Whether your family has two kids or ten kids, grocery bills are adding up for all of us – especially if you’re trying to pick the healthier choices.  The most important thing you have to remember is that if you’re trying to eat healthy, and you cannot afford to spend more money, you have to spend more time.  Time in the kitchen cooking, time planning out meals for the week, time surfing through the grocery store flyers for sales, et cetera.  Try some of the tips I’ve included below to help!

1.  Use up ingredients you already have.  Before heading to the grocery store, take a look at what you already have tucked away in the pantry to see if you can use it in a dish.  Breadcrumbs and canned tomatoes?  Pick up some eggplant and make eggplant parmesan.  Whole-grain rice and salsa?  Pick up some peppers and onions and make a Mexican-inspired rice dish.

2.  Buy in bulk when it makes sense.  Buying products in bulk can save you a lot of money, but try to only do so if the product is one you would normally eat.  Try to also look for the buy-in-bulk deals on healthier options so you don’t fill up your house with junk food.

3.  Cook more than one meal at a time.  Wondering how this tip saves you money?  Cooking extra meals gives you options later on in the week, and can be great if you’re feeling tempted to spend lots of money on expensive takeout or restaurant meals.  Knowing that you’ve got a healthy and delicious homemade meal ready to go at home means you’re less likely to spend unnecessary money.

4.  Don’t buy more fruits and vegetables than you need.  Fruits and vegetables are definitely healthy choices, don’t get me wrong here.  But they can also be quite perishable, and the last thing you want to do is be throwing out produce because it’s gone bad before you can get to it.  Only buy what you need and make sure to eat the more perishable items first (usually fruits).

5.  Take advantage of frozen vegetables.  This one helps with the previous tip – you can use up your fresh vegetables earlier in the week, and then rely on frozen veggies to last you until your next grocery store trip!  And don’t be worried about using frozen produce – they’re often picked at the peak of their season and immediately frozen, so all those nutrients are locked in.

6.  Build meals around cheaper staples.  Potatoes, carrots, onions, pasta, and rice are relatively inexpensive staple items, no matter what store you shop at.  Utilize their low-cost nature by building meals around them to create healthy options.  The key here is to still prepare them in healthier ways – this doesn’t mean making French fries and carrot cake all the time!

7.  Get creative in the kitchen.  Craving pizza but don’t want to fork over the money to get it delivered, or can’t get to the grocery store?  Keep a jar of pizza sauce (or make your own!) in the cupboards and you can make pizza whenever you’d like.  If you don’t have access to pizza dough, try using Arnold’s Sandwich Thins or even tortillas!  Get a little more creative with your meals and you’ll be able to make the inexpensive ingredients come to life!

8.  Use slices or cubes of meat instead of whole pieces.  Instead of making meat the star of your meals, make it a team player – include it, but shift the focus to the other ingredients.  If you’re creative enough, you can stretch out small portions of pork tenderloin or chicken breast into two family meals with the addition of a whole grain and lots of veggies! Don’t forget, you can get protein from grains, beans, and dairy, so don’t be concerned that you won’t be meeting your needs.

9.  Incorporate beans.  This might be the easiest tip on the list!  Beans are extremely nutritious, delicious, and versatile – add them to salads, pasta, soups, and more!  If you haven’t tried beans yet, pick up a can the next time you’re at the store and search for a great recipe to use them.  Once you start to enjoy using beans in your cooking, buy dried beans and cook them yourself to save even more money!

10. Grow your own.  Whether it’s a small tomato or pepper plant, or herbs like basil, chives, or rosemary, growing your own food can easily help you cut down food costs.  Start slowly with just one plant and enjoy eating your own home-grown ingredients!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

We all struggle with the time crunch during the week – between work, family, exercise, and often traffic it can be hard to find the time to put together healthy meals.  A favorite tip of mine to help me deal with my family’s busy schedule is to take advantage of one day a week to plan meals and snacks out.  It’s usually Sundays, but choose whatever day works with your particular schedule.  And it doesn’t even have to take up a whole day – an afternoon is often all that it takes!  Here are some ways I plan out meals for my family:

1.  Cook and freeze whole grains.  While some grains like bulgur (cracked wheat) are ready in a flash, others like whole grain rice take far longer to cook.  This doesn’t work for a quick weekday dinner, so I often cook up a batch of whole grains – like quinoa or rice – and simply freeze it in Tupperware after it cools.  When I need it for a meal, I just heat it up for a few minutes and it’s all set!

2.  Portion out dairy products.  It’s usually cheaper to buy larger amounts of yogurt and cheese, but it’s important to be able to fit it into your lunch bag!  Taking the time to portion out your Greek yogurt (my fave!) into plastic containers and slice or cube cheese means that it’s easy to grab as a quick snack or to round out your lunch.  Keep in mind that a serving of yogurt is ¾ of a cup (175 g) and a serving of cheese is 1½ ounces.  Put a small bag of berries with your yogurt and you’ve got yourself a homemade parfait come lunch time!

3.  Chop up fruits and veggies.  I’m sure you’ve all heard this one before, but have you actually tried doing it?  It truly makes it easier to get in all kinds of fruit and veggie servings each day.  Slice up bell peppers into sticks, broccoli & cauliflower into little “trees” for the kids, and juicy pineapple into wedges for a sweet afternoon treat.  Keep hummus or bean dip in the fridge beside them for a great pairing, or use your chopped veggies in a quick weeknight stir-fry!

4.  Grill your favorite lean proteins.  Whether it’s lean chicken, pork, salmon, turkey or beef, cooking multiple portions one day a week gives you meals for the next couple of days.  Have you tried my Latin Rubbed Pork Tenderloin recipe yet?  It’s a family favorite!  Flavor the meat with any combination of super spices you’d like, and then get to grillin’!  Use the proteins for slicing on top of salads, adding to pasta or other whole grains, or as the filling for a sandwich!

5.  Prepare beans for the week.  Whether you cook up dried beans or simply pop open a can of beans and rinse them, either method will save you some time during the week.  If you still haven’t tried beans yet, they’re one of my favorite protein superstars, and great for vegetarians AND meat-eaters alike!  Simply cook a batch or rinse some canned beans and store in the fridge for convenient access all week long.  You can toss some in your pasta, on your salads, in a wrap or quesadilla, or just with your favorite sauce and veggies!

Hit the comments and let me know some of your favorite meal planning/time saving tips!!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

Grocery stores are great places to load up on nutrition superstars like fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and high-quality protein sources.  Unfortunately, it’s also very easy to pick up other, not-so-healthy items while you’re there too.  While shopping the perimeter is always a good rule to follow, there are lots of other little ways to make healthier choices in the grocery store!

1.  Look at what you have already and make a list.  Taking a quick inventory of what you’ve already got in the kitchen and pantry so you know exactly what kind of nutritious ingredients you need to come up with healthy meals!

2.  Eat a small snack before you leave.  We’ve all heard this one; shopping on an empty stomach makes you more likely to reach for anything and everything at the store.  Check out 5 Healthy & Tasty Movie Snacks for some quick ideas!

3.  Spend most of your shopping time in the produce section.  Try to fill up your cart or basket with mostly fruits and veggies, and then continue moving through the store after.  Stocking your cart with a variety of fruits and vegetables gives you lots of options for meal planning, and ensures you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals.

4.  Try one new fruit or vegetable each time you shop.  Instead of just breezing through and picking up the regular bananas, carrots, and celery stalks, look for something new that you can try.  Even better, make this a game for your kids – allowing them to choose a new vegetable means they may be more likely to actually try it come dinner time!

5.  In the dairy aisle, choose lower-fat organic dairy products.  Milk, cheeses, and Greek yogurt are all offered in lower fat options, and are still packed full of the calcium and vitamins that you desire.

6.  For yogurt in particular, try to choose Greek yogurt (a protein-packed yogurt!) or plain varieties without excess added sugars.  If you’re still looking for that little bit of sweetness, try topping it with fresh or frozen fruit or a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

7.  In the meat aisle, look for leaner cuts of meat to cut down on saturated fat intake.  These options include chicken breast, pork tenderloin, salmon, or tilapia.  Add bursts of flavor with marinades – try making your own version to save on the salt and sugar found in most brands.

8.  In the breads section, be sure to read the ingredient list!  Don’t be fooled by claims of “multigrain” breads when they may be mostly refined flours.  Always choose whole grain for a fiber-packed powerhouse!

9.  Don’t be afraid of the aisles – although they are mostly full of processed, packaged items that you don’t need, there are still some great options hidden in there.  Inside the aisles is where you can find canned/dried beans for another protein source, as well as items like pasta sauce, salsas, and other whole grain options like quinoa and bulgur.

10.  Make an educated breakfast choice – the cereal aisle is full of sugary options, but there are also some great cereals, granolas, and oatmeal choices there too!  Focus on a breakfast that is low in sugar, high in fiber, and a good source of protein.

What is your best piece of grocery-store advice?  Is there one item that you have on your list every week that you just can’t live without?

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner