Managing your Food Budget AND your Waistline

Believe it or not, you could be making costly mistakes with your waistline and your budget!

Whether you have a food budget or not, it's a good idea to keep track of your spending habits and what you tend to purchase the most.

(An excerpt from my book "Eat Healthy for Under $10 a Day")

Buy in Bulk

This doesn't always have to mean Costco or Sam's Club size, but buy larger portions of certain items that you know you can use for a big weekly meal prep, or if the items can be used for more than one meal. A lot of people base food purchases just on price alone, and will choose a smaller measurement of the same item, but will actually get a higher price per ounce on the smaller item. Don't be afraid of paying a little bit more now if you get more bang for your buck later!

Read your Receipts

This helps to know what you're purchasing is costing you, especially when you add up individual ingredients for a meal then divide by the number of meals you get out of it. This is what I do all the time and how I was able to make my book Eat Healthy for Under $10 a Day.

Reading your receipts can help you see overall costs, see what your purchasing and if it's a healthy or unnecessary decision, and you can compare prices from other stores as well.

• 2.25lb Ground Beef 93% lean $10.48 (made 6 meals - price per serving $1.74)

• Mini peppers $3.49 (used for 6 meals - price per serving $.59)

• Frozen Tilapia $12.24 (13 fish total - price per fish $.95)

Buy only what you Need

It's easy to wander around the store and pick up items that look good or sound good, but if you don't have plans to use it in the next week, don't buy it. You can see this third photo above is an overflowing cart of a ton of items. This could be for a big family, but you'll also see a ton of processed food and items that probably won't all be used in a week. Get in the habit of making your list and sticking with it. Kids and significant others can also be a deterrent when shopping, so if your is, then do your shopping alone and stick to just what is set on the list for the week. Do you really NEED that bag of chips, ice cream or frozen pizza? If you're watching your waistline the answer is no! Most of these are higher carb and sugar with little or no nutritional value. You'll save on your budget AND your waistline without any unnecessary or tempting purchases.

Lastly, never shop hungry! We've all heard this before but it's not a bad thing to mention as a friendly reminder. Always have some basic snacks like mixed nuts available if you're in between meals and need a quick fix. You won't reach for any cravings when you get to the store. Don't let yourself get hangry like this girl before shopping, or ever!!

For all the recipes, meal plans, shopping lists and tips, download my E-Book HERE

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