It is definitely tough to eat healthy on a budget. I know, first hand, how annoying and frustrating this can be.
When I started my weight loss journey, I had enough income left over to spend between $150 and $200 each month on groceries. This gets quite tricky when you are trying to eat healthy. I could have sworn that all the food companies had it out for me and made unhealthy options at a much cheaper price.
There were a few tricks I learned along my journey that have really helped me budget and eat healthy at the same time. Here are just a few of those tricks that I have discovered.
At the Grocery Store
- Scour the Discount Produce Bins Shop the reduced produce area to find deals on fresh produce. For instance, buy almost-brown bananas and freeze them. They work great in smoothies and low-fat banana bread recipes!
- Shop in season Fresh fruits and vegetables are an important part of any diet, but they can be costly. To avoid this, buy produce when you know it’s in season. It’ll be cheaper and taste fresher.
- Glance up and glance down! Some manufacturers actually pay more to have their food placed at eye level, and these products are often pricier than other brands. Better deals will probably be found above and below this. To save money, all you have to do is look.
- Consider Cost Per Serving When you see the price tags on the shelf, instead of looking at the overall price, focus on the fine print that is the cost per serving.
- Ask for Rain Checks If you find a great sale at the store, but discover that the store is out of the item, ask the clerk or manager for a rain check. Almost all stores will honor the advertised prices when they are back in stock.
At Home
- Create Your Own Frozen Dinners Make your own frozen entrees and save money. By using better quality ingredients and controlling the cooking method, you’ll always have a supply of quick and tasty meals on hand. Check out the “Create Your Own Frozen Dinners” link to the right for recipes and tips!
- Enjoy Meatless Meals Try substituting one meat meal per week with a vegetarian meal to save money and benefit your health. Beans, eggs, and tofu all provide high-quality protein for a fraction of the cost of meat.
- Social Media Follow your favorite companies and brands on Twitter and Facebook. You may be alerted to sales and giveaways!
These are just a few of the basic tips that will help you lose weight on a budget. I have created a 7 week meal plan just for you that you can download here to begin enjoying budget friendly meals at home.
Everyday Extraordinary Mompreneur 