How to Eat Healthy Despite the Downturn

Getting the Most Nutrition Bang for Your Buck

If you’re like most of America right now, you’re trimming back your spending in a lot of areas and the grocery store is probably no exception! But just because the economy is bad doesn’t mean you should neglect healthy eating. If Americans start sacrificing their health for their wallets, the healthcare crisis will only further damage the economy. It may seem like it in the moment, but junk food isn’t cost-effective, even if it’s cheaper. Don’t spend your hard-earned cash on empty calories!

• Make a weekly menu and a corresponding grocery list. 
• Watch for weekly specials and use sales to plan your menu. Many stores post their specials and coupons online so you don’t have to buy a newspaper to get them. 
• Only buy things on your grocery list, and don’t go to the store hungry! This curtails expensive impulse buys. 
• Get your week’s groceries in just one or two trips to save gas.
• Buy seasonal produce. Not only does it cost less, but your family’s diet will probably get more variety.
• Choose store brands over national brands there’s rarely a difference in the products’ quality.
• Shop mostly around the perimeter of the grocery store, where most of the produce and healthier items are.
• Look on the top and bottom shelves; the middle shelves usually hold the more expensive brands.
• Always check shelf labels for a product’s price-per-unit. Buying a larger package is usually better however, not if the tradeoff is a lot of preservatives.
• Don’t buy too much just to get a good price though; if it goes bad in the fridge, you’re still throwing your money away. If this happens often in your house, keep your fruits and veggies at eye level in the fridge instead of hidden away in the crisper drawer.
• When a non-perishable item (such as frozen or canned vegetables or fruits) is on sale, buy more than you intend to use now and stock up your pantry or freezer for later.
• Compare the price of fresh produce with frozen. Frozen vegetables and fruit often contain more nutrients and taste better because they’re picked at their peak ripeness, rather than being picked early and ripening on a semi en route to the store shelf.
• Check local farmers markets, where prices are sometimes cheaper than chain grocery stores because the farmers don’t pay large transportation costs.
• Find a store that sells things like oats, rice, nuts or beans in bulk. The price is often lower, and you can buy as much or as little as you want.
• Compare the cost of making something from scratch versus buying it pre-made. It may take a little more time and effort, but buying the ingredients and making it yourself is usually cheaper (and healthier!).
• Whenever you have time, cook things in large batches (ie, soups, tomato sauce, and entrees) and freeze the leftovers to have on hand later for quick, healthy and inexpensive meals.
• Brew your own fruit-flavored herbal tea, mix it with fruit juice, and that $3 bottle of juice will last twice as long. Or use sparkling water to add some calorie-free pizzazz to fruit juice.
• Instead of meat, get your protein from tofu or dry beans or peas that you cook yourself, which not only cost less but are lower in fat and calories, high in fiber and nutrients, and have no cholesterol.
• Use coupons! Get-out-of-debt guru Dave Ramsey reports saving as much as $700 in one year by using coupons. Just don’t let the coupons cause you to buy something you didn’t already plan on buying! And don’t be afraid to ask stores to honor their competitors’ coupons either; they often do.
• If you have space, plant a garden! Even a simple tomato plant in a pot can produce a high yield, and that’s one less thing to buy. Moreover, gardening provides you with exercise, sunlight, fresh air, even family time if you get everyone involved; not to mention the satisfaction of eating something you grew yourself.

Even if these tips don’t produce an immediate reduction in your grocery bill, remember that eating healthy will lower your healthcare costs in the long run, so try to keep the big picture in mind!

Think you can’t eat out on a budget? Nonsense. Just practice these tricks to keep your check in check.

• Ask for a to-go box upfront and save half of your dinner for tomorrow’s lunch
• Split an entree with your spouse or a friend
• Order an appetizer or side salad instead of an entree
• Go to lunch instead of dinner – portions and prices are both smaller
• If you’re starving, eat a small healthy snack before you go out to keep you from spending (and eating!) too much in the restaurant