Healthy Cooking and Eating on a budget

One of the biggest objections to being able to eat clean, healthy food is that it costs a lot more money to shop in this way. I've read a few things that dispute this, citing that you save money overall if you're not eating out or purchasing food on the go throughout the working day. Personally I do think that it is more expensive to purchase certain products that are organic or in the case of protein organic / grass fed / pasture raised. It can be a nominal disparity depending on where you live and the cost of grocery shopping but living smack bang in the middle of Manhattan suffice to say nothing is cheaper here. So you have to be savvy.

This is the advice I give on how to get the best value for money on your healthy grocery shop based on your own personal budget.

1. Plan your meals. Don't cook on the fly, know what you plan to cook for all your meals throughout the week and factor in any social activities that you know you may have coming up so food does not spoil. 
2. Be thoughtful in the planning process. Generally my breakfasts are simple affairs during the week and lunch is leftovers. Make and cook extra food for dinner and have it for lunch the next day. Don't plan to cook radically different recipes each week. Choose recipes that have similarity in some ingredients so you have variety but have no food wastage. Don't plan to cook every night or recipes that you have never cooked before on consecutive evenings. You will only stress yourself out and lose any interest in cooking your own food. Instead follow the point below.
3. Cook once eat lots. Dinner leftovers become lunch or totally new recipes. Batch cooking soups means you don't have to cook every night. Don't waste anything!
4. Spot trends. Identify what is getting eaten and what you're not enjoying so much, especially if you are getting to the end of the week and throwing something out. Why is that happening, did you buy too much, not utilize it in a recipe or simply went off it? Patterns can help you stick to buying what you really need versus what you think you want on impulse.
5. Be disciplined in the grocery store. Buy only what is on your list, do not deviate unless there is some sale on cupboard staples (see below) but don't be tempted by items that may be healthy but are impulse purchases. Don't buy something on "buy one get one free" unless it's on your list. Buying more than you need is a sure fire way to being left with wasted food.
6. Stock up on cupboard staples when in the sale. Your aim is to get your pantry to the point where you have all the basics for recipes each week. Then it's only the perishables that you need to purchase rather than every ingredient each time.
7. Wash your vegetables and produce in an apple cider vinegar bath. 3 parts water and 1 part apple cider vinegar. This is not only the best way to ensure that everything is as clean as possible but also extends shelf life of your veggies - double bonus!
8. Prioritize. If you can't afford to buy everything organic no problem but get your list together in ascending order of what you should spend your money on. For me protein would at the top of the list - meat / seafood / eggs have to be organic / pastured raised / grass fed! Then dairy if I ate it. Finally be aware of the "dirty dozen" list and this will prioritize your vegetables that should be organic.
9. Get familiar with your supermarkets. Don't just head the the same old grocery store that is right next to you, understand what your options are and how much things cost at each location. Make notes if you have to. Educate yourself. Don't pay more for a product that you can get cheaper elsewhere if you can switch up your store.

So just a few tip on economizing where possible. Healthy, clean eating and cooking can be within everyone's reach regardless of budget.