nuts and dried fruits I found out that in my supermarket you can get the same items in different packaging and cheaper in the baking section rather than the fruit or snack section! Seems ridiculous as they are exactly the same, but it's true!

And with most things, you can buy in bulk and then make a batch of something like ratatouille or bolognese which can be stored in the fridge or freezer for future meals.

Aldi is good
local veg stores are really normally good as well

Are there any farmer's markets near you? There are 3 near me and one of them especially is incredibly cheap! I really wish I had a photo to share, but the amount of produce I can get from there for $25 is staggering.

My roommate and I have a weekly CSA (community supported agriculture) basket. It's packed with local, seasonal, super yummy fresh veggies, we almost always have to have a big feast the day before our next one arrives because it's so much!

I second the farmer's market idea. Right now where I live we have a farmer's market every Thursday going on until September. If you look around I'm sure you can find a farmer's market event near you. There are some that are only early mornings or on weekends so find what suits you.

I shop in 3 places.... SAMS CLUB, local grocery called Rouses and farmers market. I get my meat, fish and chicken in bulk there raw.. cut it up and freeze individually for later use. THEN I buy one of their rotisserie chickens a week (sometimes 2) at $4.85. TOTALLY cooked and ready to be added to anything It is great for my budget. That is the same price as a chicken sandwich at Wendys.

I can also get there at a decent price.. large bags of veggies (brussel sprouts, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli etc) along with my bottled waters and pineapple (which is almost always cheaper there).

The rest I get at the local store and I buy only what I need. Sometimes I go twice in a week but a tleast I don't buy so much that it goes bad before I can eat it. I find I spend far less now than I use too since I don't get takeout anymore and cook all my own breakfast, lunches and dinner. Exception is going out with friends or family.

After reading this post, I really which I had an Aldi's or Sam's Club closer. I live 45 minutes+ from the nearest one. Small town. I am not spending less yet because I wasn't buying as much protein before, and have more than doubled that now. So who knows. Maybe it will catch up with me eventually.