10 Budget-friendly tips for healthy eating

1. Use your smartphone and your smarts

Look for coupon and grocery apps on your phone (such as The Crazy Coupon Lady or Flipp) that make it easy to find deals at your favorite stores. If you’re also searching for appliances to make batch cooking easier, or storage containers for meal prepping, join your local Buy Nothing group on Facebook. Combining that with yard sales, you may find what you need at low or no cost.

2. Scan the refrigerator and pantry before you shop

Survey what’s in the refrigerator (including the freezer) and pantry; plan some recipes to use up what’s already there; and make a lean, mean shopping list with just essentials. There are lots of recipes online for meals designed to use up odds and ends. Not sure if something is still safe to eat? Check EatOrToss.com.

3. Avoid temptation by skipping the store

Home delivery of groceries might seem extravagant, but some stores have a modest yearly or monthly fee for all deliveries. If you’re not walking the aisles, you’re not tempted to buy things with low nutritional value. You can also see the total price as you add items to your virtual cart. If the total goes over budget, you can quickly remove items or swap for lower-priced alternatives. Many major grocery stores will accept SNAP as payment for grocery delivery, too!

4. Use government benefits to maximize healthy eating

Find out where farmer’s markets near you accept benefits such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), TANF  (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children). Look for special programs for seniors. There is also a SNAP Online Purchasing Program Pilot that might make online shopping available to you.

5. Embrace imperfection

Organizations like Misfits Market and Imperfect Foods sell high quality, nutritious foods at a discount due to small, unimportant flaws (like an odd shaped apple or a mis-glued label).

6. Shop to eat the rainbow

Different colored produce provide different nutrients to support our bodies. If you’re debating between yellow or green squash and you already have green beans, choose the yellow one, and check out purple cabbage or beets next. The Seasonal Food Guide lets you quickly identify what fresh produce is best in-season in your area. Check the freezer case, too, for deals and extra colors.

7. Bulk up for savings to help avoid takeout

When your essentials are on sale, buy as much as you can cook or store. Freeze or refrigerate extras in single-serve or family-sized portions. With healthy dishes already made, it’s less tempting to opt for takeout and delivery fees.

8. Connect with local resources

Use social media (e.g., Facebook groups) and your own networks to find local providers of low-cost, high-nutrition foods that might normally be expensive. For example, a nearby farmer might post giveaways of extra apples at the height of the season. In Philadelphia, Fishadelphia brings fresh seafood to diverse city communities, using a sliding scale fee.

9. Share the bounty of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and warehouse clubs

If you love straight-from-the-farm produce but are worried that you can’t use everything that shows up in a weekly CSA, join with a friend or neighbor and divide the weekly offerings based on your needs and preferences. At warehouse clubs that only sell very large quantities, consider shopping with fellow members at Costco or Sam's Club, where products are sold in bulk, then sharing what you purchase. You can divvy up the goods when you get home and maybe even carpool to save on gas.

10. Delegate your bargain hunting

If you don’t have the energy or mental focus for deal-hunting, talk to a friend or family member who has offered to help and is shopping savvy. Ask them to look for local sales each week, knowing what your family likes, and to find some healthy recipes that use those bargain ingredients. Many websites have recipes and videos to assist, such as Cook for Your Life, Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center, and American Institute for Cancer Research. Once you have that week’s list, you’re ready to shop, cook and save.

Each small step you take in the direction of healthier, more cost-effective eating makes a difference. Instead of trying to change everything at once, aim to try something each week. Try one app or website to help you get started. Once new habits become comfortable, take another step. Over time, you will move in the right direction, and you may find yourself feeling better while spending less.