With the recent increase in the petrol price, the cost of food will without a doubt go up as well. As these rising costs loom, you may find yourself wanting to save money on your grocery bill by cutting out the seemingly more expensive healthy foods.
You don’t have to fork out more than you can afford – and stay healthy – with our clever grocery shopping saving tips:
Plan ahead
Take an inventory of what you have at home already, so that you don’t overbuy. Create a detailed shopping list based on your needs and plan a weekly menu, taking into account how you plan on using leftovers.
Download your weekly menu and shopping list planner here.
Have a snack before going out
Have a light snack before you go shopping, and stick to your grocery list to avoid impulse buys.
Look out for specials
Before you embark on your weekly shopping trip, check the Pick n Pay, Spar, Checkers, Woolworths, Shoprite and other store pamphlets to see what specials are on that week. Use your rewards cards (if you belong to any rewards programmes) to save on products.
Healthier choices are cheaper in the long run
Believe it or not, but eating healthier can actually save you money. A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that when families follow a more healthy diet, they not only lost weight, but reduced their food budgets as well.
How is this possible? The savings came from reducing portion sizes and from buying fewer high-calorie products that tend to increase your grocery spend, such as fizzy drinks, biscuits and chips.
Choose frozen, canned or dried foods
Try using frozen, canned or dried foods next time you gather ingredients for a recipe. They are usually less expensive than the fresh alternatives, but just as nutritious.
Save on protein foods
Substitute more expensive proteins, such as meat, fish and chicken, with beans, eggs, legumes and tofu when possible. Eggs are a great source of protein and you can have them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Save money on store brands
Store brands are often cheaper than the more expensive national brands.
Xanet is an award-winning journalist and Living and Loving’s digital editor. She has won numerous awards for her health and wellness articles and was a finalist for the Discovery Journalist of the Year in 2009 and again in 2011 for the Discovery Best Health Consumer Reporting and Feature Writing category. She is responsible for our online presence across social media channels and makes sure our moms have fresh and interesting articles to read every day. Learn more about Xanet Scheepers.