Eating healthfully can be expensive, especially if you don't know any money-saving tricks for doing so. The cost of California seasonal produce (or any state, for that matter) can be very high, and organic foods, while certainly the healthier choice, are more expensive than non-organic. With enough time and know-how, however, you can save on healthy grocery shopping. Here are a few ideas for how to do that.
1. Buy local, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Sometimes this can be more expensive, but sometimes it can definitely be less. When food is shipped from far away places, it has to be stored and transported. This is not only bad for the environment, it can also be costly for the store. Therefore, out-of-season items shipped from far away sometimes cost more than local ones.
2. Shop around and compare prices. It can be easy to feel like you don't have the time to do this, but it is definitely worthwhile. Often, one store will have lower prices on produce while another will offer better deals on dry goods and other grocery items. Learn to take advantage of the different savings, and build multiple shopping trips into your schedule.
3. Buy from wholesale markets. Because these markets get their products directly from the source, they pay less in overhead costs such as shipping. Therefore, they can charge their customers less. In addition, you can be sure that your food has been handled by fewer people than the food at larger chain stores.
4. Shop at farmers' markets. Like wholesale markets, farmers' markets contain products that come directly from the people who grew and/ or produced them. However, they are being sold directly by those people as well, so there are even fewer costs involved. Also, the money is going directly to the farmers, so you are supporting local small business.
5. Apply for food assistance. Everyone hits rough patches sometimes, whether it is because of a job-loss, increased bills, or too many mouths to feed. Food assistance can be a great help in these situations, and it is nothing to be embarrassed about. If you have paid taxes at all, you have paid into the program, so why not take advantage of it when you need it? In some states, you can trade in food stamps for double-value tokens to use at farmers' markets. This helps you and the farmers, and is a fantastic way to save.
6. Check for specials. In grocery stores, items that are slightly damaged or about to pass their sell-by dates are often sold at greatly reduced prices. Obviously, you need to be smart and careful about this. Check the fruits and vegetables before purchasing them, to make sure they are not too rotten or damaged to be used. However, you can often get great deals this way, especially when you are purchasing vegetables for cooking in soups or stir-frys. In this case, a bruise or two will not make much of a difference.
These ideas can help you to save money while still eating a healthful diet. Even on a budget, you can buy California seasonal produce, organic fruits and vegetables, and other healthful foods. You can also stock up when you find an especially good deal, and preserve the fruits and veggies for later by canning or freezing them.
1. Buy local, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Sometimes this can be more expensive, but sometimes it can definitely be less. When food is shipped from far away places, it has to be stored and transported. This is not only bad for the environment, it can also be costly for the store. Therefore, out-of-season items shipped from far away sometimes cost more than local ones.
2. Shop around and compare prices. It can be easy to feel like you don't have the time to do this, but it is definitely worthwhile. Often, one store will have lower prices on produce while another will offer better deals on dry goods and other grocery items. Learn to take advantage of the different savings, and build multiple shopping trips into your schedule.
3. Buy from wholesale markets. Because these markets get their products directly from the source, they pay less in overhead costs such as shipping. Therefore, they can charge their customers less. In addition, you can be sure that your food has been handled by fewer people than the food at larger chain stores.
4. Shop at farmers' markets. Like wholesale markets, farmers' markets contain products that come directly from the people who grew and/ or produced them. However, they are being sold directly by those people as well, so there are even fewer costs involved. Also, the money is going directly to the farmers, so you are supporting local small business.
5. Apply for food assistance. Everyone hits rough patches sometimes, whether it is because of a job-loss, increased bills, or too many mouths to feed. Food assistance can be a great help in these situations, and it is nothing to be embarrassed about. If you have paid taxes at all, you have paid into the program, so why not take advantage of it when you need it? In some states, you can trade in food stamps for double-value tokens to use at farmers' markets. This helps you and the farmers, and is a fantastic way to save.
6. Check for specials. In grocery stores, items that are slightly damaged or about to pass their sell-by dates are often sold at greatly reduced prices. Obviously, you need to be smart and careful about this. Check the fruits and vegetables before purchasing them, to make sure they are not too rotten or damaged to be used. However, you can often get great deals this way, especially when you are purchasing vegetables for cooking in soups or stir-frys. In this case, a bruise or two will not make much of a difference.
These ideas can help you to save money while still eating a healthful diet. Even on a budget, you can buy California seasonal produce, organic fruits and vegetables, and other healthful foods. You can also stock up when you find an especially good deal, and preserve the fruits and veggies for later by canning or freezing them.
About the Author:
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