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(3 min read)
When it comes to optimizing your overall wellness, you don’t have to sacrifice your bank account. It IS possible to eat healthy, wholesome foods, while saving money. In this blog, we’re going to cover how to save on healthy foods.
By being thoughtful about your planning, shopping, cooking and consumption, it is possible (and even easy) to nourish our bodies with nutrient-dense foods, while keeping our grocery bills low.
Here are just a few recommendations from Canada’s Food Guide when it comes to healthy eating:
- Fill half your plate with plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Add smaller portions of protein and whole grains
- Choose plant-based options for protein when you can
- Read food labels
- Limit highly processed foods
- Opt for snacks that have little to no added sodium, sugars or saturated fat
- Drink lots of water
If you shop smart and use the following steps, making food choices that are both healthy and cost-effective will come easy to you!
Let’s begin.
- Plan meals based on weekly flyers
To get started, determine what’s on sale each week then build your menu based on what healthy foods are at low prices.
We recommend downloading reebee (it’s free!) to really make your life (and saving) easier. Here’s why…
Using reebee, you can browse the most up-to-date weekly flyers from your go-to grocery stores right from your phone, tablet, or computer. Simply save your favourite offers to your in-app shopping list and you’re already setting yourself up for smart shopping success.
The search tool on reebee also enables users to type in exactly what they’re looking for and the app will show the lowest prices available near you. These results can also be used if you’re into price matching.
Price matching is offered at select grocery stores and allows you to get products for less if another store offers the same item at a cheaper price. All you have to do is show the competing price to the store’s cashier at checkout – this can be done using reebee!
- Build a shopping list and stick to it
Once you have an idea of what produce, whole grains, protein, etc. are on sale, work out a flexible plan of what you want to eat for the week. Even write out a tentative menu. By utilizing sales, you can save 10-25% on your grocery bill. Who doesn’t love to save that kind of money?
When you’re at the grocery store, do your best to avoid impulse purchases and follow your list. Every store is different but generally, if you’re spending more time in the perimeter of the store, where fresh foods are located, and less time in the middle of the store, where the pre-packaged snacks and processed foods are – you’re probably on the right track!
- Get cooking at home
While frozen dinners and other pre-made meals can be hassle-free, they often include ingredients that aren’t the healthiest. Cooking your own meals at home allows you to control exactly what goes into each dish, helping you make nutritious choices for you and your family.
It doesn’t have to be expensive either. If you take a couple minutes to browse deals and plan out what you’d like to cook, no ingredients will go to waste and you can create healthy meals on a budget.
Pro tip – find a few recipes that are healthy and cost-efficient that you LOVE. Master those recipes and then branch out when you feel like mixing it up.
- Say YES to plant-based foods
Not only is eating plant-based meals better for the environment, it’s better for you and your bank account. Meat prices are on the rise.
But lucky for us, meatless proteins such as beans and lentils can be bought at very low prices and prepared in all kinds of ways. For example, you can roast chickpeas or toss beans into a power bowl, soup, stew, chilli, or salad.
- Avoid food waste & save your leftovers
“I love wasting food!” – said noone ever.
It is terribly unfortunate when food gets wasted for both our wallets and the environment. But sadly, nearly 2.2 million tonnes of edible food is thrown away in Canada every year. So here’s your friendly reminder to use everything you purchase at the grocery store and save your leftovers.
If you meal prep, then you already have healthy meals set out for the week. When we cook in larger quantities, we can save time and money. We’re also more likely to use what we’ve bought before the items expire if we prep meals shortly after we purchase groceries.
In addition, consider doing a quick inventory of your fridge and pantry before you head to the store.
With these easy tips in mind, you can take your physical and financial wellness to the next level. Happy saving!
Optimal Living 