Budget Friendly Holidays

Healthy holiday sides.
Julianna Lyle, ©2023, Clemson Extension

Shopping for healthy foods on a budget around the holidays can seem like an impossible task. With these tips and tricks, you can cut down on your monthly grocery bill, simplify your shopping trips, and stock up on a variety of healthy, recipe-ready foods.

1. Take inventory. Before grocery shopping, look in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to see what you have. This prevents buying unnecessary ingredients you may already have at home and helps you plan meals around your pantry staples.
2. Utilize Coupons and Shop Sales! Coupons and sales are almost always available at big-name grocery stores and help make meals more budget-friendly. If you plan out your grocery list beforehand, you can look up the best deals on items to help you save big at checkout time. Some grocery stores will price match if you find a lower price for a product at a different store.
3. Choose store brands or generic brands instead of buying name brands. Can you believe this could save you almost 20% on your grocery bill? Milk, canned vegetables, and frozen fruit are generally cheaper when shopping for the store brand than the more well-known brand name. The generic brand is the same quality and standard as the store brand, just at a much lower price.
4. Buy in bulk! Did you know that buying larger packages of items can help save you money in the future? Buying in bulk allows you to split something like a package of chicken, pasta, or vegetables to use in multiple recipes throughout the week, or if you’re not sure you will eat everything quickly enough, you can freeze items for later.
5. Buy frozen or canned foods. Both frozen and canned foods maintain a majority of their nutritional value and taste. They are shelf stable or maintained at very cold temperatures, which prevents them from spoiling as quickly as fresh fruits and vegetables. These items also tend to cost less than their fresh counterparts.
6. Shop for in-season fruits and vegetables. If shopping for fresh produce, choose the fruits and vegetables that are in season. In-season fruits and vegetables are typically grown closer to home, so there is less time and money needed for transportation, which will provide you a lower price at the grocery store. They also have the best taste during their season!

Stirring Up Healthy Recipes

Stirring Up Healthy Recipes is a FREE, monthly cooking class that provides practical nutrition education to those living with a chronic disease diagnosis.

If you have not registered for Stirring Up Healthy Recipes – what are you waiting for? You can sign up by following the link HERE

Diabetes Friendly Recipes to Try

Perfect Roasted Broccoli

Parmesan Herb Roasted Acorn Squash

Sauteed Chicken and Apples with Rosemary

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

References:

1. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/healthy-eating-budget.html
2. https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/healthy-eating-budget
3. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/feeding-your-family-right-on-a-budget-how-to-plan-and-shop-smart.aspx
4. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/eating-healthy-on-a-budget