One common excuse for people to give up on their healthy diet and return to fat filled, high calories convenience foods is “I do not have enough money to eat better.”  What most people do not realize is that eating well, can actually save money, and you can eat great food, with a wide variety and still stick to your personal household food budget.

In addition to convenience foods being full of fat, high in calories, and loaded with preservatives, they are also rather costly for what you actually get.  It is very possible to purchase a great quantity of food, which you will have absolute control over how it is prepared, and spend less money per week.  All you need is a few basic guidelines, and to change your way of thinking just a bit.  Here are a few simple tips to help you eat healthier and not break the bank.

1. Think Outside The Box

Stop thinking that every meal has to come from a box, or the freezer section of the grocery store.  By learning how to cook for yourself you can save a great deal of salt, fat, calories, sugar, and money!

2. Substitute Good For Bad

There are numerous, easy substitutions that can be made everyday, especially to baked goods.  Baked goods are usually avoided due to people thinking they are too fattening for their diets.  Instead of using oil, substitute the same amount of sugar free applesauce for the called for amount of oil in your recipe.  This saves a lot of fat and calories, and the taste stays the same.

3. Stock Up On Discounts

Check out your grocery store for great sale items.  Another way to get a good bargain is to take a spin by the “day old sections” of your store.  The produce, dairy, and bakery departments usually have such a section.  Here you can find fresh produce marked down, sometimes as much as seventy-five percent, whole grain breads reduced drastically, and even dairy items priced to move.  These foods are still perfectly fine they just need to be cleared out to make room for the new items.

In addition to shopping clearance products, pick up a sales flyer and use it to plan your list in advance.  Take advantage of weekly specials to stock your home.  Beans, nuts, dried pastas, flours, and other non-perishables can be stored for months.  Meats, seafood, and fish can be frozen and stored for up to six months.  Stocking up not only saves money, it also helps to ensure you always have healthy ingredients on hand.

4. Shop Locally

Take a spin by your local farmer’s market to find high quality, local produce at very reasonable prices.  Local farmers do not have the added expense of having to ship their items to market, so they can set their prices much lower than the grocery stores.  These foods are fresher, less expensive, and usually contain more nutrients.