$1.50 Can Completely Transform Your Grocery Cart & Waistline
By admin
Perhaps you have already heard the newest fun fact to come from Harvard?
–> A healthy diet is just $ 1.50 more per day than an unhealthy one.
That comes out to just under $ 550 per year. When it’s put like that it sounds like a lot, but per week it’s just $ 10.50 extra per week. Less than what 3 lattes cost.
I know what you’re wondering, what does that mean? What constitutes a healthy and unhealthy diet? According to the study, published in the British Medical Journal, it’s the battle of the unprocessed diet versus the processed one. The study also compares eating fatty meats to lean meats, and fat-free dairy to full-fat.
For a long time, price was the dictating factor in grocery shopping, but this study has raised many eyebrows… is money an excuse to buy low quality foods? We are all aware of our society’s growing waistline and dependency on processed foods. What would happen if people realized that not only can the afford healthy food but they might actually be able to eliminate all the cheap quality foods from their diet?
It would be a nutritional revolution.
That’s what Dan and I are talking about today on What The Fitness as well as tips to help shop healthy and even organic while staying on budget.
Yes, it’s possible… I’m living proof.
How To Shop Healthy Food On A Budget
1 – Budget.
Look at your current spending habits, are there areas that you can cut to offer more room in your grocery spending? According to The Nest, the average American spends 4.5% of their income on eating out. If you make $ 40,000/year that is roughly $ 1,800 per year on eating out. Can you cut back on eating out? If so, you can free up money for a lot more than just groceries!
Here’s a fun fact, only 23% of people between the ages of 18-29 are likely to have dinner at home 6-7 times per week (Source). That’s sad!
2 – Meal Plan & List.
One day each week sit down and plan out what you and your family will eat the following week. Plan dinners, lunches, breakfasts and even snacks. Then write out a grocery list that corresponds with what you need. Stick to the list to avoid impulse buys!
This may take some time at first, but with practice, it will become second nature (or just use Fit Womens Weekly).
3 – Shop local.
Buying local provides you with what’s in season which is often times the best bet for produce deals. Check out local farmer’s markets (yes even in the winter) or Google if you have a local produce store. We have the Vegetable Bin here in Charleston which hands down offers the cheapest produce in the area.
Some markets might be more expensive, but sometimes it’s worth it to support local. Plus if you budget correctly, you might just find room!
4 – Go Old.
In most grocery stores, they will mark down produce as it becomes bruised. There is nothing wrong with these misfit veggies and fruits! In fact, sometimes they make the best smoothies. Bring them home, wash, cut them up and stick them in the freezer for smoothies/shakes. The same goes with meat, after a few days meats will get marked down. Most often mark downs happen Friday mornings!
5 – Don’t Go Organic With Everything.
Yes, organic can get expensive. Not everyone is able to buy organic veggies, and the study above didn’t take organic into consideration. Don’t feel bad if you can’t. But if you’re able to get organic with some items go for the Dirty Dozen. These are the foods most likely contaminated with the most chemicals and pesticides. Then there are the Clean Fifteen… the fifteen fruits and veggies likely to be fine just as is.
6 – Fast Food Doesn’t Mean Cheap Food.
Sure you can go spend $ 5 on a meal at Chick-Fi-La or you can spend $ 10 at the grocery store. However, did you know that for $ 10 you can create a meal for 5 people? It’s possible. I promise.
7 – Commit.
Sometimes shopping at more than one place is the best way to save some cash. It might mean having to drive an extra mile but it can be worth it. For example, I shop at Trader Joes for certain items, then go to Whole Foods for certain things (milk and nuts) then head to the normal grocery store to finish off. But I will admit, I’m blessed. These three places are all next door to each other. I could literally walk from one to other. But if that’s not possible for you, check out websites like Amazon for great bargains.
Additional Fun Reads:
- One Way To Be Healthier: Don’t Eat Like An American
- Trimming The Average Budget: Eating Out
- How And Where Americans Eat <– Really Interesting!
- Americans Prefer Eating At Home But Still Don’t Cook And Don’t Eat More Healthy
What about you? Where does grocery shopping fall on your list?
For us, it’s very high up. We purposely don’t eat out often (maybe 1x/month) so that we can buy high quality foods. We don’t have television (aka cable) and we try not to spend money on daily purchases like coffees and such.
But Dan says it’s not because we budget but because we’re cheap… he’s right. But I’m not cheap when it comes to what I cook for dinner.