Your clean eating shopping list guide!  Let’s get started on the how to’s when it comes to making your list and how to shop.

Whether you are preparing for one week of clean eating or just want tips on how to save money when it comes to clean eating on a budget you are in the right spot. After all who wouldn’t want to save time and money especially when it comes to your grocery bill? 

I have your covered when it comes to:

1. how to creat your clean eating shopping list
2. what to look out for when at the grocery store so that you don’t buy what you don’t need or want
3. money and time saving tips when grocery shopping
4. why meal planning is key and how to create your own plan

Let me ask you, does this sound like you? You go shopping for a few items and come out with a full cart. The one item you go for are eggs then the next thing you know you have eggs, plus all sorts of other goodies that are not really goodies but rather the “junk food. You find that you have piled in some Oreos, chips, sodas, and other items that you later regret buying and your bill is….well not one you pat yourself on the back for.  

In case you have not figured it out yet stores are genius at marking and that includes grocery stores. They know how to get you spend more money by buying items you don’t need.

We have all been there done that trust me.  

Grocery stores use marketing strategies to get you to buy and it works most of the time. That is why part of clean eating on a budget is not only about creating an affordable clean eating gorcery list but knowing how to avoid the pitfalls of grocery store marketing. By following these tips you will have more success at sticking to your clean eating grocery list, save money and time, and overall feel good about how you shopped. 

Let’s first talk about what to avoid and some of the marketing strategies grocery stores use to get you to buy. Then we will get into how to create and stick to an affordable clean eating grocery shopping list for you. 

Having your clean eating shopping list handy when shopping will help you navigate the grocery store from the moment you walk in.

Some marking ploys to know and avoid when grocery shopping are:

Marketing ploy #1

• Using buy-one-get-one-free specials. The signs and the suggestion to get a second box or bag can prompt customers to buy more than they had planned. 

Marketing ploy#2

• Supermarket bakeries make the whole store smell good. They know that the scent of baking bread or cupcakes can get people to buy more.  

Marketing ploy#3

• The “free” sample stations to wet your appetite and spur more food purchases.

Marketing ploy#4

• They set up displays that pair products together. Looking at strawberries? It’s not uncommon for supermarkets to use berry season to cross-promote shortcakes and whipped cream. Two more examples: chips and soda; pasta and Parmesan cheese.

Marketing ploy#5

• Impulse buying, grocery stores take advantage of the time you spend in the grocery line. They do so by filling the checkout line with displays anywhere from candy bars to sodas, hand sanitizers, gift cards, chips, nuts, sugary-filled soft drinks, and more. This is a gold mine for retailers to place their products because the power of impulse buying works so well. 

Now with all that being said, how do you create and stick to a clean eating grocery list? 

Planning is key! Start by planning for one week of clean eating.

Create a healthy eating meal plan.  

Spend some time thinking about what healthy meals you want to make for the week. A good idea is to write them down and include what ingredients you need and consider which ingredients you already have. 

You don’t want to buy items that you already have and end up adding dollars to your grocery bill. Remember this is also about savings when creating your clean eating shopping list.

Build around this by incorporating meals that use much of the same ingredients. 

For example, maybe Monday’s breakfast is oatmeal with fresh fruit than on Wednesday breakfast is overnight oats with fruit. 

Meal planning using this method will help save money and lead to little to no waste of food. 

By alternating days that use the same ingredients, you also will not get bored or feel as if you have eaten the same food all week. This is a way of mixing things up, using all the ingredients and getting creative with your meals. 

Another example of incorporating the same ingredients in different meals is by using chicken. Chicken breast usually comes in two to four breasts in a packet. Grill two pieces and use one breast for a Cesar salad and the other for a spinach salad with mixed berries and feta. 

If you bought a package of chicken breast that happens to have more than two breasts you can freeze those for later use and that can be used for two more meals at another time. 

Shop by food groups

Another key to clean eating on a budget is when you are creating your grocery list organize it grouping foods by sections. What I mean is once you have planned out your meals create a list of what you need to shop for by listing all the veggies together, all the fruits together, and put those two listings in one group. Shop by section and food groups. 

Use grocery store marketing to your advantage to save time as well as money. Fruits and veggies are usually in the same area so shop for both goods at once. This will save you time by preventing you from backtracking going from one section of the store back to the other section. 

 This is a big no, no as it will in most cases lead you to impulse by and shop for things that are not on your list rather things that you may be craving. 

This is huge, DO NOT shop when you are hungry and DO NOT create your clean eating shopping list when you are hugnry either!!!

Something to think about. When creating your clean eating shopping list you may want to add a treat item to the list. When I say treat item this may be something that you like to treat yourself to that may not necessarily be on your clean eating diet. However, if you do make room for those little indulgences then most likely you will not overdo them. 

By spending a little extra time planning your meals and creating clean eating shopping list you will save money and time in the long run. Using these tips will also help you from overspending and buying foods that you don’t need and reduce food waste. 

Planning will lastly save you needless trips to the grocery store. Happy shopping and I hope these tips help you create your clean eating grocery list.