Eating a whole foods plant based diet does not have to be more expensive than any other way of eating. Before I had babies and both my husband and I were working full time, we had the luxury of buying almost 100% organic. Now that I have two littles at home and I only work weekends that is not the case. With a little mindfulness and planning we have been able to drastically reduce our grocery budget. I’ve rounded up my best tips for eating healthfully on a budget.
HAVE A PLAN – This is my number one tip for eating whole foods on a budget. I have clients who tell me they need to spend less on groceries but then when I go grocery shopping with them I see that they are buying things they don’t intend to use for a specific meal and when I see their refrigerator, vegetables are rotting in the bottom drawer. If you go to the store with a plan and a list you’re less likely to buy things you don’t need AND you won’t have to make a second trip to the store because you forgot something.
I generally plan 5-6 meals for the week and make a list. If there are leftover vegetables from the previous week, I think of how I can incorporate them into the upcoming week’s meals. Do I have left over cilantro? Parsley? Then I’ll plan tacos and make a green harissa or salsa verde to use up all the herbs. Do I have an extra leek? Then I’ll throw together a sweet potato dal with coconut leeks.
DON’T SHOP WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY/HANGRY – I know you’ve all heard this, and you know it’s true! When you are hungry all you’re thinking is “GIVE ME ALL THE FOOD” (and probably not healthy food)! Grocery stores are set up to make you buy more, especially when you’re hungry! Eat before hand or grab some baby carrots to snack on while you are shopping. This applies to the littles as well, because hangry children are no fun to shop with. I usually buy my toddler a special chocolate squeeze pack when we shop that way it keeps him occupied and it is something he looks forward to.
BUY IN BULK WHEN POSSIBLE – I do most of my shopping at Wegmans and they have great deals on all kinds of items labeled as a “family pack” from nuts to frozen fruit to spinach. I buy 4 pound bags of organic frozen veggies for $1.40 per pound! They are perfect for smoothies or steaming or throwing into a curry or over pasta. Bags of organic oranges and onions are so cheap too. Bulk bins, particularly at Whole Foods Market are great for whole grains and beans usually under $3 per pound. Since Amazon bought Whole Foods Market, some of these prices have dropped even more! You also get 5% back on groceries at Whole Foods Market when you use your Amazon card. That being said those bulk bins are not always cheaper than a package so make sure you are cognizant of that. Wherever it is you do your shopping, keep an eye out for whole foods that you can buy in bulk. However, do not buy items in bulk that will go bad before you use them!
LOOK FOR THE GENERIC BRAND – Most grocery stores offer generic brands and more and more organic options are available. Whole Foods Market has 365 brand which sells BPA-free lined canned goods for .99 cents! The generic brand is always right next to the name brand so it’s as easy as turning your head to the left or right.
SHOP THE DIRTY DOZEN / CLEAN FIFTEEN LIST – The Environmental Working Group puts together a list every year of the produce with the most pesticide residue and the least. This list is extremely helpful for avoiding the majority of harmful chemicals on produce if you can’t afford to buy everything organic. Based on EWG’s shopping guide, you can feel good about buying items like pineapple, cauliflower, avocado, asparagus and mango that are conventional (not organic) and usually a lot cheaper. You can print the list to keep in your wallet or download their free app!
BUY SEASONALLY AND LOCALLY – You will not find me buying fresh berries or tomatoes in the winter. They are insanely expensive and honestly just don’t taste good when they are coming all the way from South America somewhere. If you want berries in the winter, buy frozen, they are always cheaper. Canned tomatoes are great for soups and stews. Of course I do buy items like avocados and coconut which are never in season in New Jersey but I really try to buy what is growing locally especially in the summer! Check out your local farmer’s market for what’s growing near you! They often have better prices than a grocery store as well!
EAT MORE PLANT PROTEIN – Meat is expensive and does not NEED to be part of a healthy diet, especially in the capacity that most Americans eat it. Read my post “My Beef With Paleo” for more on this topic. Stock up on beans which are a much healthier and cheaper source of protein than meat. Try eating 1 or 2 dinners per week without animal products. Your wallet and your cholesterol will thank you. If you have trouble digesting beans, make sure you soak them in filtered water for at least 12 hours and rinse before cooking and start by eating a couple tablespoons daily and work your way up to a cup. The more you eat beans, the more your gut will tolerate them.
BUY FROZEN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES – Flash frozen fruit and vegetables are great alternatives and sometimes more nutritious than fresh produce and always cheaper! My freezer is always packed with frozen fruit and vegetables!
REDUCE FOOD WASTE – Know what is in your refrigerator. If you see spinach or kale wilting or turning yellow, freeze it for smoothies, soups or curry or make a quick batch of kale chips. Once a week, when you are meal planning, look through your refrigerator for anything that was pushed to the back and forgotten. Put your leftovers in glass containers so you can see them and remember to eat them. If you have made a giant batch of chili or veggie burgers, freeze some for when you are in a pinch. But same goes for the freezer, don’t waste precious space with freezer burned meat and ice cream. Clear it out to make room for whole foods that you will actually use on a weekly basis!
SKIP THE SO CALLED “SUPERFOODS” – Listen, don’t get me wrong I LOVE “superfoods” but they are expensive and aren’t always in my budget, especially now that I have two littles. If you can afford them by all means buy them! However, you don’t need matcha powder, camu camu berry powder and adaptogens to be healthy. Vegetables are also superfoods and like I mentioned above, can be bought for under $2 per pound!
THRIVE MARKET! – If you’ve been following along for awhile you know I love Thrive Market! It is an online store for healthy dry goods at a lower cost, everything from bean pasta, to tomato sauce, to household cleaners. There is a $50 annual membership but you can qualify for free membership if you are low income! Orders over $50 ship free so I always wait until I have enough for free shipping! Remember to look for generic “Thrive Market” brand of your favorite products!
GROW YOUR OWN FOOD – Growing your own food doesn’t have to be on a large scale, do what you can! If you have room for a couple pots on a deck, grow herbs and tomatoes! Starting a larger garden from scratch may cost money up front, but in the long run it saves money, especially if you compost to make dirt and save your seeds!