{How to save money on HEALTHY foods!!}

As you may know by now I am participating in the All You Magazine grocery challenge to feed my family of 4 for under $100 a week ($25/person/week for 4 weeks) but we have to be healthy and creative!

So we all know how to get less than healthy foods at the store for cheap, or even for free! But how do you feed your family whole, real, healthy foods on a budget? I have 10 tips to share with you that will get you on the right track without busting your budget!



Budget saving tip #1: Purchase Seasonal Produce
this is really easy! Only buy whats in season and you wont pay for it! Do a search for "seasonal produce" in google and print it out with you when you go to the store.

Budget saving tip #2: Go vegetarian...Kinda
meat is expensive, so save yourself some cash by going meatless 2-3 times a week. But don't just subtract the meat, make sure you fill in the gaps with healthy protein sources, such as beans, tofu, boca, etc.

Budget saving tip #3: Be your own prep Chef
sure its easy to buy those onions in the produce section that are already chopped, but have you seen how much you are paying per pound? Best idea is to get your produce, such as onions, bell peppers, etc. when they are cheap and buy a ton. Take them home, prep them all at the same time and freeze in large bags. If you cook the peppers and onions after they have been frozen, you wont even notice that they weren't fresh!

Budget saving tip #4: Proportion your portions
meaning, buy a large sack of what you want and divide into your own bags instead of buying snack sizes. Take a trip to your local Club or Warehouse (such as Sams or Costco) and buy the large bags of chips, bagels, oreos, etc. and some baggies, your cost per serving will be way less!

Budget saving tip #5: Season yourself
pre seasoned rices and noodles can be tasty, but they are also loaded with sodium! Buy your spices in a bulk section so you only get what you need for very little $, and season your own foods...no added health risk needed!

Budget saving tip #6: Don't shop on Empty
Make sure you eat something before you go shopping so everything doesn't look as appealing! Your craving for popchips will be a lot less if you had an apple with peanut butter before hand.

Budget saving tip #7: Beware of liquid sugars
sure our kids want juice and sports drinks, but beware that they are liquid sugar with very little nutritious value compared to their sticker price. Instead, check out the frozen juice section, where you can find more healthful juices for a much lower cost.

Budget saving tip #8: Don't bulk up on everything
Sure some buys are great in bulk, but others are not. Make sure you are checking the cost per serving and comparing that to a smaller size package of your favorite foods. Only purchase the larger one if it is a better value.

Budget saving tip #9: Don't be wasteful
So the heads of lettuce were 20cents this week, so you bought 4, but if you don't eat them before they go bad, then you wasted the money, no matter how little it was. Instead, only buy what your family needs to insure there will be no waste!

Budget saving tip #10: Put your focus on the Food
other household items can sometimes be cheaper at discount stores such as the dollar store, walmart, or even Costco. So do a price comparison to see if you can save money by picking these items up on a different trip, not your grocery day!

So I hope these helped you out! Remember to also plan your meals ahead of time, make a list, and stick to it! Your on your way to feeding your family the right things at the right price!