It can be challenging to keep your grocery bill down, but you can eat healthily and organically with smart shopping, baking, food planning and preparation.
1. Shop around the outside edge of the supermarket, as this is where the healthy natural food is. Processed packaged stuff is in the middle aisles.
2. Shop at farmers markets. I find the cheapest way to keep your food bill down is to buy your fruit and vege locally at farmers markets and in season. Great for you and great for the planet. Markets are great places to go to as well, especially in summer with live music and a nice community vibe.
3. Head to the butcher or fish market for protein. You can get good quality and good deals if you shop somewhere regularly.
4. Once a month head to the supermarket or organic store and stock up on your other items.
5. Another great way to keep your food bill down, is to grow your own veggies/herbs. This is great to do with your kids, as they get a kick out of eating something they helped grow. Its good fun for you too! There’s something really satisfying about putting your hands in the earth and tending and harvesting something you grew yourself.
6. Buying online is also a great option. Butchers deliver and so do supermarkets so no temptation to buy what you don’t need.
7. Check out organic fruit and vegetable delivery. Its exciting to get a box of goodness delivered to your door. I look forward to the goodies each week. (I really need to get out more I know) ☺
8. Shop smart and buy items in bulk that can be stored. Buy and freeze any meat and vegetables on special.
9. Don’t buy convenience foods. Plan and prepare food from scratch each week. This saves money and is better for your health AND waistline. If you prep ingredients on a weekend you can put a meal together really easily during the week.! Chop meat, vegetables and salad ingredients in preparation. Cook and bake snacks. Cook twice as much as you need and freeze the other portion for another meal.
10. Use a slow cooker; these are great time savers for busy mums. Do all the preparation early in the day, pop it in your slow cooker and you have a delicious dinner ready when you get home from a long day working or chauffeuring kids to after school activities.
