by Melissa W
Whether you have to eat healthy for medical reasons, weight control, or it’s just what you prefer, it can end up costing you more at the grocery store. The cost of groceries is regional and can vary widely. If you want to be able to eat delicious, balanced, and healthy meals when you’re on a tight budget, it can require some creativity. There are plenty of money saving tips that will still allow you to eat healthy without busting your budget.
Shop Ethnic Markets
If you have ethnic markets in your area, take advantage of them to save money on your grocery bill. Some popular ones to peruse are Mexican, Indian, and Asian markets. The ones available will just depend on your area. Asian markets in particular are excellent for buying inexpensive vegetables. Both Indian and Mexican markets offer low-cost spices and snacks. Changing up your routine and shopping at ethnic markets is a fun way to eat outside-the-box a bit and incorporate new foods into your diet.
Utilize Store Cards and Coupons
Anyone trying to save money and eat healthy would be remiss in not taking advantage of both store discount cards and coupons. Some stores even allow you to choose coupons on the store website and load them onto the store card. You may even be able to save money using a store discount and coupon together, just depending on the policies of the store. Plenty of grocery stores allow you to double coupons. Just check the store policies before you shop.
Buy Less Meat
One way to save a bit of money each week is to swap out meat for other sources of protein, such as eggs or beans. This is one of the fastest ways to reduce grocery costs. Instead of eating it at dinner five nights a week, eat it two nights per week. Instead of having chicken with dinner, serve breakfast for dinner and make veggie omelets or lentil soup.
Bake Bread and Muffins
Instead of buying and eating expensive muffins and bread from the grocery store, bake your own whole wheat bread and muffins for a fraction of the cost. You will know what is in them and can control the nutrition, which is an excellent benefit. Devote a Saturday afternoon to baking bread and muffins. Bake as many loaves and batches as you have time and room for and freeze them.