My Healthy New Diet Is Saving Us $5,400 a Year

In today's difficult economy, many individuals and families are looking for ways to cut back and save money as much as possible. With the New Year just begun, many of us have made resolutions to reduce our expenses and save money as well as making a more typical resolution to lose weight or adopt a healthier lifestyle. Many mistakenly believe that you can't save money and lose weight at the same time. I use the following strategies to do both. Since adopting these strategies I have both lost weight and now save over $5,000 a year on my familiy's grocery bill.

Save on Fresh Produce

Many diets -- such as the Dash diet, the Mediterranean diet, and vegetarian diets -- place a heavy emphasis on consuming fresh produce. To save on this often expensive item I try to buy fresh produce that is in season for my area. I have also learned to shop two or three grocery stores in my area for their "marked down" produce each week and plan my meals around what marked down fresh produce is available in a particular week. This is especially helpful in the winter. Later in the year I visit my local farmer's market for seasonal fresh vegetables, and I grow some of the more expensive vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, green beans, peas, lettuce and spinach from seeds at home.

Save on Lean Meat Purchases

I use a similar strategy when purchasing meat, as there are several cuts that are usually marked down each week. I usually make a stew in my crock pot or a stir fry in my wok from the fresh vegetables and meat I have found on sale. When cooking with meat I try to think of it as a "seasoning" instead of the main attraction in my meals.

Organize the Refrigerator

Before I became more conscious of my budget and my waistline, I know that I threw out an alarming amount of food every few weeks because I would forget that it was there. Taking the time to clean and organize my refrigerator on a weekly basis, and keeping a shelf just for items that will expire soon that need to be used quickly helped me to save money on my groceries.

Packing Lunch

Bringing my lunch, instead of eating out, is another way that I stick to my diet and save money.

Many of these tips seem like common sense that we should all know, but few of us practice them. When I decided to adopt a healthier and more frugal lifestyle, I talked my plan over with my family of six and they agreed to eat in a healthier and more frugal manner as well.

Since adopting this strategy, we have been able to lower our grocery expense from around $800 a month to around $350 a month. This $450 a month savings on our monthly grocery bill adds up to an amazing $5,400 a year! I also lost 12 pounds the first month that I implemented these changes and noticed an improvement in the condition of my skin and my overall health and energy by changing the quality of the foods that I was eating. Shopping and cooking in this way does require more time and effort on my part, but in this economy, and with health conditions and health care costs on the rise, who can afford to not make the extra effort to save money and stick to a diet at the same time?