If you are living on a budget, you may be concerned that you will have to eat tasteless and boring foods in order to save money on your grocery bill. A few tricks and techniques will allow you to continue eating the foods you enjoy while also sticking to your budget. Larry Winget notes in his book, "You're Broke Because You Want to Be," that eating healthful foods is often much cheaper than eating processed and packaged foods, so you will be able to save money and improve your health at the same time.
Prepare Your Own Food
If you and your family rely on prepared dinners and packaged convenience foods as the staples for your meals, you are consuming far too much fat and salt and too many calories. Winget recommends cooking your own food at home because you can control how much salt and fatty ingredients you use. Healthy ingredients for preparing your own meals are also far cheaper than purchasing packaged foods. You can buy a 5-pound bag of potatoes for about the same price as a box of mashed potato flakes. Whole potatoes are higher in potassium and fiber and the bag of potatoes will last far longer than the box.
Avoid the Center Aisles
The expensive packaged and prepared foods are often on the center aisles at the supermarket. Healthy and less pricey foods, such as fruits, vegetables, milk and fresh meat are often on the periphery of the store. Get in the habit of avoiding the shelves with cookies, candy, chips and soda, and you will likely save money and improve your health as well. Fresh fruits and vegetables are often cheaper than canned ones, which usually include added salt or sugar, and whole grain bread is far cheaper and more nutritious than packaged cookies and cakes.
Use Coupons and Buy What is On Sale
Clipping coupons and researching weekly sales takes a few extra minutes of your time when planning a grocery list, but can save you quite a bit of money. Lucy Beale and Jessica Partridge, authors of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Well on a Budget," caution against buying something just because you have a coupon or it is on sale. If it is not an item you usually purchase, you will actually be spending more money. Take advantage of coupons and sales only for healthy items you buy on a regular basis and you may notice your grocery budget shrinking while you enjoy plenty of nutritious foods.
Plan a Weekly Menu
Individuals who shop with a weekly menu and grocery list end up spending less than those who go the supermarket without a plan. Planning a menu will help you eat healthier too because if you only purchase what you need to prepare the meals on your list, you will not be tempted by less healthy options. Write a list of seven nutritious meals, such as whole wheat pasta or grilled chicken salad, and list each of the foods you need to prepare that menu. Head to the store and stick to your list. You will end up saving money and eating healthier too, Beale and Partridge report.
References
- "You're Broke Because You Want to Be"; Larry Winget; 2008
- "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Well on a Budget"; Lucy Beale and Jessica Partridge; 2010
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