What if we told you there’s a way to save money on groceries and eat healthy simultaneously? That’s right, it’s absolutely doable! Also, we’re not talking about a way to achieve this. We’re talking about seven ways to save money on groceries and still live a healthy lifestyle.
If you’re still not sure whether to believe us, we completely understand. Budget spending and eating healthy don’t really go hand in hand. However, once you’re done reading this, you’ll change your mind. Stick around for neat ideas on how to save money on groceries and stay healthy!
Table of Contents
#1 Plan your meals
Many folks, including the person writing this text, struggle to come up with meal ideas. It’s something most urban dwellers face. This struggle brings unwanted results: far too many trips to the grocery store. However, there’s a solution for this irritating, money-wasting issue.
Even though meal planning sounds a bit boring and dull, it’s still a great way to save some money. Without a neat plan, you’ll most probably buy ingredients you won’t use later on. That way, you’re wasting both money and food, which is no good. By coming up with a weekly plan, you can plan around various grocery items on sale. We’re talking about seasonal veggies or certain meats.
Oh, and don’t worry too much about this since there are apps to assist you. They’ll handle all the headaches you associate with the process. You’ll be able to make a customized meal plan for each week. Some apps help you connect to major grocers (Walmart, for instance). They’ll create a list of ingredients that you can order online.
(Of course, you can save the aforementioned list for offline shopping.)
Let’s sum it up. Having a plan will help you avoid unwanted costs associated with last-minute shopping. Since there are apps to help you come up with a plan, nothing’s keeping you from saving some money. Also, even if you don’t sit down and come up with a plan – it’s alright. Just being a little more organized might do the trick and save you some money.
#2 Try not to waste (only buy food you’ll actually eat)
Most probably, it has happened many times to you. We’re talking about throwing food that has lost its freshness beyond being eatable. Remember that bag of carrot sticks you’ve bought two months ago? Guess you’ll have to feed it to the trashcan.
The method’s pretty darn simple: don’t buy the food you don’t plan on eating. Buying veggies (carrot sticks…) “inspired” by guilty conscience is a NO-NO. There’s a good chance you won’t eat them. That’s because the sole action of buying them is enough to handle the guilt. There’s no eating involved.
Did you know how many households around the world lose countless funds on wasted food? Wasting food is a serious problem most first-world countries deal with. Also, wasting food is equal to wasting money. Therefore, don’t buy food that you know you probably won’t eat.
#3 A couponing app, anyone?
Here’s another way to save money while staying healthy: use a couponing app.
Luckily, one can forget about cutting out coupons from the weekend newspaper. That’s because there’s an app for that. A so-called couponing app, that is. Many grocery store chains have apps you can use to access various discount coupons.
Also, you mightn’t need an app for this. You can simply run a quick online search for the aforementioned coupons. You’ll find plenty of websites and resources once type “coupons” in your search bar.
#4 Browse local ethnic markets
Maybe you should stay out of the grocery store for a while. Instead, try visiting & browsing local ethnic markets. Scan your surroundings for Latin, Asian, or even Eastern European markets. There’s a good chance you’ll find some of them near your neighborhood.
So, what’s so special about local ethnic markets? Well, they always have a fantastic offer of ethnic ingredients. Not only that, but most of them are much more affordable than in grocery stores. Need some cumin or garam masala? Check out your local Indian market.
Do you know what else is great about visiting local ethnic markets? It’s the fact you’re getting to know different cultures living near you. Also, you’ll probably learn some new recipes that you can use to impress your loved ones. Lastly, you can even make a ritual out of it: visiting the local markets on Sundays.
#5 Find a side hustle and earn some pocket money
Even though this is not exactly a money-saving method, it will still help you in terms of shopping. Many folks earn decent pocket money by working online jobs. Most of these gigs don’t require you to have any past experience or qualifications.
One of the most popular ways folks earn money online is through paid surveys. It’s simple: you voice your honest opinion and get paid for it. Companies rely on your answers and will pay some good money for them. All you have to do is create an account on one of the survey platforms. Use the email associated with your PayPal and wait for survey invitations in your inbox.
So, can a person earn a living via paid online surveys? Well, the answer is most probably: nope, that’s not doable. However, it’s still a very easy way to earn some pocket money. If you love voicing your opinion, there isn’t a better, more practical thing you can do.
Lastly, keep in mind that cash is not the only thing you can earn with paid surveys. That’s right, you can also earn some discount coupons and vouchers. Some platforms even allow you to donate the money you’ve earned to charity. All in all: earn a solid side income by answering surveys, and buy healthy food.
PS. If you’re wondering what to do with the extra money you’ve gained via surveys, click here.
#6 Decrease your meat intake (if possible)
Okay, so this one might feel too much for our readers who see themselves as passionate meat lovers. However, eating more veggies is one of the best and healthiest ways to cut down on your grocery bill. The transition should be a slow one. Start by preparing one meatless meal a week. There’s a little something called Meatless Monday; introduce it to your weekly diet.
If you’re worried about protein intake and all that, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds got you covered. Also, here are other fantastic, healthy alternatives to meat products:
- eggs.
- peanut butter.
- tofu.
- tempeh.
- mushrooms.
- etc.
Here’s a suggestion: replace your chicken with extra-firm tofu in a stir-fry. Simply pan-fry this meat alternative in the same manner as chicken. Don’t think this is a good idea? If so, keep in mind that one block of tofu is about $2. It can feed up to 3-4 folks, so, yeah, think about it.
#7 Don’t be afraid of the store brand
Now, of course, many folks think that choosing the store brand isn’t a good idea. In their minds, sticking to well-known brands is something of a fetish. There’s no reason to believe that store brand is different than better-known brands. Here’s why that’s so:
- The store brand is often produced by the same manufacturer as the “top-quality” brand. That’s what most brands don’t want you to know.
By buying the store brand, you can save anywhere from just a few cents to a few dollars. Tweaking your shopping habits will show results, just wait and see. Oh, and another thing: you can find the store brand in just about every category of food you can imagine.
Other ways to save money on groceries
Since we still have some space left, let’s share some additional, useful tips. Here are the other ways to save money on groceries!
Don’t eat out often
Of course, everyone enjoys eating out or ordering food: it’s a treat few people can resist. However, if you’re really planning to save some money, then… Yeah, you’ll have to eat out or order less. Start making meals at home with your loved ones. It’s a whole different treat you’ll surely enjoy.
Freeze leftovers
If you’ve cooked too much or you’ve got some leftover bread, don’t throw anything away. Freeze your leftover food and enjoy it some other day. That’s another great way to stop food waste and save money on groceries, too.
Introduce the one-meal-only rule
If you get into the habit of catering to a bunch of likes and dislikes, you won’t have a good time. Therefore, simply make a single meal for everyone. It will cost much less than buying different foods and cooking separate meals.
Lastly, if you’re wondering how to save money with a low income, follow that link.
Closing thoughts on the subject
Okay, folks, so that’s how you save money on groceries while remaining healthy. Hopefully, you’ll introduce some changes to your weekly diet now. As you could’ve seen, it’s not so hard to stash some funds while eating quality food. Not as hard as anyone would assume, that is.
If you’re on the lookout for more useful tips on subjects related to this one, check out our blog page.