If you’re planning on eating healthier in the new year but are concerned
about prices, put those fears aside.
Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to get some good-for-you
healthy fare at reasonable prices.

Listed below are 7 great money-saving tips.
a) Bagged or Not Bagged-
Simply put, before buying a bunch of apples or fresh broccoli, look for these foods
in a bag or wrapped plastic. For example, the store may have a 3 pound bag of
apples for $3 or a tray of wrapped broccoli for $2, but a few fresh apples or
a few pieces of broccoli may cost more especially if they’re being sold by
the pound. If this is the case, you’re better off buying the pre-bagged or
pre-packaged broccoli. And this goes for everything from lemons and
sweet potatoes and more.

b) Head To The Freezers-
Another myth that’s been dispelled: Frozen isn’t as good as fresh. The produce
in the freezer section is usually cleaned and then frozen the same day it’s picked,
so yes, it’s just as good as fresh produce. And if you’re truly concerned about
prices, then head to the freezer section and pick up bags of vegetables,
(green beans, broccoli, cauliflower) and fruit, (mixed fruit, blueberries and
strawberries). Another tip: You may want to save even more by looking for
generic brands and not name brand produce like Birdseye or Del Monte.

c) A Free Tool-
Looking for deals on fruits and vegetables that are in-season, but
aren’t sure which those are? Go online and look for the site
FarmersAlmanac.com/calendar/fruits-vegetables-season.
This site lets you know exactly what’s in season in your area, then zero
in on the best deals to buy right now. An example-White potatoes
(in season in your neck of the woods) can cost just 50 cents a pound,
but can go up to $1.50 per pound at other times of the year.

d) Go Online-
Some stores are offering great deals on food and ways to get that food to you,
i.e. pickup deals. One store to offer such a deal: Target. They offer exclusive
deals through their Circle app for same-day pickup orders. Another plus:
You save more on your grocery bill because you avoid the in-store marketing
tricks (and the foods you’re trying to steer clear of).

e) Go To These Stores-
If you have an Ethnic store (Asian, Hispanic or Jamaican) store in
your town or city, stop in and score some great deals on produce.
These types of stores have much lower operating costs, and
aren’t as focused on fruit and vegetables looking “perfect”
as supermarkets are, so they’re willing to sell their produce at lower
prices.

f) Head To The Coolers-
A lot of stores now offer reduced prices on fruits and vegetables
and boxed and canned goods, but did you know that you can
also find reduced prices in the cooler sections? The food is sometimes
scattered among the regularly priced items-but you have to look for the
clearance stickers, which are yellow and easy to spot.
So, if eggs, yogurt or butter are foods you normally buy, look
for them in the cooler section.

g) Buy Canned Goods-
People are skeptical of frozen foods and canned goods.
They say that canned goods are loaded with salt and other preservatives.
That’s not always true, a number of companies are offering canned products
with less sugar, salt and preservatives. They’re also offering a number
of organic canned products. So, head to the canned good aisles and stock
up on soups, broths, vegetables and beans.

Sources:
* Hillary Swetz, Frugal Shopper-Homegrown Hillary.com
* Andrea Woroch- money-saving expert, AndreaWoroch.com
* Janet Alvarez, money-sving expert at WiseBread.com
* Christine Asby, Frugal Fit Mom on Youtube.com
* First 4 Women Magazine-Jan.29th Issue

Please make sure to share this article with friends and family
who are trying to eat healthier (in the new year) and save money
as well. Share this info at Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest,
Reddit, Tik-Tok and X (Twitter).

Thank-You!