I often hear from people that eating healthy is just too expensive. And while this may be the case depending on financial struggles, food access, availability, and inflation, there are a lot of ways to make eating healthy much more affordable.

In this article, we will discuss different ways to shop with cost in mind to help reduce that grocery bill. I’ll include a few tips and tricks as well to help you select the lower cost food items!

Fruits and Vegetables

Always purchase fruits and vegetables that are in season. Check out the California Grown website for information on when certain foods are seasonal in California .

 are going to be less expensive because they are typically more locally produced and don’t have to travel quite as far. This means that your produce will have a higher vitamin content and generally have a higher nutritional value. 

Try to only purchase these foods in amounts that you will actually use to help limit food waste.

Also, when certain fruits or vegetables are not in season, don’t be afraid to purchase frozen options. They are often less expensive, and work great in many dishes. They also don’t go bad as fast, which helps reduce food waste.

Protein Choices

In regards to chicken, thighs and wings have the same protein content as chicken breast and are often less expensive. I recommend removing the skin to help reduce the saturated fat content.

Tilapia, salmon and shrimp are great options for seafood, however tuna is an excellent option as well. It is shelf stable, very high in protein, and can often be found on sale or at a reduced cost.

When checking for the least expensive proteins, always compare the price per pound. Even when an item is on sale. 

For example, if you see chicken on sale for a $5.00 Friday special, just divide the pounds by 5, and that will give you the cost per pound. If they have chicken breast on sale for $5 a package, and there is 0.98 lb of chicken, put in your calculator 5/0.98, which equals $5.10 per pound.

Pork tenderloin, pork steaks, and pork chops are other great sources of lean meats that are easier to digest than beef. They are also typically less expensive than beef as well.

Buying meat in bulk also lowers the cost per pound. 

Don’t be afraid to try a plant based protein source like Tofu, or the Beyond Beef or Impossible brands. They do go on sale occasionally, and can be incorporated into a healthy, bariatric friendly, high protein diet.

Vitamins and Minerals

Taking your vitamins every day is so important with surgery. Do your best to continue taking them every day. It’s helpful to take advantage of manufacturers coupons and look for sales! Certain websites offer subscription discounts including Bariatricpal.com that offer free shipping. 

Also, doing a little quick math will help you learn what vitamins are less expensive. Take the cost of the bottle (example: $15.89), and divide this by the number of tablets in the bottle (example: 120 tablets). This would look like 15.89 / 120 = $0.132 cents per tablet. 

Doing this will help you decide which vitamins are the most cost effective. 

Protein Supplements

When in a pinch, protein supplements may feel very unaffordable. Especially when you might be used to purchasing the pre-made options at the store. While the pre-made protein shakes like Premier Protein or Fairlife Nutrition Plan are amazing options for bariatric surgery, sometimes we need to keep cost in mind.

Protein Powders are an amazing solution. You can find really affordable options for a lower cost. For example, a 12 pack of Premier Protein costs $22.68 at Walmart, which is about $1.89 per shake. When you compare this to a $19.76 tub of Six Star 100% Whey Protein powder with 18 servings in the bottle, this is about $1.10 per shake. This can save you about $20 every month by making that simple change. 

I suggest going to the store to spend time only looking at protein supplements and choosing a brand that works best within your own personal budget.

General Grocery Shopping Tips

• Avoid pre-packaged snack packs for your children. They are often times more expensive than purchasing the box of crackers and portioning them out in smaller snack sized ziplock bags.
• Purchase spices in the bulk aisle (Winco for the win) to refill your bottles when you run out. I have purchased bulk dried rosemary for $0.11 to refill my bottle that costs about $3.00 for a new bottle. 
• Go to the store with a list, and avoid impulse purchases. Mapping out meals for the week and only purchasing what you need will help reduce your grocery bill cost and help reduce food waste.
• Explore outlet stores or “day old” stores. They often have a variety of products at a discounted price.
• Limit prepared frozen meals as they are typically more expensive per serving than if you made the meal yourself at home.
• Review the grocery store ads before your shopping trip and compare prices at stores that are conveniently located along your route.