Hefty Penny or Hefty Pants? You decide.
Bite This: Good luck trying to figure out how much the average person spends on groceries per month. It varies too greatly that even the USDA cannot come up with a number.
The other evening my husband and I were discussing our monthly bills. After a few glasses of wine and appetizers, we concluded that most of our money is spent on food and wine.
One comment my husband made about spending our money on groceries was that it is "my" food that costs so much. "My" food consists of greek yogurt, almond milk, fresh fruits and veggies, tofu and other food items which my husband will not touch with a 10 foot pole. But, if you compare the price of fruits and vegetables to purchasing most processed/convenience food items, you will find that once added up, the price is quite similar. If you are like me and shopping for two completely different tastes and making two completely different dinners every night, then yes, you will be spending a lot more on food. And it looks like I am the one who has to cut back....
So how exactly does one eat healthy on a budget?
1. You've heard it before and you'll hear it again - buy local and "in season." Most cities/towns have year-round farmer's markets which you can find in season and local fruits and vegetables, sometimes you may find eggs and meats as well. They usually cost less than at a grocery store.
2. Better yet, grow your own garden.
3. Use coupons. Search in newspapers, magazines, online, etc for coupons on foods that you normally buy. Do not clip a coupon for something you do not normally buy and then buy that item just because you have a coupon. It does not work this way.
4. Look for sales. Do price comparisons. Shop at discounted stores such as the Dollar General for common items.
5. Buy foods that will last a while in bulk. If purchasing almond milk or soy milk, these last a lot longer than regular milk and are more affordable when you purchase in bulk. Also, check out the freezer section for some fruits and vegetables. Grains are also less expensive in bulk.
6. Make a list. This keeps you from buying foods on impulse.
7. Prioritize. Some will spend a lot of money on organic foods, but you do not necessarily need to go all out organic. There are some fruits and vegetables that contain more pesticides than others (check out the "dirty dozen" -although you may want to look it up at home vs work as typing in "the dirty dozen" brings up websites not related to food at all). These are the ones that you may want to buy organic. Especially if you eat them often. You may also consider buying organic animal products in order to reduce hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals from the diet. If this is too much, spend money on other high protein (non-meat) foods such as beans, lentils and tofu.
8. Try not to dine out (even if it is a quick lunch) more than 1-2 x/week. If you are buying lunch five days/week in addition to your groceries, you are adding another $25 + to your weekly food budget. This amounts to $1300 per year, not including celebrations and dinners out.
9. Practice portion control. This helps your waist and your wallet! Usually you can get several meals and cook only once. Save leftovers and make them into something else. Freeze leftovers as well for another day. Just make sure you reheat the food properly or you may not be eating anything at all for a couple of days.
10. Do you really need a "10" just to make it even?
Whatever you do, remember that eating healthy is deliberate and takes some planning, but it's worth it when you are eating high quality food while having a few extra bills in your wallet.
Sound bite: For next week's groceries, just shop the perimeter of the store and see how much you save. Next time we buy groceries, my husband will buy his own food and I'll buy mine and we'll see who wins.
The other evening my husband and I were discussing our monthly bills. After a few glasses of wine and appetizers, we concluded that most of our money is spent on food and wine.
One comment my husband made about spending our money on groceries was that it is "my" food that costs so much. "My" food consists of greek yogurt, almond milk, fresh fruits and veggies, tofu and other food items which my husband will not touch with a 10 foot pole. But, if you compare the price of fruits and vegetables to purchasing most processed/convenience food items, you will find that once added up, the price is quite similar. If you are like me and shopping for two completely different tastes and making two completely different dinners every night, then yes, you will be spending a lot more on food. And it looks like I am the one who has to cut back....
So how exactly does one eat healthy on a budget?
1. You've heard it before and you'll hear it again - buy local and "in season." Most cities/towns have year-round farmer's markets which you can find in season and local fruits and vegetables, sometimes you may find eggs and meats as well. They usually cost less than at a grocery store.
2. Better yet, grow your own garden.
3. Use coupons. Search in newspapers, magazines, online, etc for coupons on foods that you normally buy. Do not clip a coupon for something you do not normally buy and then buy that item just because you have a coupon. It does not work this way.
4. Look for sales. Do price comparisons. Shop at discounted stores such as the Dollar General for common items.
5. Buy foods that will last a while in bulk. If purchasing almond milk or soy milk, these last a lot longer than regular milk and are more affordable when you purchase in bulk. Also, check out the freezer section for some fruits and vegetables. Grains are also less expensive in bulk.
6. Make a list. This keeps you from buying foods on impulse.
7. Prioritize. Some will spend a lot of money on organic foods, but you do not necessarily need to go all out organic. There are some fruits and vegetables that contain more pesticides than others (check out the "dirty dozen" -although you may want to look it up at home vs work as typing in "the dirty dozen" brings up websites not related to food at all). These are the ones that you may want to buy organic. Especially if you eat them often. You may also consider buying organic animal products in order to reduce hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals from the diet. If this is too much, spend money on other high protein (non-meat) foods such as beans, lentils and tofu.
8. Try not to dine out (even if it is a quick lunch) more than 1-2 x/week. If you are buying lunch five days/week in addition to your groceries, you are adding another $25 + to your weekly food budget. This amounts to $1300 per year, not including celebrations and dinners out.
9. Practice portion control. This helps your waist and your wallet! Usually you can get several meals and cook only once. Save leftovers and make them into something else. Freeze leftovers as well for another day. Just make sure you reheat the food properly or you may not be eating anything at all for a couple of days.
10. Do you really need a "10" just to make it even?
Whatever you do, remember that eating healthy is deliberate and takes some planning, but it's worth it when you are eating high quality food while having a few extra bills in your wallet.
Sound bite: For next week's groceries, just shop the perimeter of the store and see how much you save. Next time we buy groceries, my husband will buy his own food and I'll buy mine and we'll see who wins.
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