Money-Saving at the Grocery Store Mixed in with Health Benefits
--
WARNING: Hack for those Playing the Long Game
Yes, this is going to sound counterintuitive. It is. There is a higher upfront cost, which will teach you to eat both proper portions as well as attuning your tastebuds to more fresh flavors.
A short history of me, I gained a lot of weight because of a medicine I’m on. It hit the point my joints were hurting as a result. For weight loss, I tried a subscription to the meal company Home Chef to get into better habits.
Being an American, I was eating what I’ve come to coin the term “American Portions.” In all my weight gain, this was one of my significant downfalls. As Americans, we’re so used to eating large portions. We rarely eat until we’re satisfied; we eat until we’re stuffed.
When I started this mean service, the kits were two meals a piece. It took time, but eventually, my stomach grew accustomed to eating a meal that was between 550 to 625 calories. It didn’t add extra snacks like fruit or anything during the day.
I was trying to grow accustomed to these healthy-sized portions, so I rarely went to the grocery store. That being the case, I didn’t have snacks in the house.
It did take about a month, but eventually, I got used to correct-sized portions. I got used to eating fresh produce as my side dish. I learned to enjoy eats and sides that were not processed and sugar laden. I want to be straight here; the learning process was not easy. I was hungry. I still craved all the unhealthy things I’d become accustomed to.
Here’s where the money savings come in, and yes, this is for the long-game money saver. I was able to move away from the ordered meals and, with my new appreciation for flavors and adjusting to the portions, cut my grocery bill.
I planned my meals ahead of time and factored in what was in the sales. I only bought what I needed. My portions were less, so I was buying less in quantity. I wasn’t buying bags of snacks that only lasted a day or two. I ate my proper-sized meals and deferred to snacks such as apples and bananas.
My health improved; I ate less, resulting in less buying. Along with the health improvement, I had fewer healthcare costs. Here is where your money is saved long-term.
Yes, I did start with a more expensive meal kit service. I liken that to training wheels for a kid on their bike. I hear to learn to eat healthy foods in proper portions. I took that and started shopping and cooking for myself.
You can save money when viewed the way I did it as a short training period. Follow my steps.
1. Find an appropriate way to ensure you’re eating the right foods in the correct portions. You don’t have to follow my route, but that worked for me.
2. Avoid buying anything outside of your plan. Avoid snacks on top of your meals unless healthy and plant-based.
3. Plan your meals and buy what you need for those meals.
4. Move to where you are cooking and shopping for yourself with all you’ve learned.
