At Steps to Health, we know small steps can help us save more.
Explore time and money saving tips and tools below:
Here are some tips for planning before you shop:
- Assess what you have on hand in your food pantry, refrigerator and freezer.
- Make a shopping list.
- Look at the store flyers or apps to see what is on sale during the week.
- Use store loyalty cards to get items at the sale price.
- Consider using coupons and shopping at stores that have double or triple coupon days.
- Buying in bulk can help you save money.
- Compare items with their store brand equivalent to see if the store brand will help you save money.
- If you’re a senior citizen, find out if your favorite store has a discount day for seniors
When you get home, involve the whole household in meal preparation. Family members can help set the table, help with preparation, or help with clean up.
When you plan meals, ask for input from family members when choosing meals and menu items for the week. Are there recipes you like or want to try? Do you have time to cook or limited time to put a meal together?
To make it easier, consider:
- Batch cooking, which is when you make larger amounts of meals, like chili or soups, at one time and portion the batch into single servings and freeze for later.
- Looking for shortcuts by purchasing frozen or canned produce to reduce prep and cook time, while also saving money.
- Better shopping decisions and healthy food choices are part of your Steps to Health.
- Eating healthy food on a budget is possible if you use tools to plan and shop well.