One of the biggest complaints of people trying to eat healthy…the cost!

It’s much cheaper to eat a burger and fries from the local fast food restaurant than to eat a meal full of healthy produce, lean meats and cheeses and whole grains.

That’s why I was so excited when I found the article “Save $ on Food” in Weight Watchers magazine.

Check out some of their pointers!

How To Save Money While Eating Healthy

Think Beyond the Supermarket: Warehouse stores (Sam’s Club, Costco, BJ’s Wholesale Club) charge an annual fee, but offer some very healthy picks {large bags of quinoa, tubs of nonfat Greek yogurt and salt-free trail mix}.

• Buying in bulk can save up to 30%.
• Make sure you have room to store the food and you’ll be able to eat it before the expiration date.
• Consider splitting more perishable items {like eggs and meat} with a friend so you still get the bulk pricing but nothing goes to waste.

Cut Your Produce Costs: Take some of these steps to reduce the costs of your produce.

• Up to 45% of nutrients in fresh vegetables are lost by the time you eat them and so consider saving money, reducing waste {of thrown out produce that went bad} and getting more nutrients by buying frozen food.
• Buy fresh produce that’s in season.
• Buy apples, oranges and pears in larger bags, which are better bargains.
• Head to local farmer’s markets at the end of the day when sellers may be more eager to unload their produce and will negotiate prices.

Be Freezer Ready: Know what items freeze well and how to store them and you can stock up when items are on sale.  Bread, butter, milk and even eggs are all freezable.

• Skim milk stores better than whole, as the fat tends to separate when frozen.  Also, try not to keep milk in the freezer for more than three months.
• Seal bread tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and place it in a ziploc bag for a few months.
• To freeze eggs, crack them open into a bowl and break up the yolks.  Freeze them in ice cube trays overnight and then transfer the cubes into an airtight container {similar to homemade baby food} for up to a year.
• Some foods that do not freeze well are cottage cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise.

I thought they had some really great tips!  Every time I go to Costco I’m always surprised by the number of organic and healthy items they have.  I guess I’ll need to use my membership more to my advantage!  And I’ll certainly stock up on eggs and milk when they’re on sale.  I had no idea you could freeze them!

What are your best tips for saving money while eating healthy?

Tagged as: frugal living, getting healthy, mom tips, saving money