I went grocery shopping over the weekend determined to only get healthy foods. I was so surprised at my total, the bill was ridiculous. For $70, this is what I got:
Tomatoes
Onions
Romaine Lettuce
Pomegranates
Limes
Lemons
Mushroom Lovers veggie burgers
Black Bean veggie burgers
Apples
Eggs
Yogurt
Celery
Red grapes
bean sprouts
sugar snap peas
carrots
green juice
low sodium soy sauce
low sodium chicken broth
Spinach
That's it. I had more stuff, but had to put it back because I just didn't have the money. At this price, I can't afford to keep this up .. I don't make much and I'm raising two kids on my own. So how does everyone do it, eat healthy without going broke? Please share.
I can relate. Only my husband works, he dosen't get paid much and I have to the shopping for the us and our three small children.
I went grocery shopping yesterday and spent $20 and I got the following
Tomatoes
Limes
Oranges
Strawberries
Green grapes
Romaine lettuce
Eggplant
head lettuce
green onions
Onions
Potatoes
Platains
Green Peppers
Well you get the idea, a bunch of stuff for just $20.
I went to my local flea market where the produce is much cheaper than the grocery store. Buying your veggies frozen might help as well. See what you can buy at bulk food stores that you can use in your meals. It's cheaper to buy more food at one time. Buy items when they are on sale at the grocery store and then incorporate that item into your meals for the week. I also buy my meats and fish at a butcher shop. I buy in bigger quantities and it comes out cheaper than buying one or two meats at the supermarket.
I use frozen fruits and vegetables.
I shop specials.
Canned tuna and salmon.
I hunted high and low to find fish ... I did find nice salmon filets for a decent price, everyday.
We pitched our old freezer in order to renovate the room it goes in and I miss it sooo much. The boneless skinless chicken breasts I like are on sale for less than half price and I can only get two packages. Normally I would buy 7 or 8.
I do it fairly easy:
Costco membership - frozen fruits and veggies at really good price, also good price on fresh produce and meat as well.
Trader Joes - good prices on things like frozen veggies, fish and yogurt.
Bargain shop - Have a general list in mind but if certain items are too expensive, then I wouldn't buy them. For instance, I wouldn't buy pomegranates, lemons or limes. Lemon/lime juice is cheaper than buying fresh lemons/limes. I love pomegranates but they are a treat because of their price.
Buy bulk - Brown rice comes in huge bags and you can get it fairly cheap.
Beans - Buy dried beans and cook them yourself
Discount stores! I try and go to places like ALDI and Save a lot and buy no brand food. I bought all of my can goods, salsa, seasonings, eggs, a lot of my fresh fruit and veggies, pasta, ect from there and save a ton. For my meats I look at the sales ads, buy in bulk, and freeze.
Aldi's saves us, otherwise there'd be way more month than money. To get whole grains I use Walmart's store brand ww pasta, br rice, etc. I buy canned and frozen veg alot, I make vegetable soups, broth based soups, etc to fill me up and stretch things. I just give the others grilled cheese or pbj with it so they are full. I do eat alot of bagged salad but I can find it fairly inexpensively at Aldi's or if they are out Walmart. I use canned salmon, tuna and mackeral for fish or frozen tilapia fillets, ground turkey for less $$ than ground beef. Oh, and beans, cheap and healthy so added to pasta or soup make a meal. We eat lots of oatmeal. Store brand is $.89 for a big container. Hope that helps. Stay away from pre-packages mixes, etc. Expensive and not good for you.
It does seem like you paid a lot for the amount of food you bought.
Are you buying packaged, pre-washed lettuce, or buying it by the head and washing it yourself? Are you buying pre-peeled packaged carrots, or peeling/slicing them yourself? Most produce bought in its "virgin" state isn't that expensive, but packaging/processing costs raise the price drastically.
Also you might pay attention to what produce is in season and focus your menus on those items.
To keep my cost down I buy frozen veggies and when chicken breasts are on sale I buy a bag or two. I buy Light yougurt when it is on sale and I do shop at the different stores to save money. I also learned not to take my husband shopping with me (he always NEEDS something) December is going to be a tough month for me because of christmas shopping, but if nothing else I will eat egg salad or tuna for lunch every day and chicken and broccoli for dinner every night. (not too much of a stretch from now) I have enough protein powder to last me until January (I think)
I wish I knew, really. I'm a college student and am perpetually broke. I end up buying a lot of Pastaroni's because they're $1 a box, and one box is one dinner or lunch. I know it's not good for me, it's way processed and lots of additives, but hey. It's what I can afford. My housemate has way more money than I do - she says she's "broke" when she has less than $100 in her bank acct, as far as I can tell. Me? I average around $20 in my acct. So yeah. Not a lot of healthy food is affordable on my budget.
Not to mention, even if I could afford fresh produce and stuff...I haven't the faintest idea what to do with it.
Shop the sales. Buy only what is in season unless there's a great sale. For example, grapes are $2.49 around here. I won't buy them. Instead, I bought a bag of 12 apples for $2.99. I buy the big carrots and make my own carrot sticks. I use coupons. Frozen fruits and veggies are often more nutritious than fresh because they are frozen the day they are picked, not shipped all over the country and stored. Unless you are a vegetarian, I'd not need all those expensive veggie burgers. Again, I only buy them when they are on sale or I have a coupon. Compare the store ads for your area and shop wisely, don't just go to one store and get everything there. We live on social security so we have a very limited budget but I can still eat healthy.
Start a garden or participate in community gardens. Buy local if you can - got a farmer's market? You might think you are paying more, but nutrition wise, you are paying for nutrient dense foods and getting more bang for your buck then if you were to pay less for highly-processed startchy foods full of empty calories. It may be difficult to grasp, but paying a little extra is worth your health, and your family's... right??
p.s. I love win-co for cheap veggies and fruits. I don't know if you have one in your area, but I hope you do! If you shop at a grocery store like Safeway ( I live on the west coast) beware! They hook you on one or two "deals" and then rob you with everything else.
I went grocery shopping over the weekend determined to only get healthy foods. I was so surprised at my total, the bill was ridiculous. For $70, this is what I got:
Tomatoes
Onions
Romaine Lettuce
Pomegranates
Limes
Lemons
Mushroom Lovers veggie burgers
Black Bean veggie burgers
Apples
Eggs
Yogurt
Celery
Red grapes
bean sprouts
sugar snap peas
carrots
green juice
low sodium soy sauce
low sodium chicken broth
Spinach
That's it. I had more stuff, but had to put it back because I just didn't have the money. At this price, I can't afford to keep this up .. I don't make much and I'm raising two kids on my own. So how does everyone do it, eat healthy without going broke? Please share.
Well, from your list:
*I buy Roma tomatoes because they are a lot cheaper than any other kind and seem to last longer in the bin.
*I don't buy a lot of citrus at all. I find both lemons and limes to be pretty expensive this time of year. Fl oranges are pretty cheap, so I might get some of those. My kids won't eat them, so that does save me having to worry about it.
*Pomogranates are an interesting diversion if you have six or seven hours to spare, but I wouldn't buy them on a regular basis.
*Don't buy veggie burgers most of the time. I would get a better bang for the buck getting really lean beef or sticking with chicken breasts or turkey cutlets.
*Grapes are very expensive now, so I would skip those and get pears and apples instead.
*Have never purchased bean sprouts for anything. I have no idea how much they cost.
I buy most of my produce frozen these days. It's much more convenient and no spoilage. I stick to store brands when I can and try to build meals around bulk items as others have suggested--like whole wheat pasta, store brand brown rice, and beans.
Well, I did buy a lot of convenience items - like the prewashed packaged lettuce and spinach. I honestly don't remember checking the price of my grapes, I just tossed them in the cart. I think the sprouts were the cheapest thing I got - they were only $1.
I don't normally use coupons because I don't get the Sunday paper. But that is something to think about. I have an Aldi's nearby, I'll have to start shopping there. I'm so use to going to one store, I hadn't thought about Aldi's.
Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I'm going to print this thread for the next time I go shopping... you've given me some good tips for revamping my shopping ritual
Find a decent asian store in your neighborhood (Indian/Chinese/Korean/Japanese). They generally have an array of fruits and veggies at decent prices. While avocados were 2/$3 at Shoprite, they were $.99 at my local asian store (a little on the ripe side, but I was going to make guac that night anyway). Bean sprouts are bagged (big 'uns) and they run for $.99 to a little more than a dollar. Bok choy - I got a big bag of baby bok for $1.29. It's a steal. With the money you save, you can try out some exotic asian fare.
How to do healthy on a budget?
