Shopping for Inexpensive healthy grocery items?!
Answers: I will be cooking/preparing meals for only two people. We are on a tight budget, but we love organics. Any tips on saving money, besides the obvious of eating less?
Shop for produce that is in season. Fruits and veggies with a thick skin don't necessarily have to be organic - so you can save some money there. Add dried beans and lentils to your diet. They're healthy and inexpensive so they stretch your budget. Organic eggs aren't really any healthier, but I always buy organic milk and meats. Use your meats/poultry in stir fries or casseroles to stretch.
My advice is buy your produce from a local corner shop it's usually fresher and half the price of the supermarket veggies. I have one near my house that has organic veggies/fruit at a very reasonable price. But other than that try to shop for items on sale, look for coupons, etc. One thing I've done in the past is to make bean salad with veggies which can be very healthy and also incredibly inexpensive.
Rice,
Potatoes,
Pasta,
All are cheap and filling so add plenty to each plate, cut back on the smaller ingredients like broccoli and cauli, make them last for two meals
A large cabbage can add bulk
Look for bargains daily and see what time your market is marks down product as they near the best buy date.
They will usually last a further day or two.
Being organic and being on a tight budget don't go well together, as the marketers see it as a luxury and to charge more.
Compromise a little, most frozen vegetable are frozen so quickly that the are often fresher and have been handle less than what you purchase as fresh, normally at a far cheaper price
A simple meal might be frozen mixed veggies with a feature of half a broccoli head, and some poached fish with a nice cheese sauce.
Edit. Mashed potatoes with the simple dish or pasta as a side.
Aside from growing your own garden, you might want to consider home canning of items that are in season. It's not rocket science and it will be less ( chemically preserved) than what you buy in a store.Remember, grocery stores and preserved food,were done by individuals, initially. Self reliance will keep more alive than concerns about" organic" versus other ways.
I grow my own on certain items and make my own jam, salsa, pickles, wine, etc. I am not a vegan and don't do it for any other reason than to keep the " old way" viable because when all else fails and there are no places to get your groceries, you will be able to care for yourself as it used to be about 100 or so years ago.