Tag Archives: grocery shopping

Eat Healthy While Still Saving Money

Diana Johnson (@DianasaurDishes on Twitter) is a recipe developer, cooking instructor and food blogger who loves teaching people how easy and affordable healthy cooking can be. Visit DianasaurDishes.com for her delicious, easy and healthy recipes on a shoestring budget!

I work on a regular basis with low income families who are trying to change their eating habits. The biggest barrier they seem to have in common is not a lack of desire for healthy eating, but the feeling that healthy food is more expensive and therefore unattainable. Here are a few of my favorite tips for saving money on groceries in the quest for a healthy diet.

Utilize your freezer.
A freezer is one of the greatest tools you have. In fact, if you have room for a standalone freezer they’re easily found on Craigslist and can save you a lot of money in the long run. Fruits and vegetables are more affordable in season, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a variety of produce year round. Freezing is one of the least expensive methods of preserving. You can also create cheap recipes like soups and stews in bulk and freeze them in smaller portions for fast and easy dinners.

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Posted on October 18, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Private Labels Give National Brands Tough Competition for Nutritional Quality

Many shoppers associate national brands with higher quality and better nutrition than private labels, but in-house brands are often nutritionally equal and in some cases may be better for you, depending on your dietary needs.

A survey published in Consumer Reports found that 17 percent of respondents said that “name-brand foods are more nutritious,” but the same report showed that there’s often little to no difference between store brands and national brands. They did find that Kellogg’s Froot Loops have two more grams of fiber than Stop & Shop’s Fruit Swirls and that Ore-Ida fries have more sodium than Jewel’s. Store-brands often tout the same ingredients list as national products, and indeed, the nutrition labels confirm the similarity.

DietsInReview conducted our own informal study of 30 products at the Stop & Shop in Long Island City, New York. Like Consumer Reports, we found that many products had extremely similar nutritional values, and products such as fat-free milk, cream cheese and canned kale greens had identical nutritional values. We did not see any major trends when comparing sodium, fat or sugar in the national brands vs. the store brand.

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Posted on September 12, 2023 by Margaret

13 Ways to Eat Healthier on a Budget

By Michelle Schoffro Cook for Care2.com

A whopping 20 percent of Canadians can’t afford their homes according to a study released this week and I’m sure this statistic is comparable in the U.S. and other developed countries right now. The report went on to state that these people frequently chose unhealthy food options because they believed them to be cheaper and felt they couldn’t afford to eat healthy. So in my effort to help everyone who is watching their money (isn’t that just about everyone these days?) I have compiled some of my favorite ways to eat healthier on a budget.

1. Double or triple your normal recipes and freeze the leftovers. You’ll dramatically cut down the cost of buying prepared and packaged foods. And, you’ll eat healthier when you’re tired or in a pinch for time.

2. Use seasonal produce as much as possible. When food is in season it is cheaper. Plus, you’ll be doing your part for the environment by eating more locally grown food.

3. Watch for sales. Plan your meals around some of the cheaper sale items you find.

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Posted on August 26, 2023 by GuestBlogger

What ‘Local’ Really Means to Your Grocery Store

This winter, Wal-Mart announced their plans to bring more local produce to their stores across the United States. The announcement is perhaps one of the most visible indications that the local foods movement has hit the mainstream, as it gains followers for both economic and environmental reasons. Yet it is necessary to approach such an announcement with a dose of skepticism when it comes from a company that seems to be driven so heavily by the bottom line.

Some have criticized Wal-Mart’s new policy to promote local food as little more than a marketing ploy, and have accused the company of re-labeling products they already procure locally. However, in a recent Wall Street Journal article, Wal-Mart says that the consumer demand for local produce is aligned with cost-savings objectives. Wal-Mart, like many other national chains, says that they can save money on transportation by purchasing food near to its point of sale and also cut down on waste due to food spoilage. In a press release, the company announced that they hope to source up to nine percent of all produce locally.

Many grocery stores also spotlight their local produce, although the definition of “local” is depends on the store. Here is a look at how some of the major grocery chains defined local produce.
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Posted on August 15, 2023 by Margaret

Cost of Eating Healthy Should not Cost You Your Health

As the economic times seem to get leaner, it’s getting more difficult to afford the groceries we need to keep up with the nutritional guidelines. Whether the cost of food has gone up or the income of the average American has dropped, shopping for optimal health isn’t as simple as it once was. There are options and ways to avoid throwing in the towel in the battle for better health.

The numbers were crunched and the cost of meeting the recommended daily requirements of “My Plate,” the new U.S. nutritional guideline, will cost an extra $7.28 a week. This dollar amount is factoring in that “My Plate” calls for more consumption of potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin D, and calcium rich foods.

Most of these nutrients can be obtained from healthy foods that tend to cost more at the grocery store. Let us help with some easy cost-cutting suggestions that do not cut the quality of your food.

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Posted on August 9, 2023 by Lacy

Top 10 Must-Haves on Your Grocery List for Weight Loss

When you lead a busy life, grocery shopping can be a time-consuming chore. If you’re beginning a new diet, you have probably seen a number of resources that offer sample grocery lists and suggested items that deserve a permanent place in your pantry or refrigerator.

While those lists can be helpful, they are sometimes more confusing than useful. Recently, we caught up with Caroline Cederquist, M.D. and founder of BistroMD, a gourmet meal delivery service developed by physicians. Cederquist shared her top ten grocery list items that she recommends patients purchase when they want to eat a healthier diet.

“The shopping list consists of top 10 mainstay items that help you stay on track, lose weight, and add lots of flavor to meals and snacks,” Cederquist said. “A lot of these items can also be used to substitute higher calorie foods for healthier ones.”

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Posted on August 3, 2023 by Maris

Major Grocery Stores Commit to Bringing Healthy and Affordable Produce to “Food Deserts”

First lady Michelle Obama and the Partnership for a Healthier America announced yesterday that they are working with a number of major grocery retailers to bring affordable, healthy food to areas that desperately need them. “Make no mistake about it, this is a big deal,” said Obama during yesterday’s press conference. The partnering companies have agreed to open or expand over 1,500 stores combined, according to PR Newswire.

Stores participating in the initiative include Walmart, Walgreens, Brown’s Super Stores, Calhoun Enterprises, Klein’s Family Markets and Supervalu. Walmart has been an early supporter of Obama’s initiative to fight childhood obesity. Earlier this year, they announced plans to reduce the sugar and sodium content of their in-house brands and is now committing to building or expanding 300 stores. Additionally, the California Endowment has pledged to give $200 million through the FreshWorks Fund for new, independent retail channels and food distribution programs in California.

According to Partnership for a Healthier America, these efforts will provide nearly 10 million Americans with the ability to buy fresh produce close to their homes. An estimated 23.5 million Americans currently live in low-income “food deserts” where there are no stores likely to sell nutritious foods at a reasonable cost. Michelle Obama has explained that getting businesses to take this kind of active role is key to the success of programs like Let Move!

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Posted on July 21, 2023 by Margaret

Pay with Cash to Stick to a Healthy Grocery List

For years, we’ve heard that the way to stick to a budget at the grocery store is to avoid paying with credit and go to a cash only system. Now, a new study has shown that paying for groceries with cash may be good for the waistline as well.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Consumer Research, found that shoppers were more likely to buy items considered “unhealthy” when they paid with credit or debit cards than if they paid with cash. You might think that a person who paid with a debit card would be as conscious of spending as a person with cash, due to the fact that a debit card drafts money from your account immediately. The study showed the opposite, even when the subjects completed their shopping in a computer simulated task.

When you are trying to eat healthy, sticking to a budget and a well planned out grocery list can be one of your greatest tools. Grocery stores are designed to part you from your money, and the areas that are on eye level are often full of the foods that are the least diet-friendly. Companies often pay extra for the “prime real estate” and they place the foods with the greatest income potential in those sections.

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Posted on July 12, 2023 by Carmen

How Grocery Stores Can Help Us Eat Healthy

Supermarkets are typically laid out to encourage costumers to make as many purchases as possible. The most frequented areas of the grocery store, such as the ends of aisles, are occupied by highest bidder. These choices are driven by profit margins, and not with the shopper’s health in mind.

But what if encouraging healthy purchases were a grocery store’s priority? The Marketplace Health Desk at WHYY public radio in Philadelphia takes a look at this topic. They interview Karen Glanz, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania who has done extensive research in consumer habits in supermarkets. She explains that she’s “trying to learn from what commercial marketers have been doing all along, see if we can’t turn that to health advantage.”

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Posted on June 14, 2023 by Health Buzz

Learn How to Coupon to Save on Healthy Groceries

Turn on the television or pick up a magazine and you can’t avoid seeing the latest craze – Extreme Couponing. It’s a full time job for many women and it’s become the next big thing. TV shows spotlight shoppers who pay next to nothing for cart after cart of merchandise, and cameras focus on closets of toothpaste and basements full of toilet paper. You can’t help but be interested; after all, who among us hasn’t fantasized about being paid to shop and bring home food for free?

Having a larger than normal size family, I’m always interested in trying to cut my large food bill. The most I’ve ever been able to save is about $25, and although I’m happy to accomplish at least that much of a savings, I’d love to do better. I’ve thought for quite a while about trying to use coupons more successfully, but having spent some time cutting coupons from my local paper I’ve noticed that there’s just one small problem: The vast majority of the coupons I’ve seen have been for heavily processed, high fat or high calorie foods that my family just doesn’t eat. Is it just the reality of extreme couponing that you will have to sacrifice eating healthy in order to save money?

Stephanie Nelson, the Coupon Mom, has a philosophy she refers to as strategic shopping to help save money at the grocery store. “Strategic shopping is not changing the way you eat, it is about changing the way you buy the food that you like. If you are working on losing weight, improving your health, improving your family’s health or all of the above, it is possible to do that while saving money on groceries when you know how to be a Strategic Shopper.” (more…)

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Carmen

Finding the Best Healthy Deals at Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market often gets a bad rap for being overpriced, as do many other grocery stores or markets that specialize in organic or natural products. Making a commitment to buying just organic produce may mean spending a greater percentage of your disposable income on food. That said, here are few ways to cut down on your grocery bill at Whole Foods Market.

First off, avoid the pre-prepared dishes. At almost any grocery store, there’s a higher mark-up for convenience items, and Whole Foods is no different. You’ll pay much more per ounce for a salad that is pre-prepared than you would buying all the ingredients individually. The same goes for pre-packaged produce items. For example, any produce that’s been chopped and shrink wrapped will be more expensive than something sold by weight.

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Posted on May 2, 2023 by Margaret

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