It seems like the grocery bill takes the biggest chunk out of the household budget. And when you’re trying to shop for nutritious and healthy food, moms are consistently looking for ways to keep the family well fed with nutritious food that doesn’t break the bank.
Here are some tips for reducing your grocery budget without sacrificing nutrition.
Save in the Bulk Aisle. Buy healthy staples in the bulk aisle such as brown rice, whole oats, raw nuts, couscous, beans, spices, and pasta. Also look for the nut butter machine and buy peanut or almond butter in bulk. I frequent my local Co-op and grind my own almond butter. Well, I don’t actually grind it - I press a button and let the machine do the work. Viola! Fresh almond butter without any preservatives or added sugar - and cheaper than buying a jar of nut butter. Click on the link to locate Co-ops in the Twin Cities area.
Leave the Kids at Home. Take full advantage of someone’s offer to watch the little ones while you hit the store. You’ll be able to focus on your shopping list and avoid playing tug 'o war about items not on the shopping list. And you won’t encounter any surprise purchases in the check out line. (Hey, who threw that in the cart?!)
Know when to be Choosy (Organic v. Non Organic). If you want to build more organic food into your diet but don’t want to break the bank, knowing which foods are best to buy organically will help your budget. Basic rule of thumb: buy organically grown fruits and vegetables with edible outer skin like strawberries, apples, green beans, broccoli, grapes, etc. Stick to conventional (non organic) items when buying fruits and vegetables with peels such as oranges, bananas, pineapple, and cantaloupe. Wash your knives and cutting board or counter between slicing organic v. conventional items to avoid potential cross contamination of pesticides.
Shop with a Meal Plan. Have at least three meals planned that may allow for leftovers, using the sales circular to guide your choices. For example, if whole chicken is on sale, plan one meal for oven-roasted chicken. Use the leftover chicken to make chicken wraps for lunches or chicken quesadillas for dinner.
Hit the Farmer’s Market. This is a great place to both keep your dollars local and eat foods in season. Get there early to snag the best produce. And it’s the perfect stop to make after your morning workout. Depending on which market you frequent, you may be able to pick up local organic meat and free-range eggs. Farm on Wheels (www.farmonwheels.net) is often at the St. Paul and Prior Lake Farmer’s Market. This is a farmer who’s passionate about what he does and will take the time to educate you about the benefits of consuming grass fed meat and dairy, and the farming practices and process that go into raising these animals.
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