Cheap, Healthy Grocery Foods!

I have so been wondering too what "bump" is.......thought i was getting really old

I'm still working on it, but since we're feeding a family of seven, it's pretty high on my list of priorities!

Helpful is looking for in season produce, it's usually cheaper. Farmer's markets can be awesome for getting produce - if you go early there is better selection, but when it's close to closing up time is when they often slash the prices. (Not saying you should try to undercut local farmers!) Also, depending on where you live, there might be PYO (pick your own) orchards and such -- at various times of year here, you can go and pay a nominal fee, and you get to keep what you pick and can carry out. Apples, peaches, blueberries, and strawberries are some examples. Look for sales too - recently bananas were 29 cents a pound, so I bought a lot and froze some of them for smoothies.

Also, as much as possible, make your own stuff. For instance, prepackaged salad might be $6. If we were to get the romaine, etc. ourselves, we could either save a fortune OR make a lot more salad than we do. (This is one I have a hard time with, it's my personal challenge to myself for next week.) If you make your own beans (from dried) you save over buying canned (pluse you have more control over things like sodium.) Little things like that add up.

It is hard when a box of mac and cheese is 40 cents.

I'm looking forward to what others have to say!

I agree with Aldi, definitely! They have the BEST produce. It's cheap and also a lot fresher than any of the other stores. The meat is also a great price! For foods to eat; lean meat, veggies, fruit, cottage cheese, fat free yogurt/greek yogurt are all good choices. Just try to stay away from processed food and pre-packaged food that is easy to throw in the microwave when you are hungry... they make your grocery bill higher and they are not good for you!

Bump is what people do to bring a topic to the top to get more replies

Aldi's is wonderful. You don't pay for the name brand. Also, dried beans and legumes, brown rice, rolled oats, quinoa, and barley are really good for you, and cheap. Buy frozen veggies and a whole chicken and make several batches of soup. Eggs, tofu, and whole grains have lots of good protein but aren't as expensive as meat and cheeses. And we're just at the beginning of farmers markets- the MOST WONDERFUL place to buy produce. It may be a little more expensive than a grocery store (or maybe not, depends on where you are) but the produce will last longer, taste better, and be healthier (both in vitamins/minerals and in their lack of chemicals)

I have a local Sprouts store, which is pretty much a glorified farmers market. I love it!!! I usually buy all my groceries at Wal-Mart, except my produce, and then head to Sprouts to get fresh fruits and veggies. I got a seedless watermelon there-2 pounds for less than $2!!! I've compared their prices with Wal-Mart and they are at least half the price on almost all their produce, plus Sprouts produce is a lot fresher than Wal-Mart.

What is bump?

Bump means move this to the top of the forums because it is an important subject.

SPROUTS! A couple of weeks ago they had ANY size watermelon, honeydew or cantaloup for 99 cents. And I still havent seen watermelon over 20 cents a pound there since its been in season. Their produce is rediculously cheap compared to elsewhere around here AND fresher so it lasts longer.
Rice, Buying bulk chicken when its .99-1.99 per lb and freezing it in individual bags (investing in a vacuum sealer is totally worth it) and that works for other meats as well. Beans. Cooking in large batches and freezing individual portions so you dont go out to eat or buy frozen dinners (even when they are on sale its typically more expensive then what youre cooking) Eggs! Im in Phoenix so a standard of living similar to your and every couple of weeks someone has eggs on sale for 99 cents a dozen. And eggs are good 3-5 weeks past the "sale by" date if you keep them refrigerated.

Im totally a sales shopper though, Ive found coupons are usually on the pre-packaged things I dont want so I buy fresh & on sale. I also shop produce weekly to prevent waste

This was my list! Also add to that frozen chicken breasts, a yoghurt maker and UHT milk (cheap in bulk) and you have the basis for a LOT of foods. eg:

Frozen fruit + yoghurt = smoothies.
Rice + beans
Beans, rice & peas
Couscous with roasted vegetables
Stir fried veg & tofu with rice
Veggie strips with hummus (from chickpeas)
Chicken breasts (frozen) with noodles/rice
Tuna & tomato pasta

etc etc

I would say take care when you check the prices of dried beans vs canned. I have been surprised before here in Europe to find that canned beans can cost slightly less.

Bump is to move this up the board and to put it under "My Topics" to view later.

Cheap healthy foods:
dried beans
frozen fruits and vegetables
brown rice
canned tuna
tofu
bulk grains (steel cut oats, quinoa, etc.)
last day fruits and veggies

I don't waste money on alot of processed foods.

Aldi's is great for their CHEAP fresh produce. Their frozen fish is also very good! I've had both the tilapia and the salmon.