How to eat healthy for less?

Beans are super cheap and super healthy. I suggest using them more as one or your sources of protein.

If you use canned beans, buy low sodium or no salt added and rinse very well.

Best to buy dried and cook them yourself, if you can. Lentils don't need to be soaked before cooking and cook pretty quiclky, so you may want to start with them.

Bump to look back at replies... I've been curious about this too.

TRUE THAT. omg i basically blow my paychecks going to the store every week lol

Stick to very few processed foods. I buy only a few things when I grocery shop:

- Protein (chicken tenderloins are the cheapest boneless skinless chicken, ground turkey, ground beef, canned tuna and/or chicken, eggs)
- Veggies (frozen are cheapest and last forever especially if you're not in the mood to eat it - I usually buy any or all of broccoli, peas, corn, stir-fry, green beans, spinach)
- Pasta (Barilla plus multigrain pasta)
- Greek yogurt
- Fruit (berries mostly because they're lowest in sugar)
- Cereal and milk.

Agreed! I have found I prefer to buy my fruits at Sam's Club and my veggies at Aldi...I would love to go to the farmer's market but their hours are crazy ridiculous when I have to work. I am trying to get my whole family to eat the same as I am so we don't have to buy 2 kinds of everything though.

The only thing I buy in freezer section is frozen veggies, boneless chicken, turkey burgers occasionally, and that's it. No processed boxed foods. Buying a big bag of dried beans will last long time, same with rice. Buying items in a store with bulk foods section is huge advantage..I buy a pound or so of almonds every month for$ 3, they have everything from seasonings to cooking ingredients to dried fruits&pasta, rice, etc.

Skipping chips& cracker aisles. Skipping anything in a box pretty much, such as instant oatmeal packages, granola bars, pre made ready to cook meals..skipping canned aisle cuz of sodium level in canned veggies as opposed to fresh or frozen... looking for coupons, watching ads, going to manufactures website to get coupons... could even bake your own bread, the wheat flour is spendy but if it makes 50loafs of bread its worth the money it saves in bread cost. Instead of buying sliced cheese buy a off brand chheese brick and take to deli and have them slice half of it up, which is free to do. Instead of buying lunch meat, can buy a whole chicken or roast and then u wont have processed lunch meat packed with sodium...

Anything u buy premade can be made from scratch and save u tons of money...but if ur not that dedicated, just watch ads better, etc...

Buying in bulk one month on a great deal might spike costs one month but next month u wont have to buy those items and have lower bill.

I keep about 10bags of frozen veggies so I can use as back up when food runs out, as well as using in meals such as soups and such so im not using my fresh produce for those things.

Buying once a week so nothing goes bad.

Cooking an extra dinner portion to save for lunch the next day will save u alot of effort and needing special lunch items.

i'm a sale QUEEN!! whenever something that i usually eat is on sale, i'll buy the store out lol. i'll go shopping once every couple weeks and go to 3 or 4 different stores cuz some stuff is cheaper at different places. i even started ordering some stuff online, like my protein powder, some bars, vita tops, and stuff that. sometimes you can get lots of stuff for cheap at sam's or costco like frozen veggies or fish, and they last forever.

you'll get the hang of it!! good luck!!!

Yes it has for me too BUT I dont eat out 7 or more times a week so it equals out.