Budget Friendly Tips For The Health Food Shopper

It’s really strange how all the healthy items at fast food places and in grocery stores are more expensive than the junk food or unhealthy items. Well, regardless of how it happened we can no longer use this as an excuse for not eating right. Eating healthy and staying on a budget may seem difficult in this economy, but if you keep a few simple rules in mind it can be done.

Eat before you go shopping Shop the perimeter of the grocery store Stick to your budget

I know, these rules seem too simple right. Well it’s easy to fall off track if you don’t practice them each and every time you go shopping. Let’s look at number one for example. I forgot to eat before I went to the grocery store one day and I came home with so much junk food, microwave meals and box dinners it wasn’t even funny. I started planning my meals the next day and when I read the nutrition labels on the boxes I was floored at how much sodium and sugar was in the products that I bought! Needless to say, some of those meals made me sick and I gained a lot of water weight that week. Surveys have shown that people who don’t eat before they shop tend to impulse shop more that people who eat before a shopping trip. After my experience, I make sure I eat before any shopping trip, even when I got to buy clothes. This tip really works.

Next I make sure to shop the perimeter of the store. Let’s take a look at what products are on the outside of the store; fresh bread, produce, meat, and dairy products. These items are on the outside because they have a shorter shelf life and have to be changed out more often if not purchase in time. Shopping in these areas every week will guarantee that you’ll be eating foods that are fresh and healthy, but they can be expensive if you decide to buy the organic items. This is where the last rule comes into play. Stick to your budget. If the steak looks good, but you have chicken in your budget this week, then get the chicken and put steak in your budget for next week. If you ate a little something before you went shopping, then the steak shouldn’t temp your taste buds that much. Try just one of these rules for a month and watch what happens. You’ll save a little money, start to eat healthier and lose weight all at the same time.