Tips For Eating Clean On A Budget

Originally Published Mar. 1, 2024.

Changing lifestyle habits can be a difficult endeavor, but it’s one that pays off in dividends because it produces a healthier life, which can lead to increased earning potential.

Eating habits are one of the more difficult habits to change because of the endless fast food and junk food options around. Soaring food prices make eating clean pretty difficult, too, so here are some tips to help trim the fat off of your plate and off your shopping budget.

Use Discernment When Shopping for Organics:

Don’t fall for the okie doke when buying organic products. The purpose of shopping organic is to distance the food you ingest from as many pesticides and chemicals as possible. So, unless you just feel like buying organic almond soy protein milk because the word organic makes you feel fuzzy inside, stick to buying organic produce. In particular, these power foods should always be bought organically:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

Know your side of town, then get to know others:

The grocery supply industry has expanded and changed in a myriad of ways. There’s a store for practically anything your food palate desires. So, get outside of your five-mile radius and get to know some of the other stores. Some of the specialty food stores have sale items seasonally, and will stock up on certain items if a customer requests them. Always factor in carbon footprint in mileage, but it’s worth it to have at least two stores where you know you can get quality food at a decent price.

Coupons:

Clipping coupons can be pretty tedious, but they can add up to big savings over time. Stores like Whole Foods offer deep discounts (well, deep for Whole Foods) on things in their bulk section. Some stores will print coupons for discounts on the entire order. Don’t just look in the paper for the item specific discounts, ask the store if they have storewide discounts.

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