Saving Money on Healthy Food

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One of the best ways that we can live Naturally is with how we fuel our bodies.

First, let me say that while this will all seem overwhelming and like too much, taken in steps, it is not. Start with the basics, then add new ways to save as you get better at this. When you first start, it will seem like too much of a pain, but that is an excuse. If you really want to save money on healthy food, then here are the skills that you will need to do it.

Saving money on healthy food starts at home...

Start with a decided grocery budget (this can apply to emergency food preps as well) – this will keep you on track and spending responsibly.

Limit eating out to special occasions or not at all; the money saved will help you buy more groceries.

This includes your morning coffee; making your coffee at home saves a ton of money. Bring your own water bottle for the day, too.

Menu Planning – I plan our menus strategically and in advance so that I can stick to a budget and make sure that we do not waste the fresh food that we have. Check your pantry to see what is expiring soon so that you can meal plan with those items. Plan meals around what you already have.

Check out my Meal Planning and Food Inventory pages! 48 printable pages of Organizing Bliss!

Look for homemade recipes, do it yourself! Yes, homemade is often more expensive. However, the cost of healthcare outweighs the cost of homemade. This way, you know exactly what is in your food, and you can skip all the extra chemicals, additives, and bio-engineered junk.

We have a Family Recipe Book that we plan from. Everyone gets to pick a favorite meal each month. Plan simple meals during the work week. Plan with portions in mind. Using portions saves you money and keeps everyone healthy. Plan for leftovers to be used as lunch the next day.

You can plan using Double Batch cooking. Cook two meals at one time, eat one, and then freeze the other for a later date in the month. This saves you from those last-minute fast-food sprees when you are just too tired to cook.

You can also meal prep ahead of time. Make your lunches for the week in meal prep containers.

Limit your shopping trips. Every extra trip you make to the store is an opportunity to overspend. This is where your meal planning comes in handy. Simplify your diet, and stay away from unhealthy and expensive packaged processed foods. Simple meals save money. For example - Six days a week I stick to just veggies and a portion of meat. One day a week I add in healthy carbs so that I have something to look forward to. Avoid food waste by using the FIFO (First In First Out) Method. Put the new items behind the old items in your fridge or pantry. You are using up the oldest food in your fridge or pantry first, and less goes to waste. Avoid more waste by using veggie scraps to make veggie broth. You can also keep fat trimmings to render for cooking fat. Save the bones to make bone broth. Use everything you can.

Preserve (freeze, can, ferment, pickle, or dehydrate) and learn how to properly store food that you cannot use right away. Get coupons for the best prices for the food on your list. Make sure that you do not fall into the trap of buying an item just because you have a coupon for it. You do not have to buy a newspaper to collect coupons.

Check your favorite stores and their websites/social media for online coupons.

Check to see if you have friends who do not use their coupons.

Join or start a coupon group.

Just make sure you are familiar with what coupons your grocery store will accept before shopping. Download store apps, and check them for the best deals! You can plan your menu by what is on sale. Price check between stores and websites for the best buys. Take advantage of price matching.

Know when to shop; timing is key. Does your store have certain days for specials? Does the meat department have certain days that they mark down meat? Watch for sales cycles. Pay with cash. Keep your cash in an envelope. You know that you are sticking to your budget because you cannot go over what is in the envelope.

Credit card rewards, use credit cards that give you grocery rewards and cashback for more groceries. Caution: This only works if you have healthy use of credit and pay off the card each month. Consider joining or starting a buying club.

Skip buying snacks, this will save a ton of money.

While shopping in-store…

Shop after you have eaten. Shopping on a full stomach will help stop you from being tempted to buy junk food that you do not need.

When you go into a store, plan on sticking to the outer aisles unless there are specific items you need within. Stick to that list and only buy your menu items if you do venture into the middle of the store. The outer aisles are where the healthiest food is. If you stay away from the inner aisles, you do not even see the junk processed food, and it helps to avoid impulse buying.

Better yet, shop on your store's app and pick up your food. That way, you know exactly what you will be spending and you will not be tempted by extras. Do not buy ready-to-eat produce, it is never a deal. Take the time to wash and cut your own.

Shop the Day Old section and know when the meat goes on sale. Freeze or can sale meat when you get home.

Choose Generic over Brand Name whenever possible. If there are brand names that you simply must have, shop them only when they are on sale.

Shop in season. Produce that is in season will have more nutrients and cost much less than if you buy it out of season. Seasonal Food Guide

Avoid marketing tricks. Stores will put items at eye-level that they really want you to buy, and many times it is more expensive. More affordable brands tend to be higher or lower on the shelves. Take advantage of store loyalty programs and use that reward card! Pay attention to unit prices. That way, you can see if it is a good deal or not. Smaller packages are not always more expensive.

Get your phone calculator out and keep a running tally of what is in your cart so that you do not go over budget. Round up each item so that you are sure to have enough left for tax.

Shop Solo. It is much easier to get in and out on a budget when you shop by yourself. I know this is not always possible, but it is definitely a help.

Keep an eye on the register at checkout to be sure that you are getting the correct pricing. No one is perfect, sometimes there are mistakes. ONLINE Shopping I do most of my shopping online. I have a very specific diet that I must follow: no grains and processed food. I order specialty items at Thrive Market #AD #Referral (40% Off your first order when you become a member.)

I order from local farmers at Delivered Fresh, Misfits Market #AD #Referral($10 off your first order.), and Azure Standard. #AD #Referral

Online shopping for non-perishables saves you money because you can see exactly how much you are spending, including tax. It also lowers the temptation to buy junk foods.

Shop online through Rakuten #AD #Referral to get money back from Walmart, BJ's, Instacart, ACME Markets, Food Lion, Kroger, Albertsons, Giant Food, Hungry Root, Thrive Market, Misfits Market, Target, Farm Foods, Butcher Box, and More!

Avoid online shopping services such as Instacart. They add to the price of each item so that they can pay their shoppers and make a profit. Also, watch prices when you buy on Amazon, some grocery items are fulfilled by their third-party sellers, which cost extra to ship. Farmer’s Markets/CSA Check Local Harvest for local farmers and farmers' markets Visit local farmers' markets and farm stores, or pick a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture - you buy a seasonal share of the farmer’s crops) to support your community. Buy meat from local farmers and butchers with friends to share the cost of buying in bulk Food is often cheaper and is always much fresher – supermarket produce is often very old by the time it gets to you Often, you can find great deals around closing time at Farmer’s Markets or Farm stores Growing Your Own Food This is the ultimate way to save on healthy food! Learn to grow your own veggies, microgreens, herbs, and fruit. Start small and then grow more in time. Learn how to preserve your extra food. Be sure to buy non-GMO heirloom seeds. This will eventually save you a ton of money! You can start a seed swap and/or garden share and trade produce with neighbors. Foraging Buy books on foraging for your location and learn to forage in the land around you.

Find a local mentor with whom you can learn. Just be sure to avoid roadside plants as they have most likely been sprayed or had salt dumped on them from road maintenance.

As I said, this can seem overwhelming, but if you take your time and add new ways to save slowly, it will get much easier.

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