When writing my second book, The Gorgeously Green Diet, my mission was to show women who to eat healthily in a way that is entirely affordable for everyone. In this economy, many of us can’t afford to do all our shopping in expensive health food stores – even farmer’s markets. So how can we prepare beautiful healthy foods for our families when we are tightening our belts?
In The Gorgeously Green Diet, I give you almost 100 recipes that are family-friendly, healthy, satisfying – and that you’ll be able to afford to make. Here are some of my top tips for saving on your groceries.
- Coupons: The good news is that there are a number of coupons for healthy & organic food. Check out Mambo Sprouts and Shop Nature Oasis.
- Buy Less: This sounds obvious, but since 12 percent of food that is purchased in the US is never used, it makes sense to be extra careful about not wasting anything. Be careful of buying too much in bulk, as it might go off.
- Compare Prices: Keep a budget book and make the effort to visit a couple of different stores to compare prices. Prices of organic foods can vary so much from store to store. Most grocery stores will lure you in with the promise of lower prices across the board, but it you really kept track of the items you typically buy, you’ll be shocked at how the prices fluctuate – these stores assume that you won’t be keeping a budget book!
- Live on the Edge: Grocery stores are set out so that all the perishable foods are on the perimeter. The biggest price mark-ups are always on convenience and packaged food in the inner aisles.
- Store branded: Try to stick to the store brands, especially when buying organic/health foods. I found some virgin coconut oil (which I cook with,) at Wholefoods (their own brand,) which was half the price of other brands because it was on sale too. I grabbed 4 jars, as I know it keeps well.
- Bulk Bins: Always shop for cereals, grains, nuts and dried fruit in bulk bins if you can find them, as they are considerably cheaper.
- Going Solo: Try to go to the store on your own. Chatting with your partner or even worse – wrangling kids, can break your concentration, which you really need when trying to shop smartly.
- Stick to your list: This is so important. Make that list for the week before you go and discipline yourself to stick to it even is you see something tantalizing. The only way I’ll go off my list, is if I spot a really good bargain.
- Buy Less Meat: Cut down your meat consumption by 50% and you’ll see your grocery bills drop dramatically. Visit Simply Gorgeous Food for loads of delicious easy-to-cook vegetarian recipes.
- Uncut produce: Pre-cut produce is really expensive and a total waste of money. It takes less than a couple of minutes to chop up your veggies!
- In Season: This is obvious but we sometimes forget. I never buy fruits like berries in the winter as they are way too expensive.
- Make Do: At least once a week, make a meal from whatever you have left over in your fridge, freezer or pantry instead of rushing out for supplies. You’ll be surprised at what’s stuffed in the back of your freezer that needs using up.
So see how much money you can save over the next couple of months on your grocery bills and grab a copy of The Gorgeously Green Diet, which is on sale right now – I show you how to make a a gourmet organic dinner for a family of 5, for less than a Burger King meal!
