4 Simple Ideas to Save Money on Groceries and Eat Healthier!

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4 Simple Ideas to Save Money on Groceries and Eat Healthier!

Have you ever heard that it’s expensive to eat healthy?

Well, it’s a myth.

You can totally eat healthy without it putting a dent in your wallet. In fact, you can actually save money by eating healthier.

I’ve been using the ideas below for so long, I sometimes actually gasp when I hear that someone spends $500 a month on groceries. Then I immediately want to help them save  money on their groceries and give them the same simple tips.


Go here to learn how to meal prep like a pro to get the very most out of your money and improve your health!!

Learn more about eating health on a budget:

How to Make a Healthy Meal Plan on a Budget

Sign up for Ibotta for FREE to get money back on your groceries!

Save Money on Groceries Idea #1: Focus on Produce to Eat Healthier

Everyone knows that eating fruits and veggies are good for you. They provide you with vitamins and minerals that you can’t get from other foods, and they’re simply the healthiest thing you can eat or feed your family.

But, one thing you may not know is that they are pretty cheap. As long as you’re buying in season, and not trying to buy, say berries in the middle of winter, then it’s far cheaper to buy produce than pre-packaged snacks for you family.

And, make sure you look for the deals. Bananas and apples are usually cheap all year long, so they’re a good bet! But, I also got 4 pounds of cherries the other week for less than $4, which is an amazing deal; so keep an eye out for deals like those and then freeze whatever you don’t eat before they go bad.

Don’t think of buying produce only for snacks, though. Sure, fruits are probably the number one snack you should be giving to your kids, either fresh, in baked goods, or smoothies.

But, veggies are so easy to include in lunches and dinners, whether it’s the main dish or a side.

I regularly make a mac and ‘cheese’ dish that my children love! It uses a cauliflower and carrot sauce in place of the cheese to add in some extra nutrients at no extra cost. Plus, veggies help bulk up and add fiber into meals, to keep you and your family full longer.

Looking for more to help you live a healthier lifestyle? Check out this year’s Healthy Living Bundle! It’s only on sale through 9/10 this year (2018), but will save you thousands of dollars on resources!. So take advantage of the sale while it lasts!

Save Money on Groceries Idea #2: Buy Frozen to Eat Healthier

Buying frozen is a great way to save money and eat healthier, if you do it right.

You know how produce goes in and out of season and the prices vary along with it. Well, with frozen fruits and veggies, prices don’t vary, they stay quite consistent. So, if you’re a big smoothie drinker, like myself and kids, then that bulk bag of frozen fruit you should be buying will always be the same price.

(I’ve done the math, it’s cheaper to buy that bulk bag of frozen fruit even when the same fruit is in season; remember, it’s already peeled, cored, and cut up; most fruit is priced by weight.)

Buying veggies frozen, and in bulk, will also help lower the cost of meals…and make sure your produce doesn’t go bad before you get to using it.

Just don’t confuse buying frozen foods to eat healthier with buying frozen food for convenience. Sure, it can be very convenient, and generally cheap, to buy the pre-made frozen dinners. But, those won’t do you any good when it comes to your health.


Save Money on Groceries Idea #3: Dried Foods Are Your Friends

Dried beans should be your best friends.

They are so cheap!

Same with bulk rice, pasta, legumes, and other dried food you can get in bulk.

Please, don’t get scared away by this tip. I used to run away whenever anyone said something had beans in it. And, I didn’t even know what a lentil or legume was until I took a nutrition class in college!

Lentils, legumes, and beans (and sad to say it, but also rice) were completely foreign to me before I had kids and started trying to eat healthy; now, I make sure I always have a stockpile of them. One of my back up meals is always rice, beans, and some type of veggie. I never knew how many ways there were to use those types of foods.

Buying dry is also cheaper than canned, when dried beans cook they double or triple in size! It may require a bit more planning, but it’s completely worth it.

If you still think it’s expensive to eat healthy; I dare you to start eating more beans, rice, and lentils. You’ll feel full faster, and so will your wallet!

A stack of 3 halves of vegan burritos showing the inside mixture.

Try this recipe with rice and beans:  Vegan Burritos

Save Money on Groceries Idea #4: Meal Plan to Eat Healthier

Whether you already eat somewhat healthy, or if you’re way off track; have you ever gone to the store without having meal planned or having any type of list?

Now, maybe you’re fine without bringing a list, but maybe your memory is like mine and isn’t what it used to be before kids, so you know you’d forget something.

Whether you have a memory like mine, or not, do yourself a favor and write up a meal plan and grocery list. This way, you won’t be tempted to buy unneeded items at the store, and you’ll make sure you don’t forget an item you needed for a meal.

Just make sure you stick with your meal plan through out the week so food doesn’t go to waste. And, to make sure you don’t spend extra money on food out.

With a meal plan and getting only the food you know you need; you know there’s food at home to eat, so eat it. Don’t waste perfectly good food you already bought and don’t waste money on eating out!

Go here to learn how to meal prep like a pro to get the very most out of your money and improve your health!!

If you don’t like meal planning, try out $5 Meal Plans for FREE!

Learn more about creating your own meal plan:

How to Meal Plan (when you have no motivation to do so)

How to Make a Healthy Meal Plan on a Budget

Save Money on Groceries by Eating Healthier

So, if you believed in the myth that eating healthier was more expensive; you should know by now that it was indeed a myth!

In fact, it’s easier to eat healthier on a budget!

There’s less ingredients in the food you buy, therefore it’s healthier and cheaper.

Simply remember to plan your meals out ahead of time and only buy what’s on your list. Produce makes better snacks than processed snack foods (their more filling, too). And, dried beans are your best friends.

Feel free to ease yourself into eating healthier and saving money. It can be a hard change at first, but your body, wallet, and family will all thank you….eventually.

Don’t forget to sign up for Ibotta to SAVE even more on your groceries!!
And, sign up FREE for $5 Meal Plan or sign up for Wholly Prep to learn how to meal prep to improve your health!

What’s your favorite way to eat healthy on a budget?

Looking for more to help you live a healthier lifestyle? Check out this year’s Healthy Living Bundle! It’s only on sale through 9/10 this year (2018), but will save you thousands of dollars on resources!. So take advantage of the sale while it lasts!

save money on groceries

save money on groceries
save money on groceries

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