09/17/2022
When purchasing nutrient rich groceries, there are several ways to get the healthy foods you need if you're on a tighter budget.
Typically, when shopping on a budget, the common advice is to use coupons. While coupons can be useful, and shopping in-season can help let's look at:
3 ways to get nutrient-rich foods on a budget
1๏ธโฃ. 1. Meal prep
Shop with intention and plan themed meals for the week. Think about meals that you plan to cook throughout the week before you even walk into the grocery store.
Reduce food waste and save money by having a plan for your fresh produce
When meal planning, take inventory of your pantry for non-perishables shelf-stable foods and everything in the fridge and freezer.
Let these top 10 food items live on your grocery list.
Protein (two items)
Grains/Carbohydrates (two items)
Fruits (two items)
Vegetables (one starchy, one non-starchy)
Add-ins (two items)
2๏ธโฃ. 2. Buy frozen and canned foods
Consider purchasing frozen or canned foods in place of some of the fresh foods you'd typically buy. These foods tend to cost less and will last longer than fresh ones, she says.
"There's plenty of variety, from fresh frozen green beans to chickpeas, and those are nutrient-dense foods. Be sure to look out for with canned items for sodium content.
For veggies, look for "no salt added" or low sodium while you are shopping. You can also drain and rinse canned vegetables to lower the sodium content.
For canned fruits, the concern is sugar content. Aim for choices with no sugar added, those canned in 100% juice or water, and unsweetened applesauce for lunch snacks.
3๏ธโฃ. Add protein alternatives
Meat and fish are pricier than most foods these days, and even if you're not on a plant-based diet, varying your protein sources as the foundation of one or two meals during the week could lower the price of your groceries.
Some alternatives include:
Pulses including lentil soup and chickpeas
Bean-based recipes like chili and or bean salad
Checkout our high protein plant based alternative resource for your next shopping trip.
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