You are what you eat: financially and otherwise

How many times have you left the grocery store with a small number of bags, but a big dent in your wallet?

No doubt that most of your monthly spending is directed towards feeding your family and probably represents your biggest challenge in terms of trying to get more mileage out of the dollars that you do have.

You’ve heard the adage “You are what you eat”. This has application both in terms of your family’s health and in terms of their financial well-being. Here are some tips to boost your grocery spending power:

Get Healthy, Get Wealthy

Eating right is not only good for your health; it has a direct correlation with making your grocery dollars work more efficiently.

For starters, cut junk food off the list. Your waistline, your children’s energy (and behaviour) levels and your wallet will all thank you. Junk food is the definition of impulse spending- not necessary but yummy.

All things in moderation….

Attach Dollar Value to Nutritional Value

Incorporate in your list food that pack nutritional punch, but for a lower dollar amount. Always have on hand things like eggs, legumes, nuts and yogurt.

These are all items that, when you break them down with cost per serving compared to the fuel, nutrients and vitamins that they provide, become a no-brainer to fill your shopping cart.

Convenience is Costly

Wherever possible, leave the frozen lasagnas and prepared foods on the shelf.

Not only do these easily cost two or three times what it would cost you to make them yourself, the amount of sodium and other weird, toxic-sounding ingredients that are in these foods are not doing your healthy eating plan any favours.

Think Local

Consider what produce is in season, and buy locally. You generally save on the cost of these foods. Also the quality and quantity is often higher too.

Plus you support your local growers in the process!