Most people think that healthy eating requires a healthy bank account, too. And it can seem that way if you always buy convenience foods or specialty products.
However, Sally Squires at The Washington Post recently completed a "food stamp" challenge. She gave herself $120 (the maximum amount of food stamps a family of four can receive) for groceries and food items.
Her results: With a little planning and careful shopping, Sally found the budget challenging but not impossible.
If you’re trying to stretch your grocery budget–but you still want to eat healthy!–try these frugal tips:
Buy store brand! When it comes to things like brown rice or oatmeal, you’ll get the same nutrition from the store brand at a fraction of the price. Other good store brand choices include canned salmon and tuna, whole grain pasta and frozen veggies.
Buy in bags! Bagged fruit at your supermarket is likely less expensive than the individual fruits sold in the produce bin. Look for inexpensive variety bags of apples and oranges for plenty of nutrition with a small price.
Buy at the end of the day! About thirty minutes before the meat counter closes, many supermarkets begin marking down the price of their fresh leftover meats. This is a great way to score discounts on things like lean burger or pork.
Buy in bigger packages! "Family packs" of chicken and pork tend to be less expensive than the smaller packages. Once you get the meat home, you can repackage it into appropriate portions for your family and then freeze the surplus.
Buy elsewhere! You may be able to find great deals on bulk spices or grains at your local health food co-op. Your farmers market or produce stand might have bargains on summer produce, especially if you buy "seconds." And ethnic stores often have cheaper prices on pasta, rice and/or seafood.
