Eating healthy is important for your well-being, but there is a common notion that healthy foods are expensive. Thankfully, that couldn’t be further from the truth! We’ve got some strategies to share for how you can stock your fridge and pantry with healthy ingredients without breaking the bank.

Plan Your Meals

Those quick trips to the grocery store when you’re in the middle of cooking dinner sure to add up! To avoid blowing your grocery budget by spending your hard-earned money on last-minute grocery shops, plan your meals ahead of time and shop for a whole week’s worth of ingredients at once. That way, you’re only buying foods you know you’ll eat, meaning no more money gets wasted on food you end up throwing out. It also means that you can choose healthy recipes that contribute to a balanced diet. When you don’t have unhealthy foods in the house, you won’t eat them.

Shop Seasonally

Local food that is in season is not only at its peak in terms of nutrients and flavor, but it’s also often cheaper than buying other foods that are out of season. While you may think that only fruits and vegetables can be bought seasonally, fish is available seasonally as well, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to save by shopping seasonally.

Don’t Shop When You’re Hungry

Shopping while hungry is a recipe for overspending at the grocery store. When you’re hungry, you often crave sugar and junk food and may end up buying things that are not on your shopping list. As a result, you end up spending more money than you planned. Make sure you have a piece of fruit or a granola bar before you grocery shop to ward off those hunger pangs.

Grow Some of Your Own Food

You don’t need to have a green thumb to grow your own foods. Some veggies like radishes, peas and beans don’t need much space to grow and are easy to maintain. If you’re really low on space, try growing your own herbs on your windowsill. Some easy herbs to start with include:

• Mint
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Basil
• Rosemary
• Chives
• Tarragon

Growing your own food saves you money and it also gives you a sense of pride when you cook with the veggies and herbs you planted, tended and harvested yourself.

Buy in Bulk

Buying large batches of healthy foods that can be frozen is a way to get a bulk discount. Costco is a great example of a grocery store that offers incredible deals when you buy large quantities of a single item. They offer a wide selection of healthy products, so be sure you make plenty of room in your freezer and pantry before making the trip! Look for things like frozen Tilapia and berries, great deals on nuts and seeds, and lots of fresh vegetables you can use in these easy-to-freeze recipes. While you may spend more than you’re used to spending in a single trip, your dollar will stretch much further than if you were to buy each product in smaller quantities.

While many people think that eating healthy means spending a lot of money at the grocery store, try using these strategies next time you go grocery shopping and watch the savings add up!

Image Credits: Lisa Davies, Lukas Budimaier, Skitterphoto.com