CLEAN EATING & A TIGHT BUDGET: How I make this work

This was my first and foremost question..."Can I AFFORD this?"  The short answer is YES...but it takes some practice (learning your prices) and a little extra effort at FIRST.  But I hope this blog will give you some ideas to make your transition easier, cheaper, and faster. Of course, I'm sure for every good idea I have, there could be 20 better ones...so please, keep in mind, this is MY experience but always seek out your OWN answers.  Let me forewarn you...THIS IS FOREVER LONG.  But there just aren't any short answers for this.  So pull up a chair and a glass of lemon-water.  You'll be here a while. :)

(LOOK FOR EXTRA MONEY SAVERS IN BLUE.)

1. AD'S:  Every Wednesday is a day I look forward to...know why?  THE AD'S COME IN THE MAIL.  I love browsing for great sales, specifically in the produce, meat and dairy.  I always look at all the canned and boxed (not sure why...rarely buy but for some reason I can't help myself) but your focus will be on LEAN MEATS, FRESH PRODUCE, AND BLOCKED CHEESES/YOGURTS. If you see something at a great price, STOCKPILE if it can be frozen.  (for instance, 93% was on sale and I bought 20 lbs worth of meat and put it in our deep freezer)

BUDGET TIP:  If you don't have a deep freezer, than you might want to consider buying one.  My husband got one off of craigslist for free and had to buy a part for less than $5 to get it up and running.  I'm all about buying used.  But having a deep freezer will ensure that when there is a great price on lean meats, etc, you have the liberty to buy as much as you want.

BUDGET TIP:  Did you know many fruits and veggies can be frozen?  Buy some good freezer ziplocks...I'd recommend name brand freezer bags as every off-brand I've tried so far have not completely kept my foods from getting freezer burn.  Last week my friend told me she stockpiles on avocado's when they are on sale, puree's them, then freezes the puree.  Guacamole all year round! 

As I see something, I do 2 things.  Circle it in the ad and also write it on a separate piece of paper, including the price and which ad it came from.

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A TYPICAL GROCERY LIST:

93% lean ground beef: $1.99 at PC (price chopper)
Red Seedless Grapes $1.99/lb at HV (Hy Vee)
Fresh Corn $.25 each at PC
Avocados: $.25 each at Aldi
YoPlait Strawberry Yogurt for kids $1.49 at HV

You might be wondering...do I go to each store?  NO!  WALMART MATCHES ALL AD PRICES!  I know, I know.  Walmart is NOT my favorite place to shop...but just like me, you'll have to get over it.  Choose a time of day when it won't be crowded if you can.

You have to present your ads to the cashier at checkout, so be sure and take them w/ you.  The reason why I put so much detail on my actual list is b/c often Walmart's price is cheaper than the ad price.  So that saves me the hassle of having to pull out my ad.  The reason why I always include which ad the food item is in is so I can quickly find the right ad to show the cashier at checkout.  Try and put all ad items on the checkout belt LAST.   This just makes it go quicker.

Here's the thing...I don't necessarily buy apples all year round.  I buy WHAT IS ON SALE/IN SEASON.  I'm not saying you CAN'T do that...apples are wonderful!  But this is a money saver when you stock up on fruit that is in season and therefore, cheaper.  If you have kids, you will probably always want fruit/veggies they love but we are always trying new food.  I often let my kids choose a new fruit or veggie to try.  

2.  FARMERS MARKETS: During the summer, you MUST take advantage of this.  The fruits/veggies are DIRT cheap.  Buying local and knowing where your foods have come from is a HUGE aspect of clean eating.  Plus, you are supporting local family owned farmers.  It's also FUN!

3.  Organic...not all the time.   In a perfect world, I would buy all organic, only organic.  (meaning, no harmful pesticides or herbicides on food)  BUT...financially it is just not possible for us.  I like to often refer to "the dirty dozen" list and when I CAN, I abide by it.

DIRTY DOZEN LIST 

12 Most Contaminated

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

12 Least Contaminated

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn (Frozen)
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas (Frozen)
• Kiwi Fruit
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Papaya

4. Costco is a huge money saver when looking for healthy options. We used to have a Sam's membership...but once we switched over I've never looked back.  Costco prides itself on providing many organic options for the consumer.  I save TONS of money by shopping there.  Here are some of my Costco staples that I find save me lots of money vs buying elsewhere:

Kirkland Wheat Bread (not clean but my kids love it and has no HFCS)

quinoa

ground flax

organic chicken broth

all kind of spices (WAY cheaper than grocery store)

Natural Peanut Butter

Almond Butter

Organic Strawberry Jam

Maple Syrup

Agave Nectar

Organic Sugar (not clean but great for things like cinnamon toast!)

Organic Honey (when I can't get my hands on raw)

All kinds of nuts...almonds, walnuts, pine nuts

whey protein shake mix 

Organic Lemon Juice (for when fresh lemons aren't in season)

Kirkland Olive Oil (recently read an article that it is very high quality)

Kirkland Balsamic Vinegar

Organic (Del Monte) Diced Tomatoes (canned)

Organic Unsweetened Apple Juice

Fage (strained Greek Yogurt...I use it ALL the time and its super cheap here)

Hebrew National Hot Dogs (kosher beef hot dogs for the kids)

Sulfate/Sulfite free organic hot dogs (trying to switch my kids over)

All kinds of blocked cheeses (you won't find cheese cheaper anywhere else)

Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (for our homemade ice-cream, of course!)

Raw Wheat Tortilla's (these. are. awesome!)

Tortilla crusted Tilapia (frozen section..great for quick dinner)

Organic Frozen Veggies (such as green beans, sweet corn, broccoli, etc)

Frozen Sweet Potato Fries

Frozen All Natural Waffle Fries (I usually make my own but these are a good frozen alternative)

Organic Butter

Pumpkin Granola Flax Cereal

 Organic Tortilla Chips

 Sugar in the Raw

Chicken Sausages (several different flavors...SO yummy.  Kind of like bratwurths but way better for you.  I think all of them are organic)

Any kind of meat/produce

All-natural Vanilla Bean Cream Cookies (think Oreo but way better ingredients)

**Very rarely have I seen the above items cheaper elsewhere.  You can shop at Costco CONFIDENTLY knowing you are paying a great price.

BUDGET TIP:  Costco mails out coupons and if something you buy has a coupon, STOCKPILE. 

5.  BARGAIN ZONE/CARGO LARGO: These 2 stores are like going on a treasure hunt and I rarely walk away disappointed.  Bargain Zone is located in Lees Summit, just east of Home Depot.  Cargo Largo is MUCH larger with many more selections and is located off Noland Road (north of I-70).  You will never find the same thing twice...it's a constant flow of different overstock from who knows where.  Oddly, many times they have organic foods.  The downside is you have to go often as they get new stuff every day.  I recommend asking an employee when they get "new stock" so you know which days of the week to shop on. 

BUDGET TIP:  several different newspapers (free ones in the mail) have coupons for Bargain Zone.  Usually its a percentage off your total purchase.

6a. TRADER JOES:  You might be one of those people who are wondering, "What's all the hype?"  Here's the scoop...TJ's sources ALL of it's products from NON-GMO food sources.  They carry NOTHING in their store w/ HFCS (high fructose corn syrup).  While not ALL of TJ's can be labeled as "organic", you can at least feel good that they have a high standard of offering the consumer food that has better ingredients at a VERY affordable cost.  And around the winter holidays they make the most incredible candy-cane oreos! :)  It's still good to label read and when you go, plan on staying a while the first few times so you can really browse all they have to offer.  It's well worth the trip.  Here are just a few of my favorite TJ products:

All produce

Ezekiel Bread (for info on this bread, click here)

Raw Pizza Dough $1.19ish (freezes great, thaw night before, makes awesome pizza!)

TJ's pizza sauce $1.99...enough for 2 pizza's
Whole Wheat Penne Pasta (has a very mild wheat flavor and great price)

TJ's Stevia Powder (price fluxuates, $7-$10)

Flours (white whole wheat, unbleached all purpose, whole wheat)

Different Oils (grapeseed, flax, safflower, sunflower, etc)

Cocoa Powder

Coconut Oil

Yogurt Squeezers (like Yo-plaits "Go-Gurt")

Lots of Greek yogurt options (for info on why Greek is better, click here)

Lots of frozen food entree options that are MUCH healthier than grocery store couterparts...but eat in moderation.  

Coconut Milk/Almond Milk...great prices

Juices

Chocolate Syrup (contains sugar but is much closer to clean than Nestle)

Lavander Salt Scrub...$5.99, pure ingredients, smooth legs!

Tea Tree Facial Wash (paraben free, benefits of tea tree oil) $5

Lavander Oil Spray (a blend of oils, smells awesome, makes skin look/feel great) 

Lavander Castile Soap (I use this to make my own household cleaners...its cheaper here than anywhere else that I have found so far)

SO MUCH MORE!!!!

6b.  NATURAL GROCERS:  located in Overland Park at 91st/Metcalf, this store is my dream come true.  All 100% organic AT DISCOUNT PRICES!!!  Walk in, take a whiff and you'll know you are right where you need to be.  (how can I make my house smell like an organic grocery store???)  Items on shelves change depending on overstock from brand-name organics.  BULK FLOURS/NUTS/SPICES in back of store WORTH THE TRIP.  Wow.  I'm in love. To view their website, click here.

7.  SPECIALTY ITEMS:   The only thing I haven't mentioned is where I buy some of my "specialty" items.  Sucanat, tapioca flour, xanthum gum, raw honey, grass fed beef, free range eggs, etc.  BUDGET TIP:  Some of these things I have bought online.  Amazon often offers free shipping on orders over $25...it doesn't take too many pounds of sucanat to do that.  Shopping local and supporting local farmers is a great way to get eggs, beef, chicken, and much more.  This will take some homework on your part.  Go to Farmers Markets and talk personally with local farmers.  Ask friends who live in the country if they or anyone they know sell food.  Visit Amish Stores. Post on facebook what you are looking for. 

8. GARDENING.  Oh dear...I'm sure some of you are like, NO WAY.  Guess what, I was like that, too!  Neither of my parents were gardeners.  I don't ever remember my mom talking about fresh herbs.  Gardening has been an entirely new world for me.  My first year was a complete flop.  My garden produced very little so I decided to try a new location.  The second year was almost a complete flop although I managed to get a few tomatoes, a green pepper, and some sweet corn that got eaten up by the local wildlife before I could harvest it.   Thankfully I at least had a thriving herb garden that took very little maintenance.  I thought I was destined to forever have a black thumb.  So...we moved our garden AGAIN.  We prepared the soil in the fall, changed a few things...our garden is thriving and I am still learning as I go.  Gardening takes PRACTICE and asking LOTS of questions to people who know what they are doing.  But...it is so very economical and saves so much money...and you have so much control about what goes IN and ON your food.  Even if all you plant is a tomato plant, you will find no greater joy than picking and eating your own food...and your kids will be more prone to eat it, too!  My 2 advice tips before you go all crazy and buy every plant out there is:  1. start w/ a SMALL garden your first year and then each year you can try adding something new.  2.  Find someone who has a knack for gardening and actually go and LOOK at their garden.  See how they did their rows, made their wall climbers for plants like green beans and cucumers, ask how they control weeds and pests,...it is really helpful to actually SEE a garden.

9.  TJ MAX/MARSHALLS/HOME GOODS/BIG LOTS:  Browse their food section.  I have gotten some GREAT organic foods at great prices.  But again...KNOW YOUR PRICES.  They almost always have agave nectar and although it APPEARS to be cheap, you'll find it cheaper at Costco.  So do your homework.  If you have to, carry around a little notepad in your purse and write stuff down or save it on your cell phone. 

10.  GLUTEN FREE:  If you are wanting a GLUTEN FREE DIET, you need to find a good source that supplies your types of flours.  I've heard that mixing your OWN all-purpose flour rather than buying say, Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, is MUCH cheaper.  And don't forget, you'll need some xanthum gum to hold your baked goods together.  Gluten Free takes practice and is a little more costly, but it can taste just as good!  If you are curious as to whether or not you are gluten sensitive, Arbonne is one of many programs that offers a 28 day gluten free program to "detox".  It is a great way to see how your body responds and to help you determine if you need to head in that direction.

In closing, let me remind you of what you AREN'T BUYING.  Boxed, Canned items, frozen entree's, fast foods.  So in many ways, you aren't spending a DIME MORE.  I actually think we spend LESS because I no longer buy JUNK.  And don't underestimate the power of fresh healthy food and the effect it has on your health.  Many of you may be able to get off medication, have less doctor visits, and actually reverse certain diseases...all of which can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars.