My practice member Laura said something to me that left me a little speechless…
“But I CAN’T Eat By Design, it is just way too expensive!”
And it isn’t that eating By Design is too expensive, it’s that Laura had not yet realized what the best money saving tips are that will keep her within her family’s grocery budget.
Here are my top seven tips on how to Eat By Design on a budget that I shared with Laura, and I wanted to share them with you too.
Make your own food. I know it sounds too simple to be true, but purchasing whole foods instead of healthy pre-made or packaged foods can really keep money in your pocket. Instead of opting for a grain-free, gluten-free or Paleo pre-made item, make your own Larabars, beef jerky, kale chips, soup, ghee, sauerkraut, Kombucha, ketchup and nut milks.
And if your land allows for it, grow your own food in a garden, or at the very least, your own herbs on a windowsill planter box.
Purchase your food in bulk. Once you have invested in a deep freezer check out Eat Wild for a list of local farms that sell bulk meat that will cost you a fraction of what you would pay to purchase each of these cuts of meat individually. I purchased a ½ grass finished cow from West Court Farm and a ½ pastured raised pig from Echo Valley Ranch. And my eggs… I buy them in flats for under $10 from the Western Fair Farmer’s Market.
That goes for your fruit and veggies too. Stick to seasonal produce and instead of buying two of each item every time they show up in a recipe, buy a bag of potatoes, beets, carrots, onions or apples.
Stock up with the essentials. Stock your kitchen with a few By Design essentials that are versatile and can be used in a ton of different dishes. Essentials in my kitchen are coconut oil, butter, Dijon mustard, sea salt and red pepper flakes.
I even make my own spice blends by buying spices in bulk from Bulk Barn and store them in mason jars. Because the reality is that you can survive and still enjoy delicious By Design food without coconut aminos, protein powder and almond flour.
Cook in bulk. There is potential to waste food when you are cooking individual meals each night. Instead, leverage a food prep day where you prep a bunch of meals for the week and freeze some of them. This way, it is unlikely that food will get pushed to the back of your fridge and go bad before your family is ready to eat it.
Follow the hierarchy principle, but pick your battles. We understand that you may not have the resources to purchase grass fed, organic, pasture raised, locally sourced products 365 days a year, but do your best based on your family’s budget.
First, prioritize the highest quality animal meat, fish and seafood over organic fruits and vegetables. But if that is not possible, it is still always better to eat non-organic meat than organic cereal and skim milk. And if you aren’t buying the highest quality meat, opt for leaner cuts and trim the fat before and drain it afterwards. Or, save money by purchasing high quality meat but choosing cheaper cuts of meat. Beef brisket, beef roasts and organ meats are highly nutrient dense and great in the slow cooker.
Next, as a general rule, those fruits and vegetables with a thicker skin (bananas, coconut, watermelon, avocado) do not need to be organic because you are not actually eating the peel. However, those fruits or vegetables that do have a skin you will be eating (strawberries, celery, apples) should be purchased organic whenever possible. The Environmental Working Group creates a Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen each year to help you pick and choose which fruits and vegetables are best to buy organic.
Reuse! The next time you cook bacon, save the fat and store it in a mug to reuse as your cooking fat next time you make dinner. And don’t throw out your beef or chicken bones… use them to create a homemade broth for the next time you make soup.
Do a grocery bill audit. Really take a close look at where you are spending your money. Are you spending extra money each week on $6 coffees or bottles of water or buying your lunch in the cafeteria every day? If you are, decide where that money is best spent… towards Starbucks lattes or towards grass fed meat for your kids.
For simple By Design recipes why not pick up your copy of the Eat By Design Cookbook. I’ve created it in the form of a 28-day meal plan (plus grocery lists!) so you don’t need to think about what’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner for the next month. Or you can grab the first 7 days FREE by clicking here.