Eating healthy doesn’t have to break the family budget. It takes a bit more planning, but you can save money when you’re shopping for your family. These tips will teach you how to save money as you shop for healthy food on a budget.
Many families would like to practice healthy eating but are concerned about the cost. When we started setting our family budget, groceries were one of our biggest expenses. So it makes sense that people would get the idea that buying healthy food is too expensive. This is not true. It can be done once a family knows where and how to go about it.
Where to Find Healthy Food
There are several places where families can buy healthy food within a budget. You might want to try:
Grocery stores
Farmer’s markets
Gardens (family’s garden, neighbor’s garden, community garden)
Produce stands along the road-I found one in town with 25¢ avocados!
Health market stores (follow weekly ads to get in-season produce cheaper)
Family and friends (sometimes extended family members have more than needed when it comes to fresh produce)
Bread outlets
Dollar Stores
Discount grocery stores – around here we have Winco, Aldi’s and Food 4 Less.
How to Find the Good Deals
It’s good to know where to go to find healthy food. But it is just as important to find out how to find good deals. Here are some ways to save money when buying healthy food:
Purchase fresh produce when on sale or discounted, like at a bag sale.
Use coupons (both store and manufactured coupons) when possible.
Find out when fresh produce is discounted (do this with produce that can be placed in the freezer or canned).
Purchase frozen vegetables and fruit when on sale.
Purchase whole grain bread at bread outlets and possibly dollar stores.
Compare prices of different vendors at a local farmer’s market (make sure it’s not only a good deal but also good quality).
Grow a garden (eat right away and/or freeze or can for later use).
Exchange garden produce and fruit (from fruit trees or bushes) with neighbors, friends, and extended family.
Purchase less processed meals and make own version from scratch.
Ask friends and neighbors about good produce stands (hint: some will discount produce and healthy food items at the end of the day).
Join a co-op.
Search the internet for free printable coupons.
Practicing healthy eating does not have to break a family’s grocery budget. It can be done by knowing where to purchase or obtain healthy grocery items. Sometimes, you don’t even have to shop for healthy food; it can be grown in a backyard or community garden.
Once a family understands all the possibilities of where to purchase healthy food, it is important to know how to save money. Great money-saving tips include using coupons to knowing when a store or produce stand will discount fresh produce and other healthy products.
