Thank you to Harris Teeter for Sponsoring this post. Visit your local Harris Teeter today to save big on your grocery bill!

Eating healthy can at times feel as if it is more of a drain on your pockets financially than eating semi-healthy or processed foods. The cost of healthy food shouldn’t be a financial burden on you.

The major key to saving money while shopping for healthy foods isn’t just price checking and going to the right stores. It starts with changing your overall lifestyle. Start by changing your mindset, and doing simple things, and it will make adopting a full lifestyle change much easier.

Our family does a majority of our grocery shopping at our local Harris Teeter.

What I love most about Harris Teeter is their Harris Teeter Organics brand. Most of the produce is locally sourced, which means its grown in my home state (supporting many of our local farms). Harris Teeter Organics brand has expanded and doesn’t include just fresh fruits and veggies, but everyday food items like juice, condiments, and my husband’s favorite: canned goods to make his famous salsa!

This allows my family to find healthy alternatives to many of the items we normally purchase, and because. I can find everything at great low prices, it’s easy for me to stock up a few weeks at a time.

In addition to being able to take care of all of our dinner meals, we also get enjoy our favorite snacks! Check out my husband’s healthy salsa recipe below!

|Chris’ Healthy Salsa Recipe|

Ingredients

6 fresh tomatoes

1/3 red or sweet onion

3 cloves of garlic

Bunch of fresh cilantro

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 jalapeno or serrano chile

Juice of 1 lime

Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Roughly chop the tomatoes and onion, and then add to a food processor or blender. Put the garlic and cilantro in too, and pulse a few times.

2. Squeeze the lime juice over top of the salsa, and add cayenne pepper, salt, and other desired seasonings to taste.

3. Add the chile pepper to the mix, and pulse a few more times until the desired consistency is reached.

Want more tips on adopting a healthy lifestyle while saving on your grocery bill? Keep reading!

Make a meal plan weekly and grocery list

In order to save on the foods you need, you have first figure out what you need to buy first. By planning out a list this allows you to have a clear and defined plan when you go into the grocery store. This makes sure that you only purchase the items that you need, and will help you avoid impulse buying.

Sales

If you can price shop/compare using weekly circulars in advance, you will know which stores have sales on the items you need and which ones don’t. Of course, no one likes driving from store to store to grocery shop, but there will have to be some extra effort on your part to make sure you are saving and getting the best deals. Also, make sure that the fruits and veggies you purchase are in season. They will typically cost much less than those that are not.

Think outside the box

Try adding more meatless meals to your diet. Expanding where you get your protein and other healthy fats will help you save as they are often much more affordable than meat.

Buy discounted items

Discounted items in grocery stores are often still good within a few items of the expiration date. If you know that you are going to eat/cook these items relatively soon, purchase these.

Use leftovers

My husband is a genius when it comes to taking leftovers and making multiple different meals from them. Store them properly to ensure they last, and don’t be afraid to play around with creative recipes.

Cut out sugary sweets

Add more water to your diet. Sugary drinks such as sodas and juices can be quiet expensive; even if they are on sale for .99, that can add up over a period of time. Drink more water and save extra cash.

Avoid unnecessary trips to the store

Try and purchase everything you need in one trip. Spur of the moment shopping trips usually excess money being spent and buying items that you don’t need (i.e. junk food).

Don’t be afraid to try something new

It doesn’t hurt to try out a variety of new foods. Certain vegetables are cheaper than others, if you aren’t a big fan of salads, try fruit salads. Come up with creative ways to introduce new foods to your diet.

What are some of your tips and tricks for eating healthy on a budget? let me know in the comments below!