I’m excited to be participating in the Go Green & Save Green Series with several other green bloggers this week! We’ll be talking about different areas of green and natural living, showing you how to go green while saving money at the same time! Be sure to check out the great links at the end of this post!
There are plenty of ways to save money by going “green” in terms of food. Even buying truly healthy, good quality food is not impossible if you purchase and store foods carefully.
Buying and if possible, preserving, food that is in season is the absolute best way to start saving money while doing a favor to the earth. Not only will the food be less expensive and more nutritious, but it will not have the added to the great transportation costs of food grown far away.
Farmers markets and roadside farm stands often offer very reasonable prices for what is truly the best quality food available. Even if I can’t always find something grown organically, I am still very happy if it was at least grown locally.
Preserving the fresh, in season foods bought at a great price is another way to further save money in the off-season months. If you preserve by canning, the glass jars can be used over and over again as long as they are well cared for. They are essentially a one-time cost and do not add to landfills each time a regular can is opened and not recycled. Freezing foods is another great option and often times much quicker than canning if that is something you require.
Buying in bulk is another great option for saving money as well as packaging materials for small containers. This does require a little bit more money up front, but for things that store well such as flour, oatmeal, etc. it can be a really great option if you find a good resource.
Making sure to store all of the food that you purchase properly (and remembering to use it in time!) is also important. Meal planning helps as you can make sure to use up all perishable foods before they spoil as well as plan to eat up leftovers. I am always bummed if I have to toss something out that sat in the fridge too long and was forgotten- not only was it a waste of space but also a waste of money!
Proper storage can also apply to how you store foods in the fridge. Often times, if I’m not sure how to store a particular food to make it last as long as possible (with only 2 people in the house this is definitely a requirement) so I do a quick check on Google. I have learned to keep tomatoes at room temperature and that lettuce in a crisper from the store can actually last for weeks. This can really help to stretch food dollars and make sure that nothing goes to waste.
Do you have any other tips for saving money on food and going green at the same time? We’d love to hear them!
Check Out These Other Great Posts in the Go Green & Save Green Series:
A Delightful Home: Grind Your Own Wheat
Live Renewed: Cooking a Whole Chicken & Making Chicken Stock
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Not wasting the food that I buy is something that I’m always trying to improve on! I hope there will be a day when I never have to throw out food.
I buy several pounds of meat at a time and cook it all at once, saving both on pkging and energy.
That is a great idea, Emily! I should really make an effort to start doing that, too.
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