How to Lower Your Grocery Bill Without Sacrificing Your Health

With the cost of gas these days, the cost of everything else is on the rise too. Groceries are no exception. This isn't something you can remedy by cutting down on Starbucks or dining out less often. Food is a necessity. People say that eating healthy is expensive but I have found that just isn't true. Here are some tips on how to save money on your grocery bill and still prepare healthy meals for your family.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• the will to make some changes

1. 
    

   Try frequenting farmers markets, flea markets and roadside stands for fresh fruits and vegetables. The produce is grown locally making the rising gas costs a non-issue. Those tomatoes cost 50 cents less a pound because they weren't shipped 2,000 miles cross country to get to your table. Produce from farmers markets also tends to be much fresher and perfectly ripe. Yum!

2. 
    

   Don't buy produce out of season. Fruits and veggies out of season cost 2 to 3 times what they cost when they are in season.
   
   Head here for a simple chart that shows when different fruits and vegetables are in season. http://www.mylittlepakora.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28&Itemid=62

3. 
    

   Grow your own produce. Tomatoes are expensive to buy in the store and relatively easy to grow, so it's worth it for the average person to take a stab at growing them. Don't have a yard? Anyone can grow a tomato plant in a pot. Bell peppers are another expensive store item that will flourish in a pot with a minimum amount of care. There's nothing like having fresh herbs on hand to flavor your favorite dishes! They are perhaps the easiest, most rewarding thing that you can grow for yourself.

4. 
    

   Buy fewer organic products. Some foods will absorb contaminants and pesticides more than others. According to Dr. Alan Greene, pediatrician and organic advocate, there are 10 products you should concentrate on if you simply must buy organic.
   
   1)Milk
   2)Potatoes
   3)Peanut Butter
   4)Baby Food
   5)Catsup
   6)Cotton
   7)Apples
   8)Beef
   9)Soy
   10)Corn.
   
   I spring for numbers 1, 3, 5 and 7 because that is what my family eats the most of and it's what I can afford. Your family will be different of course. Maybe you don't give a hoot about organic, but I thought I'd throw this out there since organic has become pretty mainstream as of late.
   
   You can read more about this at
   http://www.horizonorganic.com/raising/prescription.html

5. 
    

   Eat less meat. There are tons of vegetarian recipes on the web for free. My personal favorite right now is vegetarian red beans and rice. I make huge amounts and freeze half of it for later. If you replace or remove the meat in just three meals a week you can save 15 to 20 dollars weekly on groceries. If you use a pound of ground beef in your chili, use half a pound instead and replace the rest with another can of beans. Then your meat goes twice as far. Too much red meat isn't good for you anyway. At least, that's what I tell my husband when he complains!

6. 
    

   Buy store brands. I have found that the store brand equivalent of things like Miniwheats, beans, spaghetti sauce, pasta and oatmeal are just as good as name brands. Sometimes quality is sacrificed but you won't buy those things again. The money saved can be well worth a little experimentation.

7. 
    

   Always take a list, and stick to it. Plan out six breakfasts, six lunches and six dinners for the week, leaving one day open for leftovers or pizza or whatever you desire. If you even plan your snacks so much the better. Now you never have to worry if there's anything in the house to make for dinner because you know what you're going to make already.

8. 
    

   Mix your own cleaning products. It takes just seconds, it's better for the environment as well as your health and it costs a fraction of what you would pay for chemical cleaners in the store.
   Find out how to mix your own cleaning products here.
   http://www.ehow.com/how_4619282_own-environmentally-friendly-cleaning-products.html

Tips & Warnings

• Just figure out where you spend the most money and see what creative ways you can come up with to save yourself some hard earned cash in that particular area.

[nikki1]

on 7/11/2009 I agree with Matab..

[Matab]

on 11/30/2008 Wow, great tips... Thanks