Creatively Frugal Healthy Eating

If you are one of those people who chooses organic and all-natural foods, how do you save money on this expenditure?

"For years I've tried to eat healthy with varying success. The biggest cost saver is to grow your own. Right now I have tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, squash, cucumbers, mesclun, and garlic available in my garden. Freeze, can or dry any extra (I prefer freezing because I can do a little at a time and it tastes better.) Grow sprouts in the winter to add fresh food to your diet.

Join a co-op. The food is more expensive than the grocery store but less than a health food store. You can also buy organic foods now at the grocery store. Watch the ads because sometimes they put them on sale. Shop at a local farmers market. Many small local growers use little or no chemicals. Ask them - most of the time it's the grower or a family member doing the selling and they can tell you.

Read--some commercially available fruits and vegetables need a lot of spray to bring them to market in a perfect condition and others need very little. Find out which is which and concentrate your organic purchases on those that would have the most residue if purchased normally." ~ Sandra

"Because our health food store is so expensive, I often buy my organic veggies from the farm itself. Our town puts out a brochure with all the local farms (organic & otherwise); many have fencegate food stalls, and the hours are posted. There are also ads in our newspaper each week from local organic farmers letting us know where they are and what they offer. You save quite a bit! Of course, I'm now in the middle of bulk cooking for my freezer. It makes sense when you do find them at a better price to prepare more and freeze it for the fall and winter when it isn't available." ~ Judy

"I buy some things such as figs at an Amish store here in Ohio. I buy almonds at Sam’s Club and get my tofu with double coupons at Meijer. Shop around and compare prices." ~ Sharon

"I have had reversal of major health problems by eating drastically different than what I grew up eating. Also, this is my 4th and by far most healthy
pregnancy, which I am attributing to healthier eating. A few ways that help to keep our costs down are: (FIRST AND FOREMOST): Pray and ask God to give you wisdom in changing your eating and lifestyle habits in order to be a better steward to your body and in order to glorify Him. Not many people can afford to change everything all at once and God will give you wisdom in prioritizing where to start.

1) Buy organic fruits and veggies that are in season as we can afford it--when we can't I just make sure to use my veggie wash especially well (which needs to be used on organics as well)
2) Look for organic local farmers to buy directly from or to trade with---this includes meats and milk as well as fruits and veggies
3) Join and buy from a buying club such as Blooming Prairie or Northfarm or whichever one delivers to your area
4) Fix as many things from scratch as you can versus buying organic ‘convenience items’
5) Grow a garden---or even just a few things that your family eats a lot of and then freeze, dry or can items
6) Buy wheat berries and mill your own flour--- makes it very cheap to have good whole grain breads and pastries
7) Start changing over just a few items on your grocery list at a time and gradually change over more as you go (start with the things that carry the most pesticides first).
8) Take a good whole food multivitamin and probiotic.
9) Buy a water filter or reverse osmosis system to make sure you're drinking good water.

Even though buying these things are a little more expensive. we've noticed it evens out pretty well when we're not paying as much for trips to the doctor (bills and traveling costs) and medications, not buying as many convenience items or snacks and have more energy and good health for better quality time." ~ Tori <><

rogr a 10% discount! I called to confirm this, then went in on the 29th day and
paid the discounted amount. I had to juggle to do it, but saved $20!" ~ Becki in Logansport, Indiana

 "The first thing that I suggest is to find a large health food chain such as Trader Joe’s, Natural Foods, or City Market. They are larger stores (versus the smaller family owned ones) and are able to buy in bulk. Bulk buying by the stores helps the consumer by offering better prices. Avoid buying healthy items at Albertson's, Kroger, etc. Their prices tend to be very high unless something is on sale.

If you eliminate all or most of the junk food and convenience food purchases you will have plenty left over for healthy alternatives! Junk food and convenience foods are always higher priced. Eliminating them from your grocery list will free up the funds to purchase those natural alternatives. Baking your own cookies, pastries, making your own ice cream, salad dressings, etc., saves lots of money. You may need to purchase some equipment if you don’t have it already but it will pay for itself in no time.

Purchasing fruits, veggies, eggs, etc. at farmers markets can save you lots of money for those healthy products too. Find out where they are in your area and work it into your schedule to go weekly or biweekly for fresh veggies, fruits, etc. Also, learn to eat and enjoy what is in season. If it is out of season, it is going to cost you more!

Lastly, pray. I have found that praying for help in making the right choices for my family, having the money to purchase those things that tend to be more expensive but healthier, and also my family being satisfied with what is provided has done wonders for us." ~ Suzanne

"Since our daughter has food allergies (to wheat), eating healthy and finding ways to cut the cost has become a way of life in our family. We found a food coop that carries the organic food, etc. We can also buy 25 lbs of beans, special flours, rice, etc when we need it. What I have found out is I am better off buying one package in the health food store to make sure we like it before we buy a case through the food coop. Otherwise I am wasting money if no one will eat it." ~ Heather

"A common misconception about eating healthy is that it is too expensive. While it's true that five pounds of organically grown out-of-season fruit does cost more than a five pound bag of chips, there are some things you can do to reduce the cost.

*You don't want to throw out the entire contents of your kitchen at once, replacing everything with strange foods that your family will turn up their noses at! A more prudent approach would be to take ‘baby steps’ when transitioning from the standard American diet to a more natural alternative.

*Drink water, not sodas, juices and soft drinks. An occasional treat of juice served with a meal is a wonderful thing, but for all day long
drinks, there's nothing like water - and it's free!

*When planning your meals, think first about a vegetable or two. Then add in a bit of meat, grains, and a fruit for dessert. This will not only help you keep the cost of the expensive meats down, but will help you fill that ‘five a day’ goal.

*Round out your meal with a whole grain. Steamed brown rice, barley pilaf cooked in a little chicken broth or bouillon, or an exotic grain like kamut, spelt or quinoa adds interest to a meal, and fills you up.

*Beans are a life-saver for a struggling budget. They are a high-quality form of protein, offering great nutrition with very little fat and an even smaller cost! A little advance planning can help with their gassiness: If I have a bean meal planned for Monday, I'll make a note on
Sunday's dinner to soak the beans in the refrigerator overnight. This reduces the amount of bloating new bean eaters often experience. There's a great product called ‘Beano’ that can help you transition as well. But don't worry, your body adjusts to them after eating them for a while. If you must use canned beans, rinse them in a colander before adding them to your recipe to reduce their salt content.

*Eat fruit and vegetables that are in season. For example, asparagus is a spring vegetable. When I buy it in season, I can usually find it for a dollar a pound or less. But in September, the cost can easily skyrocket to $4 a pound!

*Real foods will fill the family up more completely and for a longer time. You might still want to look into a few snacks a day, especially during the transition period, but you will find the need for them will diminish as your body adjusts to getting its fuel from foods that burn a little slower. Fresh fruits, veggies, and a handful of raw nuts make wonderful snacks and there are ways to dress them up to make them acceptable for even picky eaters.

*Get help. There are great ‘real food’ cookbooks on the shelves of your local library. There are Internet groups and newsletters devoted to the topic. Your health food store might know someone living in your area who
is a local expert on the topic.

Real Food Living is a free weekly newsletter exploring different ways to eat and live a healthy lifestyle. From author and columnist Vickilynn Haycraft and her friends, Real Food Living shares tips and recipes from 4 different perspectives... Living as a 21st Century HomekeeperTM, Living Within a Budget, Living with Food Allergies and Vegetarian Living. To
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 "My husband and I took early retirement last year, knowing that we would have to grow most of our food in order to make ends meet. This goal has surpassed all our expectations and has opened up a whole new world for us. We buy our grains in bulk from the local
Mennonite store, grind them to make our own breads and pastas, and grow the rest. We've just spent the summer canning, freezing and drying and the pantry is full! Last month we spent $110 on food, and we fully expect
it to be only $75 or so in Sept. The longer we keep to this plan, the lower the grocery bills go. We've even gotten into beekeeping, and use our honey for all our sweetening needs, and plan to get a small flock of chickens next spring to provide us with eggs and meat. Currently the only meat we eat is farm-raised trout which we trade with the owner for our fresh bread. We call it our 'Loaves for Fishes' plan. We also go to ‘u pick’ places for apples, peaches and blueberries, as it will be several years before our new trees begin producing on their own. In short, we eat healthier, and for much less money than when we worked and had lots more income. We've discovered vegetarian cooking and the merits of getting our food locally. And we've lost weight and have perfect blood pressure and cholesterol levels!" ~ Two Young Fogeys

Editor's Note: Thanks to everyone who took the time to share his or her ideas!