Can I Use Coupons and Still Eat Healthy?

Question: I used to be a “coupon queen.” But I realized that I bought more junky and processed foods, because, with double coupons, they were extremely cheap or free. On one trip during Thanksgiving, I got over $150 of groceries for only $9.50 plus a free turkey.

However, with all the junky foods I bought, my family's (and my) health declined.

Now, I feed my family an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables - and more whole foods and organic items. We feel much better than before, but my grocery bill is going sky-high. I find that many of the loss leaders are for very processed and unhealthy foods.

Do you have any tips to save on organics and fresh fruits and veggies? How can I shop less often for fresh produce without having to freeze?

Answer: Coupons are not the culprit for poor health. It's a matter of choices. We use coupons judiciously, eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and are very healthy.

Organic foods are a growth area in the grocery store with sales increasing from $10.4 billion in 2004 to a projected $300 billion in 2008. Because of the profit potential, more retailers are carrying organics and this is resulting in lower prices.

Shop around for deals. With some aggressive planning and comparison shopping you should be able to cut your bill considerably. Focus on buying fruits and veggies that are in season and at their lowest prices:

Fall: Apples, pears, avocados and peppers.
Winter: Citrus.
Spring: Asparagus, artichokes, strawberries.
Summer: Peaches, nectarines, plums, melons, apricots, berries and squash.

Consume your most fragile produce right away (things like berries, bananas and grapes) saving heartier things like apples and oranges for later in your shopping cycle. This way you should be able to limit your shopping trips to twice a month, which will reduce overall costs. Some foods don’t need to be purchased as organics and are just as healthy — see the September/October 2008 edition of The HomeEconomiser Newsletter for more information on how to save money when buying organics.

And if you've got a green thumb, you can always plant your own garden (contact your local county extension service). Zucchini anyone?