Healthful Bites

We’ve talked a bit in the past about ways to save money on fare, but today I want to dedicate an entire post to a few cost-saving tips that I’ve picked up living in and visiting various cities in the past year or so! As an individual living on a budget, it can seem daunting to eat healthfully and inexpensively at the same time. The truth is, it can be a bit difficult! (And at times, I convince myself that I’d rather splurge on good, nutritious food than a new skirt I really don’t need and won’t wear. Priorities! ;) )

But there are ways to save in ways that really add up. So here are my top four tips to save on good eats!

 (Image from Boston.com)

1. Get to know your city. Instead of hitting up the nearest grocery store for all of your purchases, take a walking (or, if necessary, driving) tour of your neighborhood. Pop in and check out all the stores your locale has to offer. Are there small outlets that have great deals on your “staples” such as whole wheat bread, peanut butter or produce? Sometimes the more limited stores offer great everyday prices too—Wal-Mart doesn’t have the only good deals or rollbacks! And the extra trek is worth the work for the savings (and a simple way to sneak in extra steps).

2. Hit up your area Farmers Market. It is a surefire way to get the freshest, tastiest food. Plus, you’re often able to meet the people who made or grew the food you’re going to eat. Neat! Less travel from growing, baking, etc. to your grocery bag means lower prices due to no transportation fees. Find one near you with this great directory.

I’ve been loving the Greenmarket in Union Square, the largest market of its kind in the U.S.! You can find fresh baked breads, lean meats, local dairy products and of course produce at the market.

3. Clip/click coupons and watch for store discounts. Prices change seasonally, plus certain manufacturers vary sticker prices widely over time. So glance at a store circular and seek out coupons for your frequent purchases. (However, don’t use a coupon as an “excuse” to buy something you normally wouldn’t that’s a nutritional nightmare!) And check out this fun fact I picked up in the July issue of REDBOOK: expired coupons up to six months past their use-by-date are often accepted overseas, so you can donate them to our service men and women! Check out the details here. 

And like you couldn’t have guessed…there’s an app for that! Here are five applications that will help you discover the lowest prices, according to social media site Mashable.

4. Buy in bulk, if possible, but be smart about it! When you buy a bag full of apples, you may grab a discount, compared to buying one or two. But only buy what you’ll eat, because otherwise the extras will go to waste and you won’t end up saving money at all! 

When you’re buying “treat” foods such as ice cream or cookies, buy in larger quantities only if you know that you’ll be able to stop yourself after a sensible serving. If buying a 1.5 quart container of ice cream or a dozen cookies makes the leftovers impossible to resist, it’s probably worth it to pay a bit of a premium for a smaller cup of frozen dessert or an individual cookie or two.

What is your best advice to share with the class about saving money on food…while saving your waistline?