by Callie Van Zant

Created on: October 07, 2008   Last Updated: February 02, 2012

In today's economy it is often difficult to find economical choices when it comes to healthy eating. When the high cost of gasoline and groceries is added to the total of your shopping trip it can seem an impossible task. Instead of grabbing the cheapest things at the grocery store just to get out of there while you still have a few dollars in your pocket, here are a few tips to help you negotiate the "Food Market Crisis":

1. Coupons, Coupons, Coupons! Most grocery stores are suffering from the same financial difficulties as their customers. As a consequence they are doing everything they can to bring customers to their stores. Coupons are one of the many incentives they offer. If you have access to a computer and have an e-mail address, signing up on your grocery store's web site is a must. Most offer in-store coupons that you can get nowhere else. Many of these in-store coupons are for produce, which is where you want to shop for healthy fresh foods that are not processed and are free of additives. (libraries offer free computer access and there are many sites offering free e-mail accounts such as Hotmail and Yahoo)

2. Shop the outside aisles of your grocery store. This is where you will find fresh produce, fresh dairy, and fresh meats. When priced per unit, you will pay less per unit for these items than anywhere else in the store because you are paying for less packaging and processing here than elsewhere. These items are also healthier due to their freshness and their lack of additives.

3. Stalk the freezer section! When it comes to fruits and vegetables, frozen is a far healthier choice than canned. Frozen foods must be ripe and ready to eat when frozen. Unlike canned fruits and vegetables, the nutrients from frozen foods are not removed into liquids during processing. All the nutrients are held in place and waiting to be released when thawed.

4. As much as possible stay away from everything that is prepackaged. The more "convenient" it is, the more costly and unhealthy it proves to be. In order to be convenient it has to be packed with preservatives and it has to be processed, which is a costly proposition. Both of these things are contrary to eating healthy on a budget.

5. Buy large pieces of meat and cut them down into smaller portions yourself. This accomplishes two things: buying larger pieces is cheaper, and you can cut the fat from the meat yourself, making it leaner and healthier. Buying leaner and cheaper cuts of meats is also very budget wise. There are many wonderful, healthy recipes for these cuts of meat on the internet and in cookbooks today. Gone are the days of believing that the leaner or cheaper cuts were less desirable.

6. Buy meats in bulk when possible. The initial investment pays for itself in the long run. Break the purchase down into single serving or single meal sizes and re-package it. This freezes the price at the purchase price and gives you many meals at that price without the added expense of gasoline for a trip to the store.

Learning portion sizes, and buying smaller dinner plates are two more simple tricks to use when cutting down the grocery bill while staying healthy. With a few simple strategies and some advance planning, healthy eating on a budget is possible.

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