Even if you know what healthy foods to choose, being able to pay for them can be difficult. If you want to eat healthier on a budget, try these five techniques.

Plan your meals. When it comes to saving money at the grocery store, planning is critical. You should set aside one day each week to plan your meals for the upcoming week. Then, you can make a grocery list of what you need. Before you head to the store, make sure to scan your refrigerator and pantry to see what you already have.

Cook at home. Cooking at home is much cheaper than eating out, and often healthier. Generally, you can feed an entire family of 4 for the same price as buying food for one or two people at a restaurant…and avoid the unhealthy restaurant portions. By cooking for yourself, you also have the advantage of knowing exactly what is in your food.

Cook large portions and use your leftovers. Cooking large meals can save you both time and money. You can use the leftovers for lunches, or freeze them to be enjoyed later. Leftovers usually make very good stews, sandwiches, and stir-fries. Click here for a list of budget friendly recipes that taste even better as leftovers!

Stick to the edges of the grocery store. The outer edges are where you will find produce, meats, and breads. The inner aisles feature the processed food items, which contain extra sugar and artificial ingredients. While there are exceptions, it is smart to stick to the outer edges of the grocery store to achieve a healthier diet!

Replace meat with other proteins. Eating less meat is a great way to cut calories and save money. Try avoiding meat for one or two days per week, and substitute it with legumes, eggs, mushrooms or tofu. These are all fairly inexpensive and easy to prepare. Most of these food items have a long shelf life, and are therefore less likely to spoil as fast as red meat.

 

When you’re out shopping for ingredients, be sure to take advantage of the free Grocery Coupon Club access that comes with your Benefits Plus^® membership! Once you’ve upgraded your SeaComm Basic Checking account to a Benefits Plus^® checking…you’ll gain exclusive access to even more retail discounts and savings, which includes discounted gift and eGift cards. Click here to learn more, or visit your nearest SeaComm branch location to upgrade your checking account, today.

For complete information, terms, conditions and exclusions please visit www.benefits-plus.org or call 866-329-7587