.michael.newman.

Envy those savvy grocery shoppers that come armed with coupons and always seem to know exactly what’s on sale and what to buy where? Here are 9 ways to help save money on your monthly grocery bill, most of them as easy on the environment as they are on your wallet.

1. Buy lettuce by the head, not by the bag or box. OK, so it may actually take you all of three minutes to cut, wash and dry a head of lettuce compared to buying the pre-washed bag or box, but on average you will save about $3.50-$4.50 for the exact same amount of lettuce. It’s also better for the environment (not as much plastic being used) and you probably want to wash the lettuce anyway, regardless of whether or not it’s in a bag or box. The lettuce will also be fluffier and fresher.

2. Buy your milk (& orange juice) from a convenience store rather than the grocery store. This may vary depending on where you live, but where I am a gallon of milk in the grocery store (store brand) is about $3.19-3.75 and in the convenience store it is only $2.49. That may not seem like much of a difference, but every little bit helps and in my house (with two kids, four people total) we go through about 4 gallons a week. That equates to a savings of $22.50 per month! Orange juice is also cheaper as a half gallon is typically $3.50-3.99 at the grocery store and only $2.50 at the convenience store.

3. Don’t buy perishables in bulk, unless you will use them. Every time I buy a five pound bag of potatoes I use about one and a half pounds and the rest grows arms before I get to eat it. I could have saved around $2.00-3.00 had I just bought the four potatoes I ate rather than the big bag that got tossed.

4. You can also buy celery, carrots, and other veggies in singles. Just as in point #3, if you don’t need an entire bag of celery sticks, don’t buy the whole bag. Most grocery stores have a separate section where you can buy carrots, celery and other vegetables in any quantity. If you only need one stick of carrot and one celery for a soup you are making, you can just buy one of each for a fraction of the cost of an entire bag.

5. Prepare your vegetables yourself. I know it is tempting to buy the pre-chopped onions, peppers, and zucchini, but it is a high price to pay to save five minutes of your time. You will save anywhere from $2.00-5.00 cutting your own vegetables. If time is a factor, my advice is to prepare all your vegetables ahead of time (I usually do it after I get home from grocery shopping). Place the vegetables in tupperware (not plastic bags) and add a crumbled up paper towel. The paper towel will absorb the moisture, thus leading to longer shelf life, and your vegetables will be ready to go when you need them.

6. Don’t buy watered-down juice. If you’re a savvy mom or dad (or at least a health-conscious one) and you have heard that your kids should reduce their juice intake, that’s great! Many companies are cashing in on this and are selling juices that are watered-down. So you are paying the same amount as the regular juice (whether in a bottle or in a juice-box), but you are getting half the juice and tap water that comes free right from your faucet. In other words, the companies are making twice as much money off of you! Buy 100% juice (in its entirety) and mix it with water at home. You will save around $2.75 to $4.99.

7. Don’t buy bottled water. In case you haven’t heard, most bottled water is tap water. The only difference is you pay $1.50 per 20 oz. if it comes in a plastic container. Drink more water from your faucet, it really is the same quality (it may even be better!). You will be doing your wallet and the environment a big favor! If your town water is questionable, you can always buy a water filter for your faucet. A much more economical answer to filtered water. If you only drank one 20 oz. bottle of water a day, this would save you $45 per month. And of course you need at least three times that.

8. Always look through the flyer and ask the deli clerk, butcher, etc, to see if anything is on sale. I know I have made the mistake of going to the deli counter, asking for the same meat I always get, just to find out a competing brand is on sale that week for $2.00-3.00 less per pound.

9. Try to shop at the same store. When you know a store’s layout, you spend less. You’re familiar with the products they carry and spend less time looking for things. In contrast, when you shop in places you aren’t familiar you tend to “look” more and thus buy more because you notice items you haven’t seen but want to try. On average, whenever I venture out to a “new” store, I spend $30 more than normal.

Now, if you make every change I just mentioned (on estimate) you would save about $170 per month!

Kimberly Bither, M.S., CPFT is a Nutritionist, Fitness Trainer, and
Writer at KimberlyFitness.com.

Source: dugspr — in Osaka

Let’s face it, you can’t help but notice that organic and natural foods cost a lot more…or do they? It really all depends on where you shop, what you buy, and how savvy you are when it comes to food. Here are 15 ways to help you eat more whole, natural foods for less $$.

Natural Food Rules to Shop By:

1. Discover Trader Joe’s. Although their food is not all organic, it is mostly natural and made with whole food. They are very inexpensive and carry a small, but wide variety of items. If you are looking to buy foods made without trans fats, HFCS, or artificial ingredients, but don’t want to spend a lot, look no further than the nearest Trader Joe’s.

2. Learn how to shop Whole Foods effectively. If you visit a place like Whole Foods, you’ll notice all kinds of gourmet foods, but you will also notice the arm-and-a-leg prices. You can shop smart in Whole Foods if you know some tricks.

a. Only buy their store brand, 365. It will cost you about the same as the conventional versions found in your typical grocery store.

b. Their chicken and turkey is fairly reasonably priced (equivalent to Perdue), but their fish and beef is expensive. Instead, look at your local grocery store for seafood, but check to make sure that it is wild and not farm raised, and you will save a lot of money and still get good fish. In MA there’s Big Y and they carry frozen, wild caught fish (their natural brand is called Full Circle) in vacuum packed bags which are great. As for beef, it’s best to limit eating it to only a few times a month, anyway. It’s up to you whether or not you think the organic is better. Again, Big Y also carries Full Circle beef as well as natural deli meats. Check your local grocery store to see if they carry a Natural/Organic Line of meats.

c. Don’t do major grocery shopping in a place like Whole Foods, stick to a few items that are exclusive to the store that you really want. For example, if you have young children you might buy a lot of cereal there. The cereal is kid-approved, but without anything artificial. And the natural, kid-friendly cereals are much cheaper at Whole Foods than at the regular grocery store.

3. When shopping for deli meats, choose the store-baked meats (and don’t buy these from a place like Whole Foods; way too expensive). They typically have the least amount of preservatives and taste the best. No need to buy organic. Also get your deli meats fresh cut and not in prepackaged containers. You will save at least 50% by waiting in line with your little paper ticket.

4. Don’t buy organic boxed items from a regular grocery store – (unless it is a store-brand). Get them from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods (or equivalent). They will actually be cheaper as it is their specialty.

5. Remember, if you give your fruits and veggies a thorough washing in soap and water, you can wash away most chemical residue. If you are still concerned, a good rule of thumb is to buy organic if you will be eating the exterior, but if you eat only what is inside, you can get away with conventional.

6. Remember, natural food means natural. So think of simple ingredients and you can’t go wrong. Usually what makes groceries so expensive is when you pay for boxing, packaging and processing (or pre-making). If you make more foods at home, it will be cheaper and healthier.

7. Except for milk, a little juice, and maybe some seltzer, don’t waste money on too many bottled beverages. You can make iced tea or iced coffee at home and drink more water. Save your money (& your calories) for food.

8. There are many non-organic foods that are very nutritious. Don’t think you need to buy organic, you don’t. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are always just as nutritious, organic does NOT make any food more nutritious, it just usually means it has less chemicals. There is a difference. In other words, a conventional orange and an organic orange have about the same amount of vitamins & minerals. There are also many non-organic products such as Raisin Bran, Chex, or Shredded Wheat which are full of nutrition and can be bought at low prices as they usually come in store brand. As for crackers, I like Trisquits. They have three ingredients; whole wheat, oil, and salt. Goldfish crackers are actually pretty good, too, just stay away from the ones with food coloring (just in case…)

9. A chip is a chip and a cookie is a cookie. Whether or not it is organic, a chip is still a chip; a fried potato with seasoning. Don’t waste your money on any “high-fat” food such as these that come in an organic version. It’s just not worth it. These are foods that should be eaten sparingly, anyway, so a small amount won’t make a difference.

10. You don’t need to buy organic frozen meals. All frozen meals are high in salt and that is typically the big offender for frozen meals. Regardless of whether or not they are organic, they will still have a high salt content. Limit your frozen meals, they aren’t really healthy.

11. Many regular grocery stores are now offering a store-brand line of natural products. These are usually cheaper than if you bought a similar product at a place like Whole Foods and are essentially the same products.

12. Don’t buy more than you need. Plan out your meals for the week and make up a grocery list. Keep a running list of what you need on a dry erase board in your kitchen. Separate each food group so you don’t miss anything. I bring a list with me that is broken down into dairy, frozen, canned, produce, meat, and non-food. It helps!

13. See what you can find at Costco/Sam’s Club/BJ’s. Costco now sells whole grain pasta and other healthy food products. As long as the food isn’t perishable, there is no harm in buying ahead to save some money.

14. Don’t feel you need to shop at three different stores every week to save money. Try to go to your specialty stores (Costco, Trader Joe’s, etc…) once a month and stock up (that’s what freezers are for). The less often you shop…the less you spend.

15. If you can, join a local food coop. You will get fresh fruits and vegetables (sometimes meats), from local farmers at a great rate.

Kimberly Bither, M.S., CPFT is a Nutritionist, Fitness Trainer, and
Writer at KimberlyFitness.com.