Health Elevation on a budget: part 2

Save big at the store

So hopefully by now you have planned your week’s meals and penned down your shopping list (using the FREE templates available on the Part 1 of on Health Elevation on a budget). Now it is time to look at how you can save while actually at the store.

STEP 1: Eat something before you go!

Shopping on an empty stomach might cause you to make impulsive decisions by buying snacks and foods you don’t really need or haven’t planned on buying in the first place. Eating a filling and healthy snack or meal before you go will help you make decisions that are better for your health and wallet. Try to implement the 2-food-group snack rule: include at least 2 food groups in a snack to make the snack more filling – for example, an apple with nuts, yogurt and fruit or biltong with some Provitas.

STEP 2: Smart shopping tricks

• Check for store brands: often the store housebrands cost less than name brands.
• Save by looking up and down – the most expensive products are often placed at eye-level, while promotions are lower down or higher up on racks.
• Take items from the back – products placed at the back have later expiration dates and will therefore last longer. This tip is especially applicable when buying fresh products like produce, meats or dairy.
• Try and buy whole grains like whole wheat pasta and brown rice, snacks like nuts and seeds or dried fruit and biltong etc. in bulk; this is often cheaper.

STEP 3: Know how to read a price tag

Often we make the mistake for thinking something is cheaper simply because it costs less; however, when comparing the prices of products, it is important to understand the difference between the retail price and unit price in order to know which product really is better value for money.

• The retail price is the price that actually appears on the item
• The unit price is the price per kg/ml/l etc. – it is often printed in smaller numbers, and this is the price you want to use to really compare the prices of items.
• You can also calculate the unit price yourself by dividing the retail price with the amount of product (for example, kg) to compare the prices of items.

STEP 4: Buy smart

Cut costs with protein and dairy

• Include plant-based sources of protein in your weekly rotation like kidney beans, split peas and lentils. You can also add these to your meat dishes to bulk up the meat dishes while reducing costs.
• Buy meat in bulk or family packs and freeze what you don’t use.
• Incorporating some seafood into your diet does not have to be expensive – look out for canned tuna, salmon and sardines or frozen hake fillets for less pricey options.
• Buy larger-sized plain yogurt instead of individually packed flavoured yogurt, and then add sweetness and flavour yourself by mixing in fresh fruits when serving.
• Always check the sell-by dates on products to ensure you don’t buy something that is bound to go off before you have the chance to eat it.

Save with fruits and vegetables

• Buy in-season. Buying produce in-season is not only less expensive, but better for the environment and also have better flavour.
• Buy frozen produce if you have a freezer. Frozen produce often have as high nutritional value as fresh, and keeps for a long time, making it a good addition to your grocery list.
• You can also buy canned fruit and vegetables, which can be added to meals and also keep for a longer time than fresh produce. Look for fruit canned in 100% fruit juice and vegetables with “low-sodium” or “no salt added” on the label.
• Click the link below for a FREE downloadable PDF summarizing the seasonal produce in South Africa. Print it out, put it on your fridge and get saving!

ONE LAST TIP

The most important thing about health elevation on a budget is to be intentional. I once saw a quote that says, “Live less out of habit and more out of intent”. We often tend to buy things out of habit or things we don’t really need.

Be mindful and present when you are shopping and go with the intention to buy healthy things, and be on the lookout for small ways to save money. Remember that small changes will add up to bigger results in the long term.