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Balanced & Healthy

Healthy Eating Doesn't Need to Break the Bank

3/22/2019

16 Comments

 
how to eat healthy on a budget with simple ideas anyone can follow
​One of my favorite things to do is find a bargain.  It may be a genetic trait handed down, or maybe I just love the satisfaction it gives me to get something for less.  Either way, I love being able to save money on just about anything.

And grocery shopping is NO exception.  This is why I do most of my shopping at Aldi. I wasn’t always and Aldi shopper, but over the past few years I have come to love it.  I turned my nose up at first and didn’t like how small the store was.  But one summer while some roads to our main grocery store were closed for road work, I decided to give it another shop.

I’m so glad I did because I honestly have a hard time shopping anywhere else now.  I truly love the size of Aldi now because it takes me a lot less time to shop. And I don’t think I could ever go back to a grocery store bill that’s 40% more expensive. 

There are still things that I have to grab from a Super Target or grocery store that Aldi just doesn’t carry, but for the most part, everything we buy is from Aldi.  

One of the things I love about Aldi is that eating healthy and organic food doesn’t have to be an expensive habit.  
How to eat healthy without spending a lot of money

​HOW TO COMPARE PRICES FROM HOME

how to compare grocery store prices from the comfort of home
​I am a bit of nerd when it comes to saving money and I literally made a spreadsheet of the products I buy every week. Then I made a row across the top of my local grocery store, Aldi, Costco and Target.  You could just do your store and Aldi if you wanted.  It looks like this:

The far left column has my grocery items
The row across the top has each store I might buy something from

Now the fun part.  I used InstaCart and shopped all the items I normally buy and added them into the spreadsheet.  Make sure you’re being consistent with either price per item or price per ounce of each item.  This helped me see which stores I should do the majority of my shopping at and which stores had better prices for individual items.

This doesn’t take into account the fact that there are sales and coupons available for some items. But it does give you a pretty good idea of what to buy and where.

​MEAL PLAN TO SAVE MONEY

​I shop once a week for my family, and I plan out my meals for the week ahead of time so I know what to buy.  This has been the BEST way for me to both stay on track with healthy eating as well as save money.  Sometimes I base what I’m buying off of sales that I see in a weekly flyer, and sometimes I just plan based on what our weekly schedule is.

I write out a main dish and sides for every night of the week, leaving usually one night for leftovers.  My husband and I also have date nights at home and might have a charcuterie board with wine after the kids go to bed rather than a full family meal.

I try to find meals that might use one or two similar ingredients to make sure nothing goes to waste at the end of the week.  For example, if I buy a bag of potatoes, chances are we won’t eat the whole bag in one night.  I might make a soup with half of the bag and have baked potatoes for a side another night.  

Then I go through my recipes I’ve chosen for the week and write down any ingredients I  need to buy for each meal. 

I don’t generally meal plan for breakfast or lunch, but I have a pretty regular rotation of what my kids and I eat during the week for those meals.  I check in on things like oatmeal packets and granola to see if we need more so we don’t run out halfway through the week.
How to plan out meals to save money and eat healthier

​MY ALDI SHOPPING LIST

Aldi grocery shopping list for healthy and organic food
Dairy:
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • Cage Free or Organic Eggs
  • Organic Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
  • Goat Cheese
  • Grass Fed Cheddar Cheese
  • Organic Cheese or Vegan Style Cheese

Meat:
  • Grass Fed Beef
  • Organic Chicken Breasts or Tenders
  • Uncured lunch meats and bacon
  • Chicken Sausage
​
Frozen:
  • Chicken Breasts or Chicken Tenders
  • Frozen Veggies
  • Frozen Fruit Bars
​One of the reasons I love Aldi so much is that they have some really great organic options at a fraction of the cost another grocery store might have.  Below is my regular list of healthy grocery items I buy from Aldi: 

Box/Canned Items
  • Organic Almond Butter
  • Organic Maple Spice Oatmeal 
  • Multigrain Seed Chips
  • Raw Honey
  • 100% Real Maple Syrup
  • Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Organic Coconut Oil
  • Unsweetened Applesauce Pouches for my Kids
  • Organic Black Beans
  • Organic Diced Tomatoes
  • Gluten Free Tortilla Wraps
  • Naan
  • Seed Sprouted Bread (We love Seedtastic)
  • Free Range Chicken Broth
  • Reduced Sodium Organic Vegetable Broth
  • Organic Macaroni & Cheese (White Cheddar is AMAZING)
  • Organic Brown Rice
  • Organic Quinoa
  • Organic Spices

Produce:
(Okay, so let’s be honest, most of what I buy is produce, but these prepackaged items are some of my favorites)
  • Organic Kale 
  • Spinach
  • Bell Peppers
  • Broccoli or Cauliflower
  • Carrots or Celery
  • Avocado
  • Pears
  • Berries
  • Apples
  • Tomatoes

MAKE AHEAD INSTEAD OF BUYING FROZEN MEALS

​Let’s be honest that frozen is often times SO much more convenient than making from scratch.  We all have times in our lives where we need to make a quick meal with little prep time.  I use my Instant Pot on these days, or I grab something from the freezer that I’ve made in advance.

Buying frozen meals is often more expensive than eating fresh food, and it usually contains more preservatives and unhealthy ingredients.

Making meals ahead doesn’t have to be super complicated, and you don’t even have to fill your whole freezer.  Instead, choose a meal that will freeze well (soups, chilis and baked dishes work well).  Next time your family has this meal on the menu, simple double the recipe and make two pans or put extra in a freezable container.  Simple!  

Another tip is to make sure you write the temperature, length of cooking time and if the meal needs to be thawed or not on your container.
The easiest way to make your own frozen meals without spending a whole day in the kitchen

​TRY FOR ZERO WASTE

ideas for using up food before it goes bad for a zero waste kitchen
​My last tip for reducing your grocery bills is to use EVERYTHING up.  This has been one of the biggest ways for me to save money.  

First is not buying too much.  If you know your family just won’t go through it, don’t buy it.  No matter how good a deal it is. Period. That being said, there are some things that I do buy more of when there’s a good deal and either store for the future or freeze. 

Fruit and veggies that don’t get all used up go in the freezer for smoothies and soups.  Kale and spinach are GREAT things to add to smoothies and soups, and so we freeze it before it gets wilty and goes bad.  

Fruits that start getting a little mush get put in storage containers and added to the freezer.  We drink smoothies for breakfast at least twice a week, so this has been a really great way to use up our fruit.

As for cooked meats, I like to write the date on the leftover container and within 4-5 days if it’s not gone, I will take the meat and chop it up for salads or soups and put it in the freezer.  This has come in handy so many times when I’m just shy of a measurement of meat for a recipe.
What are your best tips for keeping your grocery bill down without sacrificing the quality of your food?
16 Comments
Leona Martin link
3/29/2019 08:26:25 am

Love these tips. Aldi just showed up in our area in the last year and honestly I haven't stepped foot inside. I guess I'm going to have to. I, too, decide what the weeks meals will be, list out the ingredients I don't have or need to stock back up on (we use lots of spices over packets) off I go. Frozen meals - I create soups and stews to freeze and these are mine and my husbands lunches. yummy and easy.

Reply
Amanda | All Day Active Life link
4/11/2019 08:17:22 am

It took me a few tries to get used to how they're laid out and that it really isn't like a typical store, but I ended up loving it. I love your idea about frozen soups and stews for lunch!

Reply
Kate Loves Travel link
3/29/2019 10:36:49 am

These are all really useful tips. I definitely need to plan my meals in advance... and to visit Aldi as I never go, even though there is one pretty close to where I live!

Reply
Amanda | All Day Active Life link
4/11/2019 08:22:42 am

It took a while to get used to Aldi, and I had to give it a few chances. Now I love it and don't really do a lot of shopping other places.

Reply
Lydia Smith link
3/29/2019 10:59:13 am

Great and useful tips. I usually don't buy in excess as well no matter the good deal. Wish we have Aldi around my corner but i would love to shop there someday.

Reply
Amanda | All Day Active Life link
4/11/2019 08:23:11 am

Thank you, Lydia :)

Reply
Stephanie link
3/29/2019 03:03:16 pm

I've never been to an Aldi before, but I need to go soon. I've heard so much good about it. We always meal plan to try to make sure we don't waste any food here.

Reply
Amanda | All Day Active Life link
4/11/2019 08:23:46 am

It took me a few tries to really fall in love with it, but now it's my go-to store. :)

Reply
Andrea Larson
3/29/2019 04:48:26 pm

This sounds smart. I also like all these stores like Aldi, Lidl, and others. They are comfortable enough and offer better prices, so I usually enjoy both parts of this experience.

Reply
Angela Tolsma link
3/29/2019 06:35:14 pm

I have only been into an Aldi once and now you've got me curious enough to try going in again. I tend to do most of my shopping as locally as I can, but that's not always something you can do when your feeding more than two.

Reply
David Elliott link
3/30/2019 05:36:40 pm

I really wish I could do better at the zero waste. It takes a lot of work but I really know it's worth it in the end.

Reply
Courtney
3/30/2019 08:05:22 pm

Oooooo so many great tips! It drives me nuts when people tell me eating healthy is too expensive. There are definitely ways to cut down the cost of you’re willing to try

Reply
Flossie McCowald link
3/31/2019 03:45:27 am

Such great tips all around! Besides shopping what's in season and growing some of our own produce, we keep running lists of staples that we go through in bulk, then restock once a month as needed at several discount grocery chains near us (as well as Costco!).

Reply
Christa
3/31/2019 04:46:51 pm

I eat a pretty healthy, mostly organic diet and am able to maintain it on a small budget. I think the key is planning and preparation!

Reply
Neely Moldovan
3/31/2019 05:31:37 pm

Yes we eat very healthy and I don't feel like we spend a ton of money!

Reply
Karen Monica link
3/31/2019 09:27:54 pm

I love these tips that you shared.I always eat healthy and it gets me annoyed when people say healthy eating is expensive. There will always be excuses when one doesn't want to try something.

Reply



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    Amanda Klecker

    Seeking a balanced life through healthy living and a healthy environment


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