Who wants to save money on their grocery bill in 2019? Turn it into a challenge and follow these 7 tips…

 In StoneAgeFuel

One of the biggest excuses I hear why people say they don’t eat healthy is because it’s expensive.

Money is always a touchy subject to broach, but it’s hard not to argue that if there’s something you should be willing to spend money on it’s your health…

Regardless, I’ll give it to you: There is some truth behind the eating healthy is expensive ‘excuse.’ It CAN be super pricey, especially if you’re buying organic everything and grass-fed, skinless, boneless chicken breast from Whole Foods. But it doesn’t HAVE to be as expensive as you think if you’re clever about it.

Here’s a challenge to you, if you’re into both saving money and eating healthy: Figure out what you spent on groceries in the last month and see how much you can PR your grocery bill in the first three months of 2019. Maybe even put the money aside each month. My guess is if you have been careless and lazy with your grocery shopping (and if you eat out a lot), you might have enough for a trip to Mexico at the end of the first quarter of the year:

Here are some 7 tips to set you in the right direction:

7. Don’t be a skinless, boneless chicken breast snob:

Though skinless, boneless chicken breast is easy and convenient, whole birds, or chicken thighs or breasts with the bone-in and the skin on are considerably less expensive. Yes, it might take a bit more work, but you can think about your trip to Mexico you’re earning as you peel the skin off and remove the meat from the bone.

Though I mock the skinless, boneless snobs, the concept applies to all types of protein. Many times we opt for the ultimate cuts of the cow, for example, when the less expensive cuts can be tasty, too, if cooked properly. Tenderloins make better steaks than eye of the round or flank steak, but there’s s time a place for all of the cuts. Just takes getting a little more creative in the kitchen. And adding seasoning. And always salt. And then more salt.

6. No reason turkey

You maybe have missed out on it this season already, but after a big occasion like Christmas or Thanksgiving turkeys go on massive sale, sometimes reduced to just 20 percent of their regular cost.

Though you might have turkey fatigue still at the time, buy one or two anyway and throw them in your freezer for later. If you buy a fresh, not frozen turkey, it’s obviously best to cook it up now, but you can still freeze the cooked meat for later, and boil the carcass and make a giant pot of turkey and wild rice soup and freeze it for when your turkey hangover has subsided.

And here are three other great things to make with turkey that make it taste less like boring old dry turkey:

– Turkey chill
– Turkey and sweet potato hash
– Turkey curry

Check out the above recipes, as well as more healthy turkey recipes, here: (https://blog.paleohacks.com/leftover-turkey-recipes/#)

5. Open-minded shopping

One of the biggest mistakes people make when shopping is being so tied to their list and what they planned to make for dinner that night that they miss out on great deals in the moment.

The better, more creative cook you are, the easier this will become, but if you’re someone who likes to buy fresh protein and vegetables frequently, sometimes it’s worth going shopping with an open mind about what dinner will be that night. Wait to decide what your protein will be until you see there’s a massive sale on chicken thighs.

Even if you don’t intend to use something that day or even that week, when you see a sale that’s too good to pass up, buy the food and freeze for later.

4. Selectively organic

If you are into buying organic everything, beware that buying organic everything isn’t always necessary. Check out this article that talks about the foods that don’t need to be organic, including produce such as avocados, sweet potatoes, mangoes, and pineapple: (https://www.mamavation.com/featured/save-money-13-foods-dont-need-organic.html)

3. Use your own kitchen

This one’s a no-brainer, but eating out instead of batch cooking at home is the easiest way to crush your wallet. You could spend well on womens wallets and getting the latest duds, but eating out everyday takes out one of the biggest chunks of money out of your bank balance. That $18 rice and chicken bowl you buy at lunch would probably cost you $5 if you made it at home and took it to work to warm-up there. (Not to mention, it’ll probably be healthier because you know exactly what you’re putting in, and you’ll be able to add more protein and reduce the carbs a little more).

I like to recommend one food prep day per week for some serious batch cooking. Prepare lunches for the week and boom!

2. Multiple stores

I know it’s a pain in the ass to stop at multiple stores, but maybe spread it out over two or three days. Some places are best for produce, other places for protein. Take advantage of each and you’ll be surprised how much you can save.

To keep you motivated for that extra stop: Put a little post-it note on your dashboard that says MEXICO to remind you of the savings you’re accumulating by making that extra stop…

1. Avoid Waste

It’s super easy to put leftovers in the back of your fridge and forget about them. Or maybe you just grow bored of them and purposely throw them out. Just like the turkey theory, it’s worth looking up recipes you can make to repurpose foods in creative ways.

Vegetables, which have a shelf life, are often thrown out. The best way to give these guys another chance is to get them into soups and stews, which also happen to be quite economical.

Bonus Tip:

Invest in a cow or a pig

This is more of long-term cost savings, but it can be a big saving in the course of a year. If you don’t have the freezer space for a full or even half a cow, then go in with a friend and buy a quarter cow each. And make sure to use all the various cuts of the animal.

Keep us posted on your monthly grocery bill savings, and feel free to share your best cost-saving tips!

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