More and more information is becoming available on the short- and long-term health benefits of eating nutritious food, especially food that is organic. But at the thought of buying and eating that type of food, many people immediately push back and say it’s too expensive and tight budgets will not allow that type of extravagant spending.
The reality is that it is definitely possibly to eat super healthy on a budget. Here are some ideas for saving money and enjoying delicious, nutritious food every day.
Shop at Discount Chain Stores
There are numerous national and regional chain grocery stores that carry organic selections. For example, Sprouts stores, mostly found in western U.S., put numerous items on sale each week at deep discounts, and even many of their regular prices are very reasonable. Aldi is a favorite among discount shoppers, and they even have a good selection and their own line of organic foods.
Buy from Specialty Discount Stores
Another category of store is the specialty type, such as one that sells food that are in some way slightly damaged or close to their expiration dates. As long as you freeze or use up food quickly, the expiration date issue is not an obstacle to safe and healthy eating.
Consider a Warehouse Store Membership
Stores like Costco sell an excellent variety of nutritious and organic foods, and they do so at a great price both in brick-and-mortar stores and online. Consider getting certain produce items like meats, and oils at warehouse stores. Run the numbers and you’ll find the amount you will save on purchases outweighs the amount you will pay for a store membership.
Scout and Scour Online Products
There are so many reputable online sellers that sell quality, healthy products at amazing prices. And that goes way beyond Amazon.com, although that online giant can be a great place to buy nonperishable food like coconut oil and olive oil. There are online companies that sell nutritional supplements like Vitacost.com and iHerb.com. Many offer free shipping, or even if you have to pay for shipping, the total price is still significantly lower than what you would pay in local stores.
Buy in Bulk
Many grocery stores, even large national natural food chains like Whole Foods as well as others, have large selections of bulk bins. They hold all sorts of healthy goodies, like nuts, seeds, granola, and grains like rice and quinoa. The price per ounce or pound is typically lower for the bulk bin items than for packaged items, so head over to that section of the store and see how much money you can save.
Watch and Follow Unit Pricing
Whether you are buying online or in local stores, keep an eye on unit pricing. That is the price per ounce or other unit. With many products, you can save significant amounts of money if you buy a large package or quantity of a product compared to a smaller amount. For example, if you are buying sunflower seeds, the price per ounce for a 2-pound bag would be lower than the price for a 1-pound bag. For nonperishable foods that you will use up while they are still fresh, buying a larger package or quantities can be a wise and frugal idea.
Waste Not, Want Not
Americans in general discard a high percentage of the food they buy, but another common-sense way to save money on food is by not wasting any food. You can do this by carefully planning meals and deciding which foods to use based on which will go bad first. This especially comes into play as far as using fresh fruits and vegetables.
Remember, eating healthy and organic food boosts your body’s levels of all sorts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. And fortifying your body will likely lead to less illness and more productivity, and all of that combined will save you money and help you earn more in the long run.
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