There’s an unfortunate misconception that eating whole foods will burn a hole in your wallet. And it’s easy
to see why.
Dollar for dollar and calorie for calorie, the foods on the
perimeter of the grocery store (fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains and
dairy) generally cost more than the heavily processed foods on the inner aisles
of the store (canned foods, snack foods and pre-prepared meals).
But eating well doesn’t have to blow your budget. As a very budget-conscious
person myself, the added expense during the first few uneducated months of our
transition to humanely raised meats and whole foods just about gave me a panic
attack. Thankfully, I kept at it and learned that I needed less of a budget
modification and more of a behavior modification to keep costs in line.
Today, we spend about $100 per week on food for the two of
us. This includes three meals per day everyday, humanely raised meats from our
farmer or Whole Foods, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, and many organic
products. Here are some of the ways I stay on budget each week:
1. Eat less meat.
Because we have chosen to purchase our meat from humane sources
that do not receive government subsidies to keep costs low, our meat can range
anywhere from $5 to $20 per pound. So, simply eating less of it saves us a ton
of money. All breakfasts at our house are meatless, with nuts or yogurt used
instead to get our a.m. protein. Dinners, which also double as our lunches the
next day, are meatless 2 to 4 times per week. Check out ideas for eating
meatless on this blog or visit AllRecipes.com
or FoodNetwork.com for more ideas.
2. Use coupons.
I save anywhere from $3-$12 per week just by clipping a few
coupons. I search primarily on Mambo Sprouts, CouponMom, Whole Foods and Coupons.com, and some brand websites, like Brown Cow Farm. Learn each
store’s coupon policies – many, like Publix, allow doubling of coupons 50 cents
or less, and accept competitors’ coupons. And, although many people don’t like
that their grocery store tracks them with their club cards, I love it! Thanks
to being tracked on all of my purchases, Kroger sends me a packet of coupons
every month that consist mostly of savings on cage-free eggs, organic milk,
organic cereal, fresh fish and sometimes even fresh fruits and veggies.
3. Know where to shop
for which items.
For those with young children, shopping at several stores is
a near impossibility, so this one isn’t for you. For the rest of us, it’s one
of the best ways to get the best deals on quality food. Whole Foods is my go-to
for meats my farmer doesn’t offer, but it’s also one of my top places for
yogurt and organic cereals as they allow shoppers to stack coupons (use a Whole
Foods coupon and a manufacturers coupon on one item). Just last week I used this
method to buy my favorite Nature’s Path Organic Cereal, regularly $4 each, for
65 cents per box! Trader Joes is another go-to for their great deals on pantry staples
like coconut milk and the best (and most wholesome) fat-free refried beans
you’ll ever have, both at just 99 cents a pop. And, for those of us fortunate
enough to have one, Aldi (parent company of Trader Joes) is my go-to for loading
up on bulk produce for pennies on the dollar. Regardless of where you shop,
spend just one month comparing prices at a few stores to see which ones
consistently offer the lowest price for key items and stick to buying only
those items at each store.
4. Shop like a
European.
Unlike Americans, Europeans have tiny kitchens and no
pantries. So, stocking up on every possible food item to last through a nuclear
war is simply not in the cards. Though one of the hardest behavioral changes
for me to make, I stay on budget by sticking to buying just the items we will
eat that week. Sure, if there’s an insane deal on something we eat all the time
(like my 65 cent cereal noted above), I’ll grab more than a week’s share. But
by sticking to one week at a time, I avoid making impulse purchases, reduce our
food waste, and eliminate the opportunity for us to consume too many calories each
week. Embracing a bare pantry can be tough in our “always stuffed” society, but
your full wallet at the end of the week will thank you.
Your turn to share: What are some of your best tips for eating whole/all
natural without breaking the bank?

Great tips, Christina! I scan the weekly ads each week and draft a menu plan based on the sale items. For example, if bell peppers and avocados are on sale, I'll use them in multiple meals (sandwiches, salads and burritos) that week. I buy fewer items this way, which means I save money and waste less produce.
ReplyDeleteI also like TheKitchn.com because of their easy and affordable vegan/vegetarian recipes. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
Jessica, I do that too! Buying for the sales is a big one I didn't mention here. Oh, and thanks for recommending TheKitchn.com. I'm excited to try several of the recipes!
ReplyDeleteYour Brother and I couldn't feed this family on one income without Aldi! We've known about them for years and nowadays we buy 75% of our groceries there! I never knew about the Trader Joes connection though! Interesting! I wonder why they aren't around in some places where TJ's is!!! Aldi can't be beat with children around...the products are mostly made by the exact same manufacturer, just under private label, so they are "better than generic". I especially like the small box store appeal, alot less impulse shopping! They are carrying more and more organic things these days too.
ReplyDeleteMichelle - Aldi is definitely one of our best weapons too! I was so skeptical at first when I would get the ads and they would say 69 cents for strawberries. I figured they had to be mutant fruit! But I stopped by one time and realized it was the exact same stuff I was buying at Kroger or Publix. We only buy produce there, but we eat so much fruit and vegetables that it saves us hundreds.
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