Keeping More “Greens” in your Wallet – Tips for Healthy Groceries on a Budget – Part 1

One of the complaints people often make about trying to transition and eat a more healthy diet is that it “costs more”.  While it is true that some specialty ingredients may be more expensive than their massively produced and cheaper counterparts, there are many other costs associated with not eating a healthy diet and the risks of ill health: lost time from work due to illness, medical costs and procedures, and the real costs that can’t be measured – your emotional, physical, and yes, even spiritual well-being.

The best way to learn something new is to ask someone who’s already doing what you want to do successfully.  One of our green smoothie program participants is offering to share her tips with you on making the most of your greens… the ones you have in your wallet!

Menu Planning Saves Time and Money

- by Loretta Spivey

Tip #1

I have no idea what I’d do without my weekly menu planner.  This business of waking up in the morning and giving my kids cold cereal or a sugary toaster thingy just rubs me the wrong way.  And it takes way too much energy to stop and think up something tasty, healthy and budget friendly on a daily basis.

So, here is what I figured out.  Once a week, usually on Sunday morning, I wake up and curl up with my laptop and my menu plan sheet for the week. The sheet has three columns going down and eight (one for each day of the week and shopping list) going across.  I plan breakfast, lunch (usually to go items the kids can pack for themselves) and dinner. The last column lists the items needed to prepare the specific menu items.

Why take 30 precious minutes on a Sunday to make a menu for the week? It’s simple:

1.      It saves me at least that much time each day in thinking about and planning meals, checking to see if I have the ingredients and/or running to the store.  Plus, once you do it for a month or six weeks you can then just rotate menus or make minor edits and you are on your way.

2.      It saves me stress.  Once the menu is done, it’s done.  I don’t have to think about it any more; I just execute.

3.      The biggest reason though is that is saves MONEY.  You know how it is, you run into the store to get three items and come out having spent $70.00 (or more!).   I am on a very tight food budget and running into the grocery store several times each week is a SURE FIRE way to blow the budget.

Bonus Benefit.  Teaches my children the value of planning AND teaches them the importance of operating within a budget.

Take a little extra time early in the week and watch the saved time add up. You’ll be glad you did.

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Tomorrow, come back for Loretta’s second set of tips on food budgeting!!

Share a comment on today’s post and/or your OWN tips for healthy food budgeting, and once we read your comment we’ll send you a copy of Loretta’s Weekly Menu Planner Word document!  (be sure to include a valid e-mail address).