Save over 50% on food by eating healthy

People often think that “healthy” foods can be expensive, but the truth is that some of the most nutritious foods can also be the cheapest -- and the most delicious.

What’s more, foods that are good for your body also tend to be good for the environment, from less processing to fewer food miles. 

We’ve identified four simple tips to save over 50% off your monthly food bills. This factors in the ratio of what Americans spend on produce, meat, and other grocery products, plus how much we usually eat out at restaurants. Follow these ideas and you'll not only save money, but you'll get started eating healthy and eco-friendly.

Already a frugal foodie?  Read on, we’ve got something for you too.

Simple steps

1. Go seasonal.
Savings: 30% to 60% off buying produce year-round.

If you’re looking for fresh raspberries in January, you’ll have to pay as much as $6 for a half pint of bland berries flown in from Guatemala.

But if you buy them in July, U.S.-grown raspberries will cost you just a couple of dollars. They’ll also be fresher, taste better, and contain more nutrients.

Take advantage of summer’s bounty (while going easy on your wallet) by stocking up on all the delicious veggies and fruit overflowing at the markets now: corn, lettuces, summer squash, berries, and peaches.  Try buying extra and stocking your freezer to enjoy your local produce mid-winter.

2. Buy in bulk. 
Savings: 40% to 50% off regularly packaged items.

Many stores offer bulk bin items, and it’s a great way to save a ton of money. Groceries cost a lot less when they aren’t wrapped in fancy, expensive packages. Savings average 40% to 50%, but can be far higher.

For example, a regular package of oats at the grocery store costs around $2.94/lb. Buy them at a bulk foods store and you’ll pay $0.66/lb, almost 80% less.

Buying items with less packaging also helps the environment by reducing the amount of waste you send to the landfill. Buy your grains, nuts, beans, and spices in bulk if you can. Store your grains and nuts in glass jars in the fridge to keep them fresher longer.

3. Buy generic.
Savings: Average 40% off national brands.

Whole Foods’ “365″ brand of garbanzo beans costs $1.69. The competitors’ brands on the next shelf cost up to $3.99.  ‘Nuff said.

4. Eat at home.
Save: 80% or more.

It’s not a big surprise that it costs a lot more money to eat out than to eat at home. But have you ever sat down and really crunched the numbers?

You might be alarmed by the results, which generally average anywhere from a savings of $20 to $100 a week if you brown-bag it.

But besides saving you money, cooking your own meals gives you a huge health advantage since you control exactly what goes into your food. Plus, it usually doesn’t cost that much more to double a recipe when you’ve already got most of the ingredients on hand. So make a double batch of your dinners and bring the leftovers to work for lunch.

You can visit bankrate.com’s lunch savings calculator and do the math yourself: Input your numbers on what you’re spending now for lunch, how much you’d be spending if you made it at home, and you can easily figure out your savings.

Ready to do more?

Advanced ideas for the frugal foodie

1. Can it.

Slip on your apron and get retro in the kitchen. Canning is making a comeback, and for good reason: It’s an inexpensive way to stretch out fresh produce throughout the year, and it makes a great gift, too.

For instance, you can bottle your own maraschino cherries by soaking local sour cherries in cherry liquor, leaving you (and friends) with a delicious cocktail garnish without the scary artificial colorings or preservatives.

But it goes beyond cherries: You can easily can jams and jellies, pickles, beets, and beans for a cheap taste of summer in January.

Check out the National Center for Food Preserving and the Jarden Home Brands (makers of Bell and Kerr jars) for step-by-step instructions and instructional videos.

2. Eat beans, grains, and eggs.

Dried or canned, beans give you a tremendous bang for your buck. Filled with plant-based protein, beans (or legumes) enhance endurance and contain a highly usable, highly absorbable source of calcium for the body. Beans are a very inexpensive source of serious nutrition.

Eggs are another low-cost, delicious protein, and they cook up in mere minutes. Keep in mind that eggs are one of the most important foods to buy organic, so splurge a little -- about 12 cents more per egg, on average -- and get the cage-free, organic variety.

Grains are also cheap, healthy nourishment, and they come in lots of fun varieties. Certain grains, like quinoa, are another surprising source of low-cost, filling protein. Experiment with different types and see what you like best.

3. Make soup.

Soups are an easy place to throw in a ton of healthy ingredients without a ton of work. It’s also easy to stretch out several meals from one big pot. Another money-saving tip: use water instead of canned broth in soup recipes. You can add some flavor by sprinkling extra herbs, spices, and sea salt in place of the broth.

Not thinking about soup in summer? Try these summer soup recipes that will win you over:

Buttermilk summer squash soup
Fresh corn soup topped with roasted corn guacamole
Chilled cazpacho

And here are a couple of fall recipes for when autumn rolls around:
Curried red lentil soup with chickpeas
Spicy pumpkin and split pea soup

4. Try nut butters.

Invest in a bottle of raw (unroasted), unsweetened nut butter and spread it on toast or mix it into yogurt or oatmeal for a low-cost, healthy protein. A little goes a long way and it will fill you up for hours.

If you feel the need for a little more sweetness, add a little bit of a natural sweetener like maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar.

More from ecomii:

• Kick sugar to the curb
• Find healthy and easy recipe ideas
• Healthy oils for every day cooking
• Your farmers’ market guide
• Seasonal allergy fighters for kids

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