Grocery Shopping Tips for Your Health and Wallet

Written by: Chinonso Ahanonu
August 28, 2025

Eating a healthy diet doesn’t have to break the bank. With a few strategic tips and a better understanding of how grocery stores are laid out, you can fill your cart with nutritious foods without overspending. The key is to plan ahead, be intentional with your choices, and prioritize certain sections of the store.

Affordable Grocery Tips

1. Plan Your Meals and Make a List
Before you even step foot in the store, plan your meals for the week. This helps you avoid impulse purchases and only buy what you’ll actually use. Use coupons and check store flyers for weekly sales, then build your meals around those discounted items. You can also save money by using a slow cooker to prepare meals on a busy day or eating leftovers for lunch.¹

2. Shop Smart to Save More

Don’t Shop Hungry: Going to the store on an empty stomach often leads to buying unhealthy, expensive snacks you don’t need.²
Embrace Generic Brands: Store-brand items are often just as good as name brands but are significantly cheaper. You can compare the unit price (the cost per ounce or pound) on the shelf label to see which option gives you the best value.¹
Buy in Bulk (When It Makes Sense): Items like dried beans, oats, rice, and nuts are often cheaper when purchased in bulk. Just make sure you’ll use it all before it goes bad to avoid waste.²
Choose Plant-Based Proteins: Meat is often the most expensive part of a meal. Incorporating more plant-based proteins like lentils, beans, tofu, and eggs into your diet can be a great way to save money while still getting essential nutrients.³

The Best Aisles for Your Health

Most grocery stores are strategically designed with the freshest, least-processed foods on the perimeter. This is where you should spend most of your time shopping. However, don’t completely avoid the inner aisles, they also hold many healthy, affordable staples.

The Perimeter
This is where you’ll find the most nutrient-dense foods:

Produce Section: Fill your cart with a rainbow of fresh fruits and vegetables. Buying produce that’s in season is a great way to save money and get the freshest options.⁴ If fresh produce is too expensive, frozen and canned versions are just as nutritious and often more affordable. Just be sure to choose options without added salt or sugar.
Meat and Seafood Counter: Look for lean proteins like chicken, turkey, and fish. Buying larger family packs and portioning them out to freeze can save you money in the long run.⁵
Dairy and Eggs: Here you’ll find milk, yogurt, and eggs, which are excellent sources of protein and other essential nutrients.

The Inner Aisles
While the center aisles contain many processed foods, they also hold some of the healthiest pantry staples:

Grains and Legumes: Look for whole grains like oats, brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat pasta. These are packed with fiber and are very budget-friendly. This aisle is also home to dried and canned beans, lentils, and chickpeas, which are fantastic, inexpensive protein sources.
Canned Goods: Look for canned fish like tuna and salmon, and opt for canned vegetables labeled “no salt added” or “low sodium” and fruits canned in water or natural juice.
Frozen Foods: The freezer aisle is your friend! Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at their peak ripeness and flash-frozen, locking in nutrients. They’re often cheaper and last much longer than fresh produce, reducing food waste.
Nuts and Seeds: This aisle has heart-healthy fats, protein, and fiber. Look for raw, unsalted options without added oils or sugars.

Aisles to Approach with Caution:

Snack and Chip Aisles: These aisles are full of processed foods high in sodium, unhealthy fats, and refined carbohydrates.
Soda and Sugary Drink Aisles: Opt for water or unsweetened beverages instead.
Checkout Aisles: This is a final opportunity for stores to tempt you with impulse buys like candy and sugary snacks.²

By sticking to a list and focusing on whole, unprocessed foods from the perimeter and select inner aisles, you can eat a healthy diet without breaking your budget.