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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Let’s face it. Prices are going up everywhere lately, and one place where it is especially noticeable is at the grocery store. This poses quite a problem, as eating healthily was already more expensive than eating cheap, processed foods. But now with inflation setting in, it has only gotten pricier. Luckily, that doesn’t mean that it is entirely impossible! With a few money-saving tricks and tips, you can still eat healthfully while staying on budget!

• Meal plan – Get a head start on thinking about what ingredients you’ll need for the week.
• Make a list – This list will not only make sure you don’t forget anything, but also keeps you on track and not buying extra unnecessary items.
• Hit all the nutritional bases – Make sure you are getting a protein source, healthy fats, and some carbohydrates. Think meats, dairy products, fruits, and veggies!
• Go for whole foods – Try your best to get whole fruits, vegetables, and meats, rather than pre–packaged and heavily processed versions.
• Don’t browse – When trying to stick to a budget, don’t wander the aisles and be tempted to buy things you don’t need.
• Don’t be afraid of canned and frozen foods – The canned and frozen varieties of whole foods such as green beans, corn, salmon, tuna, etc. are just as healthy as the fresh variety as long as it doesn’t have lots of additives.
• Take a peek at the reduced-price foods – These are often thought of as the reject foods that are probably no longer good, but the opposite is true! These foods are just a little older than the rest but are still nutritious, and much cheaper.
• Take advantage of coupons and sales – While coupons and sales for a couple of cents off an item might not seem like much at the time, the savings do eventually add up!

Eating healthy while still staying on a budget might require you to alter the way your grocery shop a little, but otherwise it is a completely attainable goal! Go ahead and see just how far you can stretch your dollar on healthy, whole foods!

Want to read more articles like this? Check out the Fill Your Plate blog!