One of the BEST things that you can do for yourself and your family is to SHOP SMART!

I remember the long days at work, coming home exhausted, only to exhaust myself even more by trying to figure out what to eat for dinner (and this was before I had a family – so Mamas, you get even more love!).

Sometimes, I would wind up getting take out, ordering a pizza, or if I was REALLY exhausted, settling for a small helping of peanut butter and crackers. It’s definitely not something that I am proud to admit, but it’s one of the hard truths of working in Corporate America today.

Now, as a Mom, and coming fresh off of a vacation, I realize even more how easy it is to get derailed (and have a whopping grocery bill) when I don’t follow my own rules. A Smart Women can always finish Rich and Healthy at the grocery store checkout when following these 3 Easy Steps.

 

BE A SAVVY SHOPPER

Looking for something more than just “Don’t go to the grocery store hungry?” You need to be a SAVVY shopper. I love clipping coupons for cleaning supplies and paper items, but there aren’t too many coupons for consumers that want to eat fresh.

One of my favorite activities is going to a Farmer’s Markets for fresh produce. The produce here is usually fresher (and often times is picked the morning of the market.) This means the produce retains more nutrients, is higher quality AND will last longer. This girl HATES to throw out food!

Also, consider buying in bulk at stores like Costco. Quite often, its cheaper to buy 5 heads of romaine lettuce at Costco than two heads of romaine lettuce at a regular grocery retailer. As someone whose pet peeve is wasting food, purchasing a larger quantity encourages me to eat those greens before they spoil.  Notice how much more you get for your money!

Fresh fruit freezes VERY well.  (Try saying that three times in a row!) Should you decide to purchase the large container of strawberries and not be able to finish them over the course of a few days, FREEZE them and use ’em in future smoothies!

CHEF IT UP – PREP YOUR OWN SNACKS

Daily trips to the vending machine and purchasing UBER processed foods can really add up…both in your wallet and in your gut. We all know that these foods are not the greatest choices, but quite often they are loaded with fat, salt, sugar, and other chemicals.

Instead, try to make your own snacks at home and divide them in individual serving sizes. Anything that you prepare at home will be less expensive, healthier, have less preservatives and be a BETTER option for you. One of my quick and easy favorites is our award-winning Raw Spinach Hummus Recipe. Bring along fresh veggies for dipping and you are set!

PLANNING AHEAD = TIME SAVINGS + MONEY SAVINGS

Time…it’s the one thing that we are ALL short on. I am always looking for ways to create more and be more effective with the time that I DO have.

By carving out a block of time to decide what you will eat during the week, you will actually create more time later in the week. When you decide what you will eat, you can prepare your grocery list and breeze through the store like Flo Jo. When I’m prepared, my grocery store trips are less than 30 minutes (and this is with my 9 month old reaching for everything.)

When I have planned the weekly menu, I don’t waste time deciding what I’ll have for dinner, and making several trips to the grocery store for single items. I know the game plan and can efficiently move forward with it. This allows me to eat healthier + save $$$.  See our Weekly Meal Planning Guide.

Planning allows me to ONLY buy what I NEED and not purchase foods that I “THINK” I might use during the week. I also purchase more WHOLE foods because it’s what I use to prepare the meals. The processed foods aren’t even on my radar – shopping trip are fast when you can cut out 60% of the aisles! Also, ordering in and eating out is out of the question since I purchased the foods I need and have blocked out the time I need to make it. My body, my family, and my wallet thank me.

CHALLENGE

Take one week to try at least 1 of these tips and let us know what you think! Did you have any other hang ups that you would like us to address in upcoming blogs? Stay tuned and until then…

Live you WHOLE life,

Meg + Shannon