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 Healthy
eating on a budget is possible and tasty, regardless of whether
the economy is up or down.
Myth: It’s expensive to eat well.
Fact: Not if you buy smart.
Consider these tips to help you eat well while on a budget.
You may find managing your grocery bill actually helps improve
your eating habits.
Planning ahead to eat well helps prevent
impulse buys, which can really drive up your grocery bill.
Use what you already have. Have
on hand any frozen meats, bags of dried beans or other essentials
that you’ve forgotten about? Inventory (translated:
find it) and begin to use it.
Set a budget. Track all food purchases
for a few weeks – groceries, the candy bar from the
gas station, restaurant meals, your A.M. latte. Identify areas
where you can cut back. Do you need to buy out-of-season fresh
produce each week, or will frozen veggies do? How many packages
of crackers do you really need? Set a weekly or monthly spending
limit.
Make a shopping list, then stick to it.
Keep a running list on the fridge and write down necessaries
as you think of them. Before you’re off to the store,
inventory your pantry again and add or remove items as needed.
“Oh, look, we already have eight jars of peanut butter!”
When you get to the store, remember, if it didn’t make
your list, it’s likely you don’t need it.
Shopping wisely, whether during a recession
or not, makes planning pay.
Buy only what you’ll use.
- Melons can turn into science projects in the
back of your fridge. Prep them for eating as soon as they’re
ripe, then store in front of the fridge so you don’t
forget them.
- While organic, sugar-free ketchup may sound healthy,
do you use enough of it to make a difference? Also, make
sure you like the taste of specialty foods like these. If
not, they’ll likely end up in the trash.
- Keep tossing that broccoli because it turns yellow
before you get to it? Buy frozen instead.
- Buying in bulk? It’s only a good deal if
the food is a staple in your house. Bulk sections that offer
bins of different items, however, allow you to buy smaller
amounts than in packaged versions.
- Compare price per pound/volume. Larger packages
aren’t always the best deal. If they are, make sure
you store them so you don’t waste. Example: Freeze
chicken breasts individually instead of as purchased so
you only thaw what you need.
Choose among sale items. Shopping
the weekly sales can add variety to your meals, but if potato
chips aren’t on your list, it’s likely you don’t
really need them, even if they are 2 for 1. The exception:
really good buys on staples. And be realistic. If you don’t/won’t
eat it, the super large bag of greens isn’t a good buy.
- The 10 for 10 sale usually doesn’t mean
you need to buy 10 to get the deal.
- Check reduced produce and bakery sections for
marked-down choices.
Compare stores. Some may consistently
offer better prices.
- Try farmer’s markets or a local
CSA (community-supported agriculture) to get seasonal
produce that often tastes better and costs less.
- ‘Bump & dent’
discount stores have good buys, too. Be
sure to check expiration dates.
- Grow your own. May sound tougher than it is,
but you can grow things that really run up your bill in
stores, such as tomatoes, peppers, mixed greens, etc. Check
your state’s Cooperative
Extension for help.
Convenience costs. Consider whether it’s
a worthwhile expense, particularly during a recession.
- Cook some items from scratch. Pancakes, soups,
dressings and muffins are just a few ideas. They’re
not only less expensive when homemade, they usually taste
a lot better, too.
- Sometimes it makes sense. Carrots sprout and
celery wilt before you make that crudite you planned? Buy
them already cut-up; may be more expensive but odds are
you’ll eat them.
- Dine in more often. Cut back on the number of
meals you eat out each week. You’ll probably be healthier
for it, too.
- Cook in batches & freeze. Many items freeze
well, especially soups and casseroles. Google it if you
aren’t sure about freezing what you want to cook.
Eat lower on the food chain, and on the
processed food chain.
- Vegetable-based proteins such as beans and peas
are usually less expensive than animal-based proteins. Add
one or two more vegetarian meals to your week.
- Less processed = less pricey (most of the time).
Plain frozen cauliflower is a better buy than frozen cauliflower
with cheese sauce. Add your own seasonings to make it a
treat you’ll eat. A homemade lunch featuring bread,
sliced turkey and whole fruit costs a lot less than a pre-packaged
lunch. Does a bag of grapes seem to cost a lot more than
a bag of chips? Chances are, the grapes will fill you up
better. Not to mention the potential health costs of choosing
less nutritious foods too frequently.
As a reminder, eating well is a matter of balance. Check
our Plate
Model for Healthy Eating for a simple recession-proof
guide to simple and satisfying meals.
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