Think you can’t afford to buy healthy food with your strict budget? Think again.
Years ago, when I mainly ate processed foods, I thought there was no way I could afford to buy healthy food. Shame on me – I don’t think I ever did a price analysis between processed and fresh foods. But it definitely was a perception for me. I wish I would have priced how much three pounds of Cheetos cost ($9.96) compared to three pounds of organic apples ($4.99).
Once I started eating healthier – and especially when I became a mom and was concerned about feeding my children healthy meals – I realized that healthy food could be in my grocery budget.
When I cut out all the processed food from our diet and grocery dollars, I had enough money to buy fresh produce, fresh meats, and dairy products.
To clarify, when I buy my family’s groceries, I don’t stick to strictly organic foods. I wish I could. But it’s just not in our budget. I want to nourish the bodies in my home as much as I can, organic or non-organic.
I do know that all fresh vegetables and fruits contain nutrients that benefit bodies. It’s refreshing to remember that organic foods are no more nutritious than conventionally grown foods.
(Before you stop reading this post and shun Accidentally Green forevermore, I prefer to buy organic foods when possible because they’re not genetically modified organisms. And they haven’t been treated with hazardous pesticides.)
Creative sources
I don’t buy many groceries at traditional grocery stores – in fact, I only go when it’s a last resort. I frequent discount grocery stores and find amazing deals – I am able to afford organic food (and a lot of it!) at my favorite scratch and dent store. (Can you see the prices in my photo? 99 cents for organic ketchup. $2.19 for a half gallon of organic milk.)
For fresh produce, I love a local produce store. Open year-round, it reminds me a lot of a farmers market, only with amazingly low prices. (I can buy three grocery bags filled with fresh produce for $10.) It may not be organic, but it is FRESH, nutritious, and oh so affordable.
But I’ve had to search for these favorite stores – they weren’t in my typical shopping routines. To get great bargains on healthy food, I strongly suggest shopping around and trying stores you might not normally try.
Don’t forget to check out bulk food stores, Asian markets, scratch and dent stores, and local farmers. If you do shop at grocery stores, check for marked down or discontinued items.
Do-it-yourself
One of my favorite ways to access healthy food is to make it yourself.
This may mean growing your own veggies, fruits and herbs in a garden. (This is easier than you may think … and it is very affordable!)
Or, it may mean making food from scratch – whether it’s soaking beans, making bread, or simply making your own salad dressings and soups. (Trust me, dressings and soups are very easy to whip together.)
When you make your own food, you miss out on preservatives and artificial flavors and coloring – and that’s a very good thing. Plus, it’s typically incredibly cheap.
Above all else, don’t give up if you’re frustrated about rising food costs and still make healthy choices. There are options – it may take a while to search for them and try, but they’re out there.
How do YOU make your grocery dollars stretch? How do you afford healthy food?
Today I’m linking up with Wellness Wednesday.
Follow Hilary Bernstein’s board Frugal Living on Pinterest.
Latest posts by Hilary Kimes Bernstein (see all)
- The Day I Realized Healthy Choices Don’t Guarantee Health - July 21, 2015
- Avoid Synthetic Bug Sprays with All-Natural Repellents - July 16, 2015
- The Day I Learned I Could Cook Real Food - July 13, 2015
Tall order, but I’m looking for healthy, yummy, not too expensive meal ideas. Trying to feed my family healthier but kinda lost where to start. I don’t care for most fruits and veggies, but am open to trying things for my kiddos. Help?
OK, Jonna … I asked on FB and have some reader ideas for you:
– Fried rice with egg, chicken or beef slivers, frozen veggies, and any other veggies you have.
– Chicken pot pie (it’s around .90 per serving).
– Upgrade your spaghetti sauce! Buy crushed tomatoes, and add your own garlic, carrots, onions, spices – if you have super picky eaters you can hide the veggies by blending them in a blender before mixing in the tomatoes –this ups your veggie quotient as well as lowers overall sodium content. You can also do big batches of soup similarly. I often make tomato vegetable soups (puree any vegetables that you add you aren’t fond of) of cheddar creamy soups(you only need a splash of milk and about a cup of super sharp grated cheese to give it a yummy creamy cheesy taste. Fruits I dont find myself a fan of I dump into smoothies, assuming you already have milk onhand, add a banana and grab a bag of frozen berries (you only need about a cup per batch) – and you can add ice to pass off as milkshakes.
– Breakfast:eggs scrambled with turmeric, salt, pepper, and carrots, organic yogurt, a piece of fruit
Snack: seeds or nuts with fruit
Lunch: soup or stew
Snack: seeds or nuts with a veggie
Dinner: a meat, 1-2 sides veggies, and homemade fries (slices potatoes baked in the oven)My staple veggies are carrots, celery, onions,(all three can be snuck into almost anything with very little taste) and green beans.
Hope these ideas help!