21 Tips to Save Big on Groceries (& Still Eat Healthy)

Think you can’t eat healthy on a budget? Wrong! There are plenty of ways to save on groceries and still eat healthy.

I used to spend the same amount of money on a food budget for 2 adults that I now spend on our family of 4. And that was BEFORE we shifted our mindset towards the importance of nutrition on our overall health and well-being. It’s not impossible to eat healthy even if money is tight! Here is how we save thousands of $$$ each year on groceries without sacrificing nutrition:

How to save on groceries and still eat healthy

#1 Meal planning

The single biggest difference to our grocery bill was made when I started to plan meals ahead of time. Ever since I picked up meal planning, we’ve been spending considerably less money on food, and we eat a lot healthier, too.

When you shop knowing what your meals will be for the next few days, you are much less likely to waste money on perishables that will inevitably end up in the trash.

Tips to master meal planning:

• Start simple. Think about what you have cooked or eaten in the past week or two. Pick a few meals out of that list and write them down.
• Create a meal plan for each day based on how frequently you typically shop.

#2 Cook your own meals

If you hate to cook… I urge you NOT to skip to #3, because #2 is another KEY element of eating healthy on a budget. Even if you cook a small portion of your weekly meals, it will STILL make a big difference in the long run!

Ready-made meals tend to be filled with synthetic ingredients and unhealthy additives (stabilizers, preservatives, flavor enhancers, excessive sodium, etc.), but they’re also the next best way to blow your hard-earned money. Buying components of a meal and cooking the meal yourself is almost always substantially cheaper than having someone else make it for you.

#3 Learn to love leftovers

If you have any leftovers, save them for the next day’s meal, pack them up for work or school, or freeze them (if possible) and use another time.

Not a fan of eating leftovers? Only prepare or order what will be eaten to avoid unnecessary food waste (penny to penny, it all adds up).

#4 Grocery list

A thorough grocery list is the Holy Grail of eating healthy on a budget. Because when you pop into the grocery store unprepared, it can cost you – big time!

Shopping without a grocery list leads to overbuying which leads to food waste, and you know what that means. Overspending. You don’t want that if you’re conscious about your budget.

Believe it or not, it’s entirely possible to save a significant amount of cash each year on groceries by simply staying organized. Create your grocery list (based on your meal plan), and make it a goal to stick to it as much as possible. I’m not saying you can’t put a few extra things into the cart here and there… By all means, do reward yourself for your hard work!

#5 Limit foods of convenience

Convenience sells. But it’s also your worst enemy when you’re trying to save on groceries.

As tempting as it may be to reach for that package of pre-cut, pre-washed, pre-made anything, don’t. Do the extra work yourself and save a lot of money.

One special category with astronomical markups is individually packaged snacks. Instead of buying overpriced single packs of snack items, buy large bags and portion the servings out yourself using reusable containers or zip-lock bags (which, too, can be reused to a certain point). This is especially helpful for kids’ school lunches – you WILL see a clear difference in your grocery bill if you start doing this.

#6 Reduce spoilage

If a yogurt container or a carton of berries slide to the back of the fridge unnoticed, they will spoil and you’ll have to throw them out. Don’t you hate when that happens? Throwing spoiled food away is no different than tossing money in the garbage.

In order to save on groceries every month, only buy what you think you will use, check the content of your fridge regularly, and always keep foods that spoil quickly in the front of the refrigerator where you can see them.

#7 Don’t shop on an empty stomach

Eat something before you shop for groceries. Even if it’s a quick snack you throw down on the way to the store. It helps. Otherwise, temptation is going to hit hard.

#8 Be smart about sales

By all means, do shop the sales. Sales are a vital tool in trying to eat healthy on a budget. BUT…

Make sure you’ll find actual use for the things on sale that are about to land in your cart, and beware of their shelf life as well. If even a quarter of that stuff on sale ends up being chucked, you just threw your money in a raging bonfire. On the other hand, if something you buy regularly is deeply discounted and keeps for a long time (and you have the space for it), do fill up that cart!

If you don’t mind flipping through the pages of circulars of the stores you normally shop at, use the upcoming sales to your advantage for meal planning. This will help you reduce your grocery bill even further.

FYI: It’s not entirely uncommon for some stores to raise prices just before putting products on sale, so it pays off to be at least somewhat familiar with regular prices so you know you’re truly getting a good deal.

#9 Look up and down… and around!

Usually, the most expensive well marketed brands are placed on the shelves at the eye level. Why? Because the stores know that this is where shoppers are most likely to grab an item from, especially if they’re in a hurry.

If your goal is to save on groceries, pay attention to the products that are out of immediate reach as well – high up on the shelves, and low to the ground.

Most grocery and big box stores sell their own cheaper store-brand alternatives to popular well-known brands. In many cases, store-brand foods are just as good as their name-brand equivalents. In some cases, they might even be identical. BUT… they could also be inferior.

If you’re all about eating healthy on a budget, you’ll want to compare the lists of ingredients in addition to comparing prices. If there are extra additives in the cheaper product, it might not be worth it.

#10 Buy what’s in season

Buying a lot of produce in the wrong season can be a costly mistake.

Produce is plentiful and much cheaper when it’s in season. For example, berries and peaches don’t cost (or smell or taste) the same in the dead of winter as they do during the summer months… You’ve noticed, haven’t you?

Making a meal plan/shopping list around at least some seasonal fruits and vegetables can further reduce your monthly grocery bill. (This list can help you determine what’s in season at different times of the year.)

#11 Limit soda and juice drinks to special occasions

You know what’s NOT compatible with eating healthy on a budget? Soda and juice drinks (and other sugary drinks).

Take a pass on daily indulgence in soda and so-called juice drinks (that haven’t touched actual fruits in like, ever) if you’re trying to save on groceries and eat healthy.

#12 Skip bottled water

Buying bottled water on a regular basis can be a real budget killer. (It’s also a huge burden on the environment and pretty much everything that’s alive on the planet.)

You have two options – drink tap water, or invest in a water filter. If your tap water doesn’t taste good or you’re concerned about chemicals lingering in your municipal water supply, I’d suggest researching the topic of water filters and getting one that fits your budget. Even a simple water pitcher will make a difference in how the water tastes (the only downside is that it doesn’t filter out much in terms of chemical contaminants – but bottled water doesn’t give you any guarantees either).

#13 Use coupons

Use coupons if you have them, but no need to become an extreme couponer if your goal is to save money on groceries and eat healthy.

While any amount of store or manufacturer coupons you use will obviously increase your savings (especially when you use them on sale items, cha-ching!), most coupons in circulation are for unhealthy processed stuff. It’s much harder to come across coupons for healthy foods.

#14 Watch the price per unit

Usually it is less expensive to buy a larger item. But sometimes it’s not.

When smaller units are on sale, they might be cheaper than a larger package. Also, bigger isn’t always cheaper. Greater quantities are sometimes hiding in a smaller packaging.

#15 Eat less meat

Depending on what kind of meat you buy and how often, meat could be taking up a significant chunk of your monthly grocery bill. Organic, free range, largely natural diet-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free meat is a MUCH healthier alternative to factory-farmed meat, but it’s also significantly more expensive to buy on a regular basis. So the question is, how to save on groceries and buy better meat?

One way to reduce your grocery budget if you eat meat is to cut back on the consumption of meat. Many dishes can be made with no meat without affecting the taste. How do you feel about experimenting with 1-3 meatless days a week?

Or, when cooking with meat, make it so that the meat is not always the main ingredient and incorporate more vegetables and grains instead. A good substitute of meat are beans (always soak them before cooking if you start from dry beans to reduce the levels of an antinutrient called phytic acid that beans naturally contain, and dump the water).

#16 Limit trips to the grocery store

How many times have you said “I’ll just stop by to grab a few things…” and left the store with 12 bags of groceries?

When I shopped for food multiple times a week (to grab a few things), I ended up spending a lot more money and, ultimately, wasting a lot more food, too. 

If you can cut back on the trips you make to the grocery store per week, you should be able to see even more savings. (I started with shopping once a week, then further trimmed that down to once biweekly. By doing that I spend less money, waste less food, use less gas, and save a lot of time.)

#17 Buy in bulk

The first thing that comes to mind for bulk purchases is warehouse shopping clubs. There are both pros and cons to shopping at warehouse clubs. You’re only saving money IF you’re using up what you’re buying and IF the actual savings offset the cost of the membership and commute. This is a personal choice, so you’ll need to crunch some numbers here.

You can also ask at your regular grocery store if any discount is given for bulk purchases. For example, I know that Whole Foods Market gives 10% off on items bought by the case. Other stores may run similar deals, so it’s worth asking about.

#18 Grow your own food

Growing your own produce is another excellent tool in how to save on groceries and eat healthy. (Plus homegrown produce tastes much better than store-bought!)

You don’t need to be a seasoned gardener to successfully grow at least some food, and you don’t even need a ton of space to start. If you’re working with a small yard space, look into square foot gardening. For apartment dwellers with only a small patio, herbs might be a good choice. Herbs are low maintenance, and they can be pricey at the store.

If gardening is not your thing but you happen to have some seeds and yard space – don’t be afraid to throw seeds outside aimlessly. You might be surprised at the end result. (No need to stick to just seeds… We wouldn’t have found a rich potato harvest one fall had I not have thrown tiny withered potatoes in the berry patch in the early spring for the wild animals to eat after my aging compost bin fell apart. Talk about a delicious buried treasure!)

#19 Loyalty/rewards programs

If you shop at one of the many grocery chains that offer some sort of loyalty programs, you can stretch your grocery budget further by signing up. This concept has been around for a long time though the perks have evolved over the years.

There are also several popular apps for grocery shopping that are free and allow you to earn cash back on your purchases. I’m not a fan of mobile phone apps and relying on my phone too much, so I have never used any. But I know many people are happy with these apps.

#20 Review your receipt for accuracy

Mistakes happen. And they happen a lot, for a variety of reasons.

You’ll either need to pay close attention at checkout or go over your receipt at a later time to make sure everything rang up at the right price and volume. If you find a mistake, don’t be afraid to call the store, or stop by and ask for a correction.

#21 Use the right credit cards

If you don’t carry a balance on your credit cards and you’re able to pay the credit card off at the end of the billing cycle, use it to your advantage. Credit card companies offer all kinds of incentives from airline miles and hotel points to store-brand rewards or even straight cash back, and many credit cards have no annual fee.

My absolute favorite is the Gap/Old Navy credit card. The rewards I regularly earn with this credit card allow me to spend little to nothing on my kids’ everyday clothes. Free clothes for years on end for quickly growing kids? YES, PLEASE!

This is how you can save on groceries and eat healthy!

These tips are simple enough to start incorporating them right away, and the savings you’ll see are immediate.

With a proactive attitude and developing a few new (healthy!) habits, it is absolutely possible to eat healthy and nutritious foods without a serious dent in your bank account.

Eating healthy on a budget isn’t impossible. All that’s left to say is – enjoy all that extra cash!

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