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I’ve noticed a big difference in my grocery bill since I started eating healthier, and since I started eating only plant foods. People usually think that healthy eating costs more, but the truth is that the amount I spend on groceries has gone down – even when I buy all organic food.
A large part of the reason is that I don’t eat any meat, fish, eggs or dairy. Those foods are relatively expensive.
The other main reason is that I eat mostly whole foods, which I cook from scratch, and rarely buy anything pre-made, such as cookies, frozen meals or tomato sauce. You pay for convenience.
That’s not to say you should never get those things, but they do cost more. I like making things for myself, because I know I have control over what ingredients go into them. It just so happens that it’s also cheaper.
There’s the same convenience cost with baby-cut carrots, pre-washed lettuce mixes and pre-cut vegetables trays. If you’re trying to save money, go for the big carrots and the whole head of lettuce.
If you’re just setting up your kitchen and you need to buy spices, the cost can add up quickly, especially if you buy them in jars. If you can find spices sold in bulk they are much cheaper.
And you can buy jars separately. I got my own spice jars for about 50 cents each, and I just refill them when I need to. You can also save any jars you may have already purchased and reuse them.
If you can’t find bulk spices, you can at least keep your grocery costs more reasonable by only buying the ones you really need to start with. Spice mixes are a good option when you’re starting out, because they can give you a lot of flavors at once.
I also buy all my grains and dried beans in bulk. I keep them in glass jars at home, which keeps them from picking up other flavors and makes my cupboards easy to organize.
Note that buying in bulk can sometimes backfire, though. For example, if you buy a huge double-box of cereal because the price per gram is cheaper, chances are you’ll wind up eating more of it.
I bought a 2 lb container of blueberries once, which was awesome, but I don’t think it saved me any money. I just got to eat more blueberries.
Generally I try not to buy things in huge quantities, unless it’s something that doesn’t go bad, and then I hide it away so that I don’t fly through it.
Another major step you can take is to eat out less often. This will save you a ton of money in your overall food budget. Invite friends over for a meal instead, or have potluck dinner parties.
You don’t have to be a hermit to save money, and you can eat really healthily without spending a lot. Plus, if you save money on the basics, you can sometimes splurge on special ingredients or a meal at your favorite restaurant.