Tip 2. Among your healthy choices, buy low-cost foods exclusively.  Just because a particular food is a healthy choice, doesn't mean that it's budget friendly.  When our cash is in limited supply we can't afford to indulge in high priced foods, even when they are good for our health.  This means that fresh strawberries in January are a waste of money.  Sure they taste yummy and we all know how good they are for us, but at $5 a quart they are a foolish use of limited funds.  Ripe tangerines would be a much better buy.  They are just as luscious as strawberries, but in January you can get 5 whole pounds for that $5 instead of a few measly ounces. Within the realm of healthy foods there lies a full and satisfying niche of low-cost goods.  Our job is to seek them out, identify their strengths and weaknesses and then make ample use of them in our everyday cooking. Each area of the world has special items of food which are very abundant locally, and as a result, inexpensive.  In the South, sweet potatoes are abundant and inexpensive.  Where my folks live, the area is rich in green beans and corn, on the West coast it's apples to the North and tropical fruits to the South.  I've used produce for this example, but the same is true of all food groups.  One of the keys to improving our health and reducing our grocery bills is to discover all of the foods that are abundant and cheap in our local economy.  The weekly food ads published in the local newspaper will give us a good picture of which foods are on sale.  I make it a habit to check them every week. Loss Leaders are usually the best buys. A loss leader is an item the store is offering at a bargain price, in order to entice you to do your weekly shopping there.  Usually meats and produce top the list of loss leaders.  Some sales are better than others, so we have to compare the prices over time to discover which deals are the genuine bargains, and which are supermarket tricks.  When we keep abreast of current sale prices through the food ads we develop a feel for the markets' rhythms.  In the spring, chicken and strawberries go on sale, in the winter beef and cabbage are cheap.  When specific foods are abundant, the ads let us know by offering them at unusually low prices.  This is sometimes know as seasonal purchasing.  It means buying what ever is in greatest surplus, and thus being sold for the lowest price. Certain foods are relatively cheap in all parts of the country, and at all times of the year. Below you'll find a list of items that are economical, widely available, good tasting and good for us too.  We don't have to limit ourselves to these items only.  However, the more use we can make of these and our locally economical foods, the lower our grocery bills will consistently be. Breads & Cereals Converted or Parboiled White Rice Brown Rice Whole Wheat Flour Whole Grain Cornmeal Saltines with unsalted tops Graham Crackers Whole Grain Bread Unsweetened Hot Cereals Whole Wheat Spaghetti Whole Wheat Macaroni Plain Popcorn Rolled Oats Oat Bran Pearled Barley Store-brand Low-Sugar Cold Cereal Fruits & Vegetables Any fresh fruit or vegetable in peak season Plain fruits & vegetables frozen without added sugar or salt Canned fruits or vegetables without added sugar or salt Produce fresh from your own or a friend's garden Frozen Concentrated Fruit Juice Bottled Lemon Juice Apples Bananas Cabbage Carrots Celery Onions Oranges Potatoes Prunes Raisins Turnips Sweet Potatoes Meats & Protein Whole Eggs Egg Whites Dried Beans, all types Lentils or Split Peas Peanut Butter Canned Tuna or Salmon Whole Chicken Whole Turkey Chicken Breasts on Sale Ground Turkey Chicken Leg-Quarters Frozen Turkey Breast Frozen Fish Fillets Turkey Ham Turkey Bacon Turkey Sausage Lean Lunch Meats Lean Beef on Sale Regular Ground Beef, cooked, drained & rinsed to remove the fat Dairy Instant Nonfat Dry Milk Powder Reduced Fat Cheese that you shred yourself Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese Evaporated Milk Powdered buttermilk Plain Nonfat Yogurt Low Fat Cottage Cheese Fats Store Brand Olive Oil Vegetable Oil Store-brand margarine or butter Light Mayonnaise Condiments & Beverages Ketchup Yellow Mustard Salsa All fruit Jam or Spreads Low-Sugar Pancake Syrup Tea Low-Sodium Soy Sauce Worcestershire Sauce Vinegar, all kinds Hot Sauce Low-Sodium Broth Powder Pickles/Olives (in moderation) Baking, Sweets & Treats Honey & Molasses Baking Powder & Baking Soda Bulk Yeast Cornstarch Unflavored Gelatin Unsweetened Carob or Cocoa Carob or Chocolate Chips Sunflower Seeds Unsalted Peanuts Extracts & Flavorings Herbs & Spices Salt & Pepper Fresh Cool Water & Plenty of It. In your local stores there will be many other items too that are inexpensive and contribute to the success of your healthy eating plan.  Discover which ones they are and then collect appetizing methods of preparing them for everyday meals.  It will add needed variety to your family's diet and also keep those old feelings of deprivation from scratching at your door.  Plus, the more use we can make of these foods the more likely our food bill will drop permanently, along with our dress size. Home | Recipes | Dieting On A Budget | Other Goodies | Blog | Contact | Links  | HBHW Main Site Copyright Hillbilly Housewife 2005-2007