Coupons and weekly promotions at the grocery store can save money on food, but the big problem is, they only work on items that may not be particularly good for you.
Two simple rules of thumb for eating healthier: First, make more than half of the food you eat plants, and second, if it comes from a factory, eat it as rarely as you can. If it’s not obviously from a plant or direct animal product, avoid eating or drinking it.
The obvious tactic of having a garden is excluded because many people do not have space or time to start and maintain one. The alternative: buy whatever fresh items are on sale at the grocery store. These should be the cornerstones of your diet for the week.
When you get home from the store, make those healthy fruits and vegetables ready to eat. Wash them. Cut them into snack-sized bits. And keep them at the front of the refrigerator. If a food is convenient, you are more likely to use it.
If it’s fresh and about to go bad, freeze it, or if you have a blender, turn all remaining fruits (along with a bit of the remaining vegetables) into smoothies and freeze them in single-serving batches.
Drink water. If you like fizz, carbonate it. If you like flavor, add fruit juice. If water is your primary beverage, you save a lot of money on beverages while adding zero calories.
Listen to your body, not the clock. If you’re hungry, eat. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat. If you have a busy schedule, keep food you can snack on throughout the day. (Unsalted nuts are great.)
Finally, put half as much on your plate as you normally do. If you usually eat two scoops, put on one scoop. Clean your plate, then reassess whether or not you’re still hungry. As above, if you’re hungry, eat. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat. The less food you eat, the more food stays in the fridge and the less you have to buy at the store.