How To Save Money On Groceries

As oil prices rise, food prices rise, so how can we afford to eat as healthily as many of us would like to? It cannot be over-emphasized enough that good food is the foundation of good health. With health care costs soaring, it’s all the most important that we start practicing preventative health care in every way we can. Eating a primarily plant-based, mostly organic diet is a very good starting place, but the higher price tag puts many people  off, particularly if there’s a lot of mouths to feed. However, it’s vital that we feed ourselves well if we don’t want to regret it later. Here is an excellent article about the role that nutrition plays in preventing and treating cancer.

In my book, The Gorgeously Green Diet, I go into great detail about the many ways in which you can save money on food – I even give recipes on how to create a gourmet, organic meal for a family of 5, for less than a Burger King Meal. I was so tired of people commenting that it’s okay for those who can afford to buy expensive food, but some people just have to eat at fast food restaurants. Granted, if you’re a mother of 4, working 2 jobs, you probably haven’t much time to cook, but I do give simple tips for throwing healthy ingredients into a slow cooker before you leave for work. When my daughter comes back from school and smells a bubbling stew in the slow cooker, that’s what she wants to eat over anything else.

Here are my top 10 tips for reducing your grocery store bill, while filling your cart with good, healthy food.

1. Cut Down on Meat: This is the most important tip because it’s always the meat that jacks up the bill, especially if you want to buy hormone-free meat. This is the most important step you can take for your pocketbook and your family’s health. If you do eat meat, it’s imperative that it is hormone & antibiotic-free. I would actually recommend taking it a step further by ensuring it is “organic”. This is a tall order for those who don’t live near a health food store, so I suggest visiting Local Harvest to see if you can find a local farmer or CSA (community supported agriculture). Start thinking of meat as a treat. When my mom was growing up with war-time rationing, they could only afford to eat meat once a week (if that,) and she recalls that they were all as healthy as horses because they had to largely subsist off veggies that they’d grown themselves.

We way overestimate the amount of protein we need everyday, and since most of that protein is probably healthier if it’s derived from a plant source (hemp, green, soy etc,) we have to understand that we don’t need to eat animal flesh everyday to be healthy and skinny! An interesting read on this subject is The China Study. Although a little skewed in one direction, the author reveals some interesting research pertaining to the effect of animal protein on human health. I believe there are some major flaws in his argument, but I’ll save that for a later post! In conclusion – CUT DOWN ON MEAT!

2. Beans, Beans and more Beans! Beans and legumes are not only a great source of protein, but they are relatively inexpensive and very filling. You can make a delicious lentil soup or 3 Bean stew to feed a large family, for under 5 bucks. You can also add beans to meat dishes to make it go further – for example, if you are making a chicken stew or soup, add 1/2 cup per person of any kind of beans you love. I also make veggie burgers with either black or pinto beans almost every week. Dry beans are way less expensive than canned and healthier. You’ll find enormous bags of beans and lentils at every grocery store for under 3 bucks.

3. Go volunteer at a local farm or CSA: My cousin wanted  to switch to an organic diet, but couldn’t afford to have her grocery bills be any higher than they were, so she did her homework and found a nearby farm, which runs a CSA program. They deliver boxes of produce to nearby towns or they offer people the opportunity to come work on the farm in exchange for food. My cousin loves it because she’s met some really interesting people and says it’s way better exercise than even the gym. She says she freeze her gym membership this summer!

4. Make plans: I find that the most efficient way to save money on groceries is to plan a weekly menu ahead of time, and stick to it regardless. With a little thought, perhaps spending some time flicking through some good vegan/veggie recipes, I can always find a way of cutting costs and cooking interesting food. We tend to get stuck in a rut otherwise. I go through my freezer and fridge every Sunday (sometimes laying everything out on the floor,) and I’m strict with myself about using everything up before buying anything more. I keep a magnetic Post-it pad on my fridge and plan accordingly. Mon and Tue is often using up leftovers and the rest of the week will be figuring out some simple veggie recipes. I may decide to buy some chicken or fish for the weekend.

5. Keep it simple: Now that it’s almost Summer, it’s so much easier to create really simple vegetarian meals on a budget. Two of my favorites are:

Whole wheat pasta with freshly chopped tomatoes, basil leaves, olive oil and some good Parmesan Cheese.

Roasted zucchini, red onions, bell peppers & mushrooms on a bed of brown rice (the only ones that really need be organic are bell peppers.)

I’ll be sharing some of my favorite easy-veggie recipes with you in the near future – so keep checking back!

6. Bulk Bins: It’s worth taking the trouble to find a store that sells cereal, rice, beans etc in bulk bins. This makes organic way more affordable. I can actually save dollars, not just pennies, buy buying cereals, oatmeal, dried fruit and nuts from these bins.

7. Get Dairy Smart: In an ideal world it would be great to be able to buy certified organic dairy products, but in many cases, they are almost double the price of non-organic dairy products. If you are pinched, just make sure that the dairy you buy from doesn’t administer rBGH to their cows. If you carefully read the container, many bigger commercial dairies have now chosen not to use this growth hormone and will state this on the package of milk, butter, cream cheese etc.

8. Bargain hunting: If you can’t afford to even step into a Whole Foods store, don’t despair, there are now many discount grocery stores that sell organic items. I found a load of organic produce at a local Smart & Final and if you have a Trader Joe’s near you, you’re in luck, as they manage to keep their organic prices down. Safeway and Kroger also regularly have their organic items on sale – so keep a keen eye out for a good bargain and when you find it, grab two!

9. Grow your own herbs: Almost everyone can grow basic herbs in the summer. I recommend parsley, basil, oregano and mint. With just these few herbs you can transform almost any boring salad or rice dish into something really special. I love to cut corn off the cob and chop up all of the above herbs finely, adding it to the corn. Friends go nuts over it. Herbs at the store are expensive, so get growing!

10: Scratch It: I realize that not everyone has time to make their own bread and yogurt, but learning to make some basics can save you quite a few dollars: Adding a little baking powder, sugar, salt and cinnamon to flour is a basic pancake mix – much cheaper than a fancy one you might find at the store. A large bag of rolled oats, a few nuts and some dried fruit  from the bulk bins can create mounds of crunchy granola ( small boxes/bags of even half-decent granola at the store are expensive). A little flour, butter, sugar and whatever else you wish to throw in is all you need to knock up some cost-effective cookies that don’t contain the unhealthy or unethical (palm oil) oils that are found in most grocery store cookies.  It might take a little more time than throwing a box in your cart, however, it takes time and energy to get rid of all that packaging.

On a final note, as you know I’m a huge fan of super foods (green powders, maca, acai etc). I like to shove them in everything I can from smoothies, to pancakes. Superfoods, however, could be considered a luxury as they are pretty expensive. The way I look at it is this: Do I want to pay now or later? My health absolutely has to come first because as we get older the machine begins to break down – it needs a little help to operate at tip-top condition. Would I rather have that extra cable channel, an unnecessary takeout meal, that pair of cute sandals OR my superfoods? When I really think it out, what I want more than anything is to feel energized, vibrant, and just plain good in my skin – there’s my answer!