The Chef’s Answer

It may seem expensive to buy all fresh fruits and vegetables, especially organic, but there is a way to lower your grocery bill and still cook with healthy foods. By eliminating the processed foods (anything in a bag, box, or can) you can redirect that money into fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats. I learned through The Healthy Edge course that 90% of the food consumed by Americans is processed, and that 90% of money spent on food is for processed foods. If you choose to redirect that money you once spent on processed foods, you can easily shop and cook healthy foods for your family. An average family of 4 would spend at least $20 on a fast food dinner, or even more than that ordering pizza, but you can make any of the recipes on this site for much less than $20 a meal.

Follow these simple tips to get started:

• Shop for fruits and vegetables that are in season and on sale, then plan your menu from what you have on hand

• Buy dried beans, soak and cook them at the beginning of the week, instead of using canned beans. You can get a pound of dried beans for the same price as one can. This way you also get to cut back on the sodium content when you cook them yourself.

• Buy lean meats when they are on sale, portion and freeze them to use in recipes at a later time.

• Instead of buying processed snack foods and cereals, make your own granola to use as cereal and snacks, pack fresh fruits and veggies instead of chips and watch your quality of food go up as your grocery bill goes down.