Killin’ the workout routine but have no idea what to do in the grocery store?
The grocery store is honestly a cursed and blessed place. If you do it right, you leave there with what you need, a smile on your face, and a reasonable idea of what you will be eating for the week. If you do it wrong, your list remains uncrossed off, you probably bought multiple things that weren’t on your list, and there is a chance that you are beating yourself up about all the money you just spent.
But have no FEAR! Dom is here!
In college, when I decided to live off-campus, I knew I would have to cook for myself. I had to figure out how to eat healthy on a broke college student budget.
Basically, what I’m saying is that I struggled, so you don’t have to.
Clever Tip Numero Uno: Budget for the Month – Plan your meals for the week
Sounds kind of hard, but don’t worry. When you plan for the month you can set a modest amount and lower the number when you realize how much you are actually spending. In college, I spent around $100 – $120 on groceries on month. I used that as my guideline to help me plan out each week of meals.
Pinterest really helps me think of meals that I want to eat for the week and different food combinations that when buying for 1-2 weeks at a time so I don’t break the bank.
Clever Tip Numero Dos: Stick to your list like your life depends on it
Not gonna lie I can spend HOURS in the grocery store. Aisle by Aisle, aside from the detergent one cause it burns my nose. It really is a labyrinth. That being said, it can be super easy to stray away from your list and with a store full of food, the temptation can go rampant. What has worked for me is bringing a physical copy into the grocery store that helps me keep track. As well as adding 1-2 items on the list that are my “temptation saving items”. Basically things that I want that will satisfy my cravings during the week. (More on cheat days later).
← If you decide to do it on your phone←
← mine typically looks like this ←
Clever Tip Numero Tres: Know Your Value Stores
I’m talking Kroger, Aldi, Costco, Walmart! These places have a land mind of quality produce and meats that really give you the best bang for your buck. I realized after spending all my money in Target and Harris Teeter that some stuff was ridiculously overpriced and I could get the same thing somewhere else. For example, Eggs, bacon, fruits, and veggies.
Clever Tip Numero Quatro: FREEZE TIME! Buy Frozen Fruits and Veggies
There is an advantage to buying your product frozen. They usually get flash-frozen at the peak time of ripeness, meaning that they have their nutrients preserved. Which is really awesome! So they don’t spoil as fast and can last so much longer. I typically buy broccoli and spinach//fruit (mostly for smoothies) frozen. It makes it a lot easier to constantly eat vegetables with every meal and stay on top of my game.
Pro Tip: Make sure you buy frozen produce with NO salt added.
I hope you guys enjoyed the 4 clever tips to grocery shopping on a tight budget. If you guys are interested, I can even film a youtube video of how I go grocery shopping.
Signing off,
Domonique
