Do you feel overwhelmed at the thought of walking into the grocery store and buying only healthy stuff? I mean, healthy food is supposed to be SO much more expensive, right?? Not necessarily! I have had to re-learn how to grocery shop, and I do it all on a budget. Just remember, you are on a mission: get the food, stay under budget, and get out!!!
I’ve had some people ask me how I manage to get groceries for me and my hubs for under a hundred bucks every week. Eating healthy is really not as expensive as the world makes it out to be. Sure, you can get carried away and start buying all kinds of weird fancy stuff, but you don’t need to. Keep it simple, keep it clean, and don’t overcomplicate it!
Here are some tips that I’ve learned that might help you get everything you need to eat healthier while on a budget:
1. You must ALWAYS have a LIST! If it’s not on your list, then DON’T TOUCH IT!
2. Decide which meals you want to cook for the week, and make sure the ingredients are on your list.
3. Go in armed with your Benjamin! I carry ONE $100 bill, and a $10 bill just in case. If I go over that amount, then I put things back. Using a credit or debit card makes it way too tempting to spend more than you had planned.
4. Don’t walk in the door hungry...then you will want to buy everything you see, and you’ll be grabbing all those free samples of foods from the ladies in the fancy chef hats!
5. The fresh produce and meat sections should be where you gather most of your foods - veggies, fruits, and lean proteins.
6. Stay away from processed foods! The fewer the ingredients listed on the back, the better. That means NO chips, cereal, ice cream, bread, any of that stuff.
7. Limit your trips down the center aisles - they are packed with processed foods. I grab just a handful of things from center aisles - like almonds, quinoa, and spices.
8. Study those nutrition labels! Just because something says “sugar free” or “fat free” does not necessarily mean it’s true. See Butter Betrayal post for more info.
9. Keep an eye out for sales and coupons.
10. Resist temptation! Those cookies are going to be calling your name...ignore them! If you don’t buy it, you won’t bring it home, and you won’t eat it!
2. Decide which meals you want to cook for the week, and make sure the ingredients are on your list.
3. Go in armed with your Benjamin! I carry ONE $100 bill, and a $10 bill just in case. If I go over that amount, then I put things back. Using a credit or debit card makes it way too tempting to spend more than you had planned.
4. Don’t walk in the door hungry...then you will want to buy everything you see, and you’ll be grabbing all those free samples of foods from the ladies in the fancy chef hats!
5. The fresh produce and meat sections should be where you gather most of your foods - veggies, fruits, and lean proteins.
6. Stay away from processed foods! The fewer the ingredients listed on the back, the better. That means NO chips, cereal, ice cream, bread, any of that stuff.
7. Limit your trips down the center aisles - they are packed with processed foods. I grab just a handful of things from center aisles - like almonds, quinoa, and spices.
8. Study those nutrition labels! Just because something says “sugar free” or “fat free” does not necessarily mean it’s true. See Butter Betrayal post for more info.
9. Keep an eye out for sales and coupons.
10. Resist temptation! Those cookies are going to be calling your name...ignore them! If you don’t buy it, you won’t bring it home, and you won’t eat it!
I hope these tips will help you the next time you go get groceries! :)
