Budget and Diet Friendly Shopping Tips

When you're trying to break bad habits in order to eat healthier and cook more nutritious meals at home it can be a challenge. Not only is it difficult to cook healthy meals when you are used to eating out, but with the cost of living spiking so sharply along with the failing economy, it is also hard to afford. This is the first in a series of articles that will teach you strategies and tips to cook healthy, delicious and budget friendly meals.

Here are some basic shopping strategies for your budget as well as better health.

1) Buy store brands. A lot of people look down on generic brand foods, and in some cases it's true that the quality isn't as high. However, most grocery stores now have their own brands for just about every item in the store. These are different from other generic brands because their quality and taste are generally better. However, before you just throw those store brand tomatoes in your cart, always remember to check all prices. Sometimes there will be a great sale and it's more cost effective to buy the sale items.

2) Watch for good sales on basic staples and stock up. Check your grocery store circular for great sales on foods and items you eat and use every day, such as canned tomatoes, tuna fish, beans, peanut butter, and paper towels. These days a lot of stores offer buy one, get one free sales which can be a really great way to stock your pantry. A word of caution though - stay away from the items you don't need but you think you should buy because they're cheap. Foods that are low in nutrition such as high sugar granola bars, candy, cake or cookie mixes, and processed foods that are high in sodium and sugar aren't such a good deal if you're trying to clean up your diet and your budget.

3) Buy whole grains and complex carbs instead of quick-minute fix meals. I know that those packages of quickly prepared foods such as pasta and rice meals are easy and convenient, but they're also highly processed and more expensive than real rice, pasta, and beans. Not only do these foods usually contain a lot of fat, but they're also high in sodium and in some cases, sugar. These days just about everyone has a slow cooker, which makes it easy to create healthy and fresh meals in advance. Choose items such as brown rice, whole grain pastas, and your favorite types of beans - such as pinto, garbanzo, kidney, black, etc. You can cook dried beans in a slow cooker, or you can also use canned beans as long as you drain and rinse them because the liquid retains a lot of salt. Beans are also a great basis for nutritious dips of all kinds - think hummus, black bean dip, etc. They can be made up in large amounts and stored in small containers. You can use them for lunch or freeze them for later use.

4) Assess your coupons. Coupons can be a real money-saver, but they can also be a great way to waste money and fill you kitchen with junk. Look for coupons for foods that you really use and need. Do you really need two boxes of sugar packed cereal? Do you really want to try a new product made out of greasy, fat packed sausage? Maybe you do, but if you're trying to get healthy these coupons will do you no favors. Also be wary of coupons where you're required to buy two or more of something in order to receive the discount. If it's something you end up not liking you might as well throw the money into the garbage. Remember that just because you have a coupon for something doesn't mean you have to, or need to buy it.

5) Make a list and stick to it. If you just have a general idea of what you need when you head to the grocery store, chances are that you'll forget at least one item. That means another trip to the store - and how often do you run in and just buy that one thing? Also, if you stick to your list and resist impulse buying you can stick to your budget and your plan. Of course if you see a super deal it's great to pick it up at the time, but sticking to your list enables you to know exactly how much money you will spend each time you enter the grocery store, which is important when you have to stretch your paycheck.

6) Stock up on frozen vegetables. Frozen vegetables taste just about as good as fresh ones because they are flash frozen. You can buy large bags of frozen veggies for a lot less than fresh, especially if the vegetable is out of season. You can be sure that you will always have nutritious veggies to add to your soups, pastas, casseroles and sides as long as you have frozen ones at hand. Purchase bags of frozen broccoli, corn, spinach, carrots, peas, and whatever else your family likes. Most frozen veggies can be added directly to what you're preparing without defrosting, although spinach usually needs to be thawed and drained because of its high water content. You can also find more exotic, expensive veggies that are cheaper frozen, such as edamame and artichoke hearts.

These simple strategies can help you to trim not only your budget but your waistline. If you just take a few minutes here and there to plan and detail your meals and trips to the store than you can save valuable dollars and time. If you find these ideas helpful than stay tuned for further articles on this subject about specific recipes, meal plans and more budget planning options.