With grocery prices surging, here are 10 ways to eat healthy on a budget

SALT LAKE CITY — Every time you walk into the grocery store these days, it seems prices have gone up yet again. With costs surging and budgets remaining the same, the need to buckle down on spending is necessary for many people.

Sometimes, healthy foods are the first to be knocked off the list due to cost, however, it doesn't have to be that way. Eating healthy doesn't have to break the bank. There are ways you can get in your daily nutrition without sacrificing all of your hard earned money. With a little planning and knowledge, you can enjoy nutritious foods and stay within a budget.

Here are 10 tips to help stretch your grocery budget.

1. Plan your meals

My No. 1 tip for people when they're looking to both eat healthy and save money is to meal plan. Even if all you plan are your dinners, you'll find that it really can make a difference. Knowing what you'll be eating reduces last-minute trips to the grocery store, time spent looking for something to eat in your refrigerator or pantry, and the cost of eating out. Try to plan meals with common ingredients to help decrease the need to buy different ingredients every week.

2. Make a grocery list — and stick to it

Once you have your meals planned, take inventory of what you already have on hand and make a list of all the ingredients you'll need for the week. Shopping with a list helps ensure that you get everything you need so you don't have to make multiple trips to the store throughout the week. Sticking to your list helps decrease impulse buying, which can add up quickly.

3. Cook at home

Eating out night after night is expensive and can really add on to a food budget. Making meals at home from scratch, or semi-scratch, is a tried and true way to help decrease costs. For example, an herb-grilled salmon meal at a restaurant might cost $20 or more, whereas the same meal made at home costs around $7.50 to make using frozen wild caught salmon from Costco.

4. Shop in season

Fruits and vegetables are the staple of a healthy diet but fresh produce costs can add up if you aren't smart about how you shop. Produce that's in season tends to be on sale, so when something is in season, add it to your cart. For example, March is a great month for produce as you still have some of the winter produce in season but the spring produce is starting to come into season, as well. Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, spinach, peas, radishes, cauliflower, cabbage and more are coming into season in March.

5. Buy in bulk

If you can afford buying a little more at a time and have the space at home, the cost per unit is usually lower when you buy the larger package. This can also result in fewer grocery store trips because you have more food on hand to last you longer. Foods such as rice, beans, oats and pasta have a longer shelf life. Meat, seafood and poultry, when bought on sale or in larger quantities, can be frozen and used later.

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6. Use frozen or canned fruits and vegetables

Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables tend to get passed over because people think they're not as nutritious as fresh produce. That's simply not true. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables have the same nutritional profile as their fresh counterparts because they're picked at their peak ripeness and either flash frozen or canned to preserve their nutritional value.

For optimal nutrition, look for frozen produce with no added sugars or sauces. You can also choose canned fruit packed in 100% juice with no added sugar and opt for no salt added varieties of canned vegetables.

7. Grow your own produce

Growing a garden full of fresh produce is not only cost-effective, but it also feels good knowing where your food came from and how it was grown. While a lot of land is certainly helpful for growing a garden, it isn't necessary. Small spaces can be used for growing a garden by choosing your plants wisely, planting in containers, using vertical gardening, and planting in succession rather than all at once.

8. Try store brand

Purchasing the same product of generic or store brand compared to name brand can save you about 20% to 30% on your grocery bill. Many store brands are just as good in taste and quality as the big brand names.

Items like milk, canned tomatoes, beans, oats, olive oil and frozen fruits and vegetables are usually available in a cheaper store brand version. It's a good idea to compare the nutrition facts labels before you purchase to make sure you're not only getting the best buy for your money, but for your nutrition as well.

9. Swap in more plant-based proteins

Meat, poultry and seafood are often the highest cost of a meal. Swapping those for plant-based proteins such as beans, lentils, nuts and seeds can cut costs while still providing you with the nutrients you need. If you don't want to forgo meat altogether, try using half meat and half plant-based protein to help your animal protein foods go further.

10. Make use of leftovers

Cook once and eat twice — or more. Eating leftovers for lunch is a great way to skip the costs of eating out. Another way to use leftovers is to make a large or double batch of a meal and freeze some to have another night. You can also cook a large batch of a staple ingredient such as rice, beans, roasted vegetables or even chicken and use it in meals throughout the week.

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