How we eat vegetarian for less

   I think the number one reason that people give for not being able to eat more healthy is the cost of the food. Unless you are trying to buy only organic, you can cheaply feed your family a healthy diet. Here are a few of my tricks:

1) Buy local. I am fortunate to live in an area where there are several farmer's markets in the area. We even have organic farmers who sell goods for less than what you would pay at the supermarket. We also have 2 markets located in our center city so that even low-income families can get great food for less. I can get 2 -3 weeks worth of vegetables/fruits for around $30.

2) I use a discount grocer (like Amelia's) to buy items. I do have to read the expiration dates but I get great discounts on wonderful products that still have expiration dates several months away. The store where I shop even sells bulk items, like nuts and grains, for less than I would spend at the grocery store. The quality is great and I can walk out with paying under 1/2 what I would normally pay for groceries.

3) I use my local grocery stores flyers to plan my visits. Anything that is on sale that I use is what I try to aim for on my visits. It is harder to find a coupon but if I buy enough of the product the grocery store will cut me a coupon at checkout for my next visit. I usually limit my visits to almond milk, vegetarian meat products (which is starting to be cheaper than real meat), frozen veggies/fruit, and bread products. I spend on average around $40 to $50 a week (depending on if I need veg meat or not). There are some weeks that I spend less than $20 a week.

4) I also make my own cleaners using green ingredients which helps cut the cost of cleaners and allows me to save money so that I can spend it on food. If you are wanting some good recipes for cleaners, you can either google search or use a site like www.frugallysustainable.com. I love the way these green cleaners work and an added bonus is that my family doesn't have to breathe in the chemicals that are used in the commercial brands.

5) I am fortunate to have a deck so I plant herbs in the Spring and can usually keep them until after the first frost. It's wonderful because I pick up the plants at my local farmer's market and replant them into flower boxes that I get from the dollar tree. I use Miracle Gro to make sure that the herbs get the nutrients they need. I can buy the herbs for $1 a piece and that saves me a lot of money on herbs.

    These are some of the ways I use to save money on my groceries. I am not wealthy and I do not get food stamps. If I am able to make it work so can you. The one thing I would tell you is try to make non-meat versions of your favorite meals. I recently made meatloaf with vegetarian beef crumbles and you couldn't tell the difference. It is so simple to make tacos, meatless meat sauce for pasta, and even meatloaf! So, give it a try. The one thing you will find is that your food will taste wonderful just by adding some veggies to your diet. Have fun and eat local!