5 Tips for Grocery Shopping on a Budget

Sometimes it feels like you can either eat healthily, or on a budget, but you can’t do both. Processed foods seem to be cheaper, not to mention more convenient, while healthy foods take more work AND feel you spend a lot for a little. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking you can’t afford to eat healthily, take heart. We’ve rounded up our favorite tips for grocery shopping on a budget. You can use these grocery shopping tips on your next trip to the store. It will be easier to stick to your grocery budget and it may surprise you how much you can save on your grocery bill.

5 Cost-Effective Grocery Shopping Tips

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist or hold an advanced degree to learn how to grocery shop on a budget. Here are 5 tips for grocery shopping on a budget, and a few bonus tips too.

Plan Your Meals, Make a List, and Stick to It

Look, we’ve all been there...hungry, wandering aimlessly through the grocery store aisles knowing that you need to buy food, but not sure what kind of food you want or need. The next thing you know, you’re unpacking grocery bags full of snack cakes and sugar cereal, and you still don’t have any ingredients to make dinner. So you order pizza instead.

Before you hit the grocery store, plan your meals for the week (HINT: try these tasty recipe ideas), make a list, and then STICK TO IT! Learning how to grocery shop efficiently is as simple as that. Grocery stores are designed to encourage impulse buys, which can be fun, but usually aren’t budget or diet-friendly. After you plan your meals, take a look at your pantry and see what ingredients you need and if there’s anything you’re running low on. Then when you hit the store, you’ll get everything you need in one trip, which is not just cost-effective grocery shopping, it’s time-saving too.

Look for Sales and Coupons

Grocery ads may seem old school, but they come in really handy for budget grocery shopping. Once you’ve made your list, cross-reference it with sales flyers to see if a particular brand is on sale. If you have several stores nearby you can check the flyers of each one to see who has the best prices. Some stores will even price match their competitors if you take a flyer with you. Sales are a great way to stock up on pantry items you normally keep on hand but beware of overstocking. Only buy the things you know you will use before they expire, otherwise, you’re wasting money, no matter how much you saved on it.

You can also keep an eye out for coupons to help you save money. Printable coupons, newspaper coupon inserts, and on-product instant coupons can all help you save money on the items you were planning to purchase anyway. Again, only buy what you need and will use.

Don’t Be Brand Loyal

With so many brands competing for market share, there is sure to be one on sale at any given point. By being flexible with what brand you buy, you can save money every week. In many cases, generic brands are just as high quality as name brands, but at a fraction of the price. Some generic brands are even made in the same factories as their name-brand competitors but just repackaged. Compare to see which brand is the best value, and then purchase the cheapest one.

Buy Whole Foods

If you’re grocery shopping on a budget, you can save a lot of money if you’re willing to sacrifice a little time. Buying whole foods is often cheaper than buying their more convenient counterparts. For example, you can often save money buying a whole block of cheese and shredding it yourself (tip: you can even freeze some of it to use later), as opposed to buying a pre-shredded variety. Likewise, buying whole vegetables and washing and chopping them yourself is more budget-friendly than buying a bagged salad or produce that is chopped and ready to eat.

Purchase In-Season Produce

While modern farming and shipping practices have made many types of produce available year-round, it is still cheaper to buy fruits and vegetables that are currently in season. Not only will your produce be fresher, but it will also be cheaper as well. If you insist on buying fresh strawberries in winter, or oranges in mid-July, you will have to accept that you will pay higher prices for out-of-season produce. The USDA has a convenient seasonal produce guide that will help you know what fruits and vegetables are currently in season.

If you’re serious about grocery shopping on a budget, you may want to try these bonus grocery shopping tips too:

Bonus #1: Cook in Bulk

How does the saying go? Cook once, eat twice? If that’s not how it goes, it should be. When you cook in bulk and use leftovers for lunches or other meals, it saves money AND time. Not only can you save by buying your food in larger quantities, but having already prepared meals on hand will keep you from ordering in or going out to eat as often.

Bonus #2: Buy Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Buying frozen fruits and vegetables is a great way to save on your grocery bills. They are much cheaper than the fresh variety, they are available year-round, and if you get frozen fruits and veggies that don’t have added sugar or other ingredients, they are just as healthy as fresh ones.

Bonus #3: Eat Less Meat

The cost of meat can add up fast, but eating less, or substituting it for more cost-effective varieties can lead to big budget savings. Try opting for meatless Mondays, or get your protein from beans, legumes, and eggs, with a little meat added in. If you still want meat, buying bulk ground beef or frozen chicken breasts can save a lot in the long run.

If you want to know how much you should be spending on groceries, our guide to being an effective budgeter can help you. And if you’re new to healthy eating and need help with your grocery lists, check out our Ultimate Low Carb Grocery List and our Ultimate Keto Grocery List to get you started.

Save Money On Healthy Foods

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. With a few small changes to your shopping habits, you can ensure that your family enjoys nutritious food while still grocery shopping on a budget. Shop smart, and save money at the same time. And if you’re in a meal/cooking rut, need healthy cooking inspiration, or just want to try something new, visit the Xyngular recipe catalog for healthy cooking ideas that are healthy and delicious.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.