Healthy eating doesn't have to drain your wallet. In this episode of PCOS Unfiltered, Lindsie shares 10 practical grocery hacks that can help you eat healthier while spending less. If you've ever felt like healthy food is too expensive, this episode will change your perspective. Learn how to shop smarter by focusing on whole foods instead of expensive "health" products, calculating the true cost per meal, buying seasonal produce, reducing food waste, and building simple, flexible meals that nourish your body without breaking your budget. Whether you're managing PCOS, insulin resistance, hormone imbalances, or simply trying to feed yourself or your family on a budget, these realistic strategies will help you make intentional grocery decisions that support your long-term health. Healthy eating isn't about perfection. It's about making small, sustainable choices that add up over time.
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Has grocery shopping become one of your biggest monthly expenses?
You're not alone.
Many people believe eating healthy requires expensive supplements, specialty foods, and organic everything—but that's simply not true.
In this episode, Lindsie breaks down 10 realistic grocery hacks that can help you save money while still nourishing your body.
Choose just one grocery hack from today's episode and put it into practice during your next shopping trip. Small changes often create the biggest long-term results.
⚠️ Podcast Disclaimer
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine.
(0:00) When we think about food, we often ask, (0:02) how much does this cost? (0:03) But maybe the better question is, what is this giving me? (0:07) Is it giving me more energy? (0:09) Is it helping to stabilize my blood sugar? (0:11) Less inflammation, more time just feeling good (0:14) with the people I love. (0:16) And that means maybe less time in the doctor's office, (0:18) less time fighting with insurance companies (0:21) or worrying about spending money on medications. (0:26) So prioritizing these whole foods, (0:29) healthy eating is not about spending more, (0:32) it's about spending intentionally (0:34) because every grocery trip (0:37) is an opportunity to invest in your future health.(0:42) Hello, beautiful, and welcome back to PCOS Unfiltered, (0:46) where we have real conversations about health, (0:48) hormones, nutrition, mindset, (0:50) and the everyday habits that help you feel your best. (0:53) I'm your host, Lindsay, (0:54) nurse, body wisdom guide, health and nutrition coach, (0:57) and someone who believes healthy eating (0:59) should simplify your life, not make it more stressful. (1:02) Today, we're talking about something (1:04) that I think almost everyone can relate to right now, (1:07) the grocery store.
(1:08) Can we all agree that grocery shopping (1:10) has become a little shocking lately? (1:12) I don't know about you, but there have been plenty of times (1:15) where I've walked into the store thinking, (1:16) I'm just grabbing a few things, (1:18) only to leave wondering how I spent over $100. (1:21) And I hear this from clients all the time. (1:23) Lindsay, I want to eat healthier, but I just can't afford it.(1:27) Maybe you've thought that too. (1:28) Maybe you've looked at recipes online and felt overwhelmed (1:31) because they call for 15 ingredients, specialty products, (1:34) or organic versions of everything. (1:36) Or maybe you've started believing that healthy eating (1:38) is only for people with unlimited grocery budgets.(1:41) If that's where you are today, (1:42) I hope this episode gives you a different perspective. (1:45) Because yes, groceries have become more expensive, (1:48) but healthy eating isn't about buying the most expensive food. (1:51) It's about buying the right food.(1:53) Today, I'm sharing 10 grocery hacks (1:55) that can help you nourish your body (1:56) while being intentional with your budget.
(1:59) These aren't extreme couponing tricks (2:01) or complicated meal plans. (2:03) These are simple shifts that I've used personally (2:05) and have taught hundreds of women over the years.(2:08) As always, the podcast is intended for educational (2:10) and informational purposes only (2:12) and should not be considered medical advice. (2:15) Please consult with your healthcare provider (2:16) before making any changes to your diet, exercise, (2:19) or treatment plan. (2:20) Now, let's get into it.(2:29) Hello, and welcome back to the show. (2:32) So today, yes, we are talking about (2:36) healthy eating on a budget. (2:38) It's something that I think I keep hearing (2:42) more and more about.(2:43) And even for myself, I know I used to think (2:46) that I might be able to get out of the grocery store (2:48) like under $100, and that was a great day. (2:51) And even then it was just like a couple bags of groceries. (2:54) It's crazy.(2:55) And now I feel like I'm easily spending $150 (2:58) every time I go to the store.
(3:00) So I wanted to talk about how to still be healthy (3:05) on a budget. (3:07) Just because you are watching your money (3:10) does not mean that you have to sacrifice your health (3:13) to do that.(3:14) So if you've been listening for a while, (3:16) then you probably know that I like to kind of break it down, (3:19) keep it simple. (3:19) I'm gonna talk about 10 hacks for how to do this. (3:24) And then, yeah, your challenge at the end (3:26) will be to just pick one, (3:27) one thing that maybe sticks out to you (3:29) that resonates best with you and where you can start.(3:33) So hack number one is to stop buying health food. (3:39) That, yeah, all those supplements, right? (3:42) I mean, all these things that are marketed (3:44) as healthy on the label, (3:47) think about it every time you walk through the store (3:49) and you're seeing protein cookies and protein chips (3:52) and greens powders and some new fancy protein powder, (3:59) a detox tea, some superfood drink, (4:02) the electrolyte packets, protein cereal. (4:05) I mean, it's all over.(4:07) And so sometimes it's easy to think, (4:09) well, if I wanna be healthy, (4:10) then I probably need to eat those.
(4:11) But the truth is they do really good marketing. (4:15) And that's all it is.(4:17) It's just marketing. (4:19) And more than likely, (4:20) somebody said this to me a long time ago, (4:21) and I think I've said it (4:22) on previous episodes at some point, (4:25) but most of the things that you see commercials for, (4:28) you don't actually need. (4:31) So let that sit in.(4:33) Let that sink in for a second, right? (4:36) Because when you think about all the things (4:37) you see commercials for, (4:38) those aren't necessities. (4:40) Those aren't basic items. (4:42) They're not advertising basic fruits and vegetables (4:45) and getting in your protein.(4:47) No, they're advertising all these special, (4:50) now I feel like there's this big protein craze, right? (4:53) For example. (4:54) So some of these can fit into your lifestyle, (4:59) but you need to get the basics first. (5:01) And so you have to think, (5:03) I've said this before too, (5:05) with supplements, (5:06) you think of what you're supplementing.(5:07) So if you're continuing to supplement poor habits (5:11) and poor choices, (5:12) then definitely do not waste your money
(5:14) on all of those fancy items. (5:17) Now, if you do feel like you're eating more whole foods (5:19) and you need something to kind of support you (5:21) on the journey and supplement, (5:22) that's fine. (5:23) But when we're talking about a budget, (5:25) those are things that you don't need to focus on.(5:30) Your body doesn't know protein from a $5 protein bar (5:36) or a couple of scrambled eggs. (5:38) It knows nutrients, (5:41) not marketing. (5:42) So one of the healthiest grocery carts that you can build (5:46) is often filled with the least flashy foods.(5:50) So keeping it simple, (5:52) eggs, Greek yogurt, (5:54) you know, your other meat proteins like, (5:57) you know, chicken and beef and that type of thing, (6:00) beans, (6:02) fruits and veggies, (6:03) frozen veggies are great too. (6:06) Rice, potatoes,
(6:07) all those things. (6:08) These are foods that have nourished us for generations.(6:13) So a little body wisdom tip here, (6:16) healthy eating is not expensive, (6:19) but marketing is. (6:21) So they spend a lot on marketing (6:22) and that means they need to sell a lot of that stuff. (6:25) But healthy eating does not mean expensive.(6:30) Hack number two is to think in cost per meal, (6:34) not cost per item. (6:35) So when we look at something, (6:38) it's easy to look at, (6:39) oh my gosh, (6:40) you know, how much does this cost? (6:42) But think about it as how many meals (6:45) will I create from this? (6:48) So rotisserie chicken, for example, (6:51) I mean, depending on how much you're eating, (6:54) I feel like you could probably get (6:56) a couple meals out of that. (6:58) You maybe even stretch it to three or four meals.(7:02) One of my biggest crazes lately (7:04) has been a chicken salad (7:07) that I'm making from the rotisserie chicken. (7:09) And I can probably get at least two or three (7:13) like meals out of that. (7:15) And whether that's, (7:17) I use it for like a lunch or sometimes a dinner.(7:20) So that rotisserie chicken might be like $8 or $9. (7:23) But when you break it down as cost per meal, (7:26) you're looking at what,
(7:27) maybe three to four or $5 per meal. (7:31) And so when you look at it as a whole, (7:33) sure, it can feel expensive, (7:35) but again, thinking about it differently (7:39) can help break it down and help open your eyes (7:43) as to where that money's actually being spent.(7:48) Greek yogurt is another good example of this. (7:51) You can buy a container, $5, $6, $7, whatever it is. (7:56) But like for me, I use Greek yogurt a lot for my breakfast (8:00) and I'll put in the berries and all that stuff too.(8:02) But when you're looking at it per serving, (8:08) I'm probably doing like a half a cup-ish, (8:12) maybe a little bit more per serving (8:15) and getting like close to 20 grams of protein (8:19) with each of that, plus then the add-ins. (8:21) So that meal is probably only, (8:25) again, like maybe $3 or so. (8:29) Eggs, a dozen eggs can go a long way.(8:33) So just think about breaking it down that way. (8:36) And yes, you do wanna kind of stock your pantry (8:40) and stock your refrigerator with some things.
(8:42) So it might be a little bit more upfront, (8:44) but then you have to start looking at, (8:45) okay, what do I have now? (8:46) And how can I use that and break it down (8:48) and breaking it down per meal is the best way to go (8:52) when you're really trying to focus on eating well (8:55) on a budget.(8:57) So hack number three, buy what's in season. (9:02) This is a big part of my program is seasonal eating. (9:05) I've also talked with Annie specifically (9:09) a couple of times now on the podcast.(9:12) And she talks about seasonal healing, seasonal eating. (9:16) And so one of the easiest ways to lower your grocery bill (9:20) is to simply buy the produce that's naturally abundant. (9:23) So yes, we can typically get, at least in America, (9:29) we can get pretty much any fruit and veggie all year round.(9:34) But those prices might vary and you may not even realize (9:38) that it might be time to pay more attention to that (9:40) because of what's in season, (9:42) that's when some things might be lower costs.
(9:45) They might be, I know like the grocery store near me, (9:48) they do a lot of buy one, get one free things (9:50) like for strawberries, for example, when they're in season. (9:53) So that might be time to take advantage of that stuff.(9:56) It's also serving your body better (9:58) when you're eating seasonally, (10:00) but it might be better on your wallet as well. (10:04) So some things especially to keep in mind are those fruits, (10:08) fruits are more abundant in the summer months, (10:10) especially towards the end of summer. (10:12) And then we get into like those squashes (10:14) and root vegetables and everything, (10:16) which more might be into end of summer, early fall.(10:21) And that would be the time that you can really, (10:24) get some good deals on those. (10:26) And then maybe in the summer months, (10:28) you find just those few things that might be in season, (10:34) or sorry, I said summer, (10:35) I think in the winter months I meant, (10:38) that might be in season,
(10:40) which I know is not going to be as much, (10:42) but your eating does change seasonally. (10:45) It should naturally kind of go with the seasons as well.(10:48) So yeah, so paying attention to those items (10:54) and what's actually abundant and on sale maybe, (10:58) because it is that time of year for those items (11:03) is something to definitely pay attention to (11:05) and can help your budget, (11:08) but also keep you on track for everything. (11:10) And it's just, it's a win-win all around. (11:15) So hack number four, (11:18) frozen doesn't mean less healthy.(11:21) So I hear this myth all the time (11:23) that fresh is always better. (11:27) No, that's not the case. (11:28) Sure, I would say eat fresh when you can, (11:31) but it's not a necessity.(11:33) If frozen veggies just are better for you, (11:37) maybe even help you save some time, (11:39) they're gonna help you save some money too. (11:42) Then go for it, because I would rather have you do that (11:45) than go for the more packaged, convenient items. (11:49) And a lot of times frozen vegetables are picked (11:51) at their peak ripeness and then frozen shortly after,
(11:55) and that helps preserve the nutrients in them.(11:58) So you can get a number of things frozen, (12:01) peas, carrots, there's the mixed bag of vegetables. (12:05) You can get cauliflower rice (12:08) and they won't go bad in your refrigerator. (12:10) Those might be something to keep on hand (12:12) so you're not wasting them.(12:13) Or if you know you've got travel coming up, (12:16) those are great to keep in the freezer (12:18) because then when you get back from your trip, (12:20) you can easily grab those (12:21) and you're not having to think too much. (12:24) It's one less decision that you have to make (12:26) around your food and your health and everything. (12:31) A body wisdom tip here is that healthy food (12:33) only helps your body if you actually eat it.(12:36) So yeah, if it's there and you're thinking like, (12:42) okay, I spent the money, I don't want it to go to waste, (12:44) you're gonna eat it if it's there in front of you. (12:50) Number five, hack number five, (12:54) store brands are often just as good. (12:57) This is one, so I make a lot of stuff with almond flour (13:02) and there's a good brand, (13:06) but it was getting really expensive.(13:10) And the store near me in Florida that's very popular, (13:16) they came out with their own, (13:18) their own just store brand of almond flour. (13:23) And it's like, I think four or $5 cheaper.
(13:26) So still pay attention to the ingredients on those (13:28) just to make sure there's nothing crazy.(13:31) But a lot of times the store brands are the same (13:33) as those brand name items. (13:37) And just take a look at the labels, but not the logos. (13:42) Your body's not reading the brand name, (13:44) it's just using those ingredients that are inside.(13:46) So that's what you need to pay attention to. (13:50) Hack number six, this one is probably one that I feel like (13:53) a lot of people have heard before, (13:55) but I feel like it still needs to be said (13:57) and that's don't shop hungry. (14:01) I've done it, we've probably all done it.(14:02) At some point, you stop at the grocery store after work, (14:06) you're already tired, you're getting hungry, (14:09) you're getting crankier, you just need to get in and get out (14:11) and you go for those convenience foods. (14:14) Those cookies look really good that are on the end cap (14:16) and those chips and everything (14:18) and that goes right into the cart.
(14:21) So even if it's just a little bit of a snack of some sort, (14:27) do that before you go to the grocery store (14:29) because when we're hungry, (14:30) our brains just naturally are looking for that quick energy (14:34) so it knows that when we see those really good cookies (14:36) that are right in front of us, (14:38) that's gonna give us that quick energy (14:40) and then that's what you put in your cart.(14:42) And shopping after a balanced meal (14:44) helps us make decisions from intention instead of impulse. (14:49) It's one of the simplest ways to save money (14:51) without feeling too deprived. (14:54) One thing you might wanna consider (14:57) if this becomes like a chronic thing (15:00) where you find yourself going to the store (15:02) and you are super, super hungry, (15:04) now it's not necessarily all the time budget friendly, (15:08) but I feel like in some form it might be (15:10) because it's probably better on your health, (15:14) is just placing your grocery order online.(15:17) I know some stores don't have any additional fees, some do, (15:21) but in the long run, that might be a better option for you (15:25) or if you don't do it all the time, (15:27) obviously that's great, but for here and there, (15:29) that might be an option too (15:32) because it's not draining even your mental energy, (15:35) you're kinda conserving, (15:36) you're budgeting your mental energy in that case. (15:39) So you might wanna think about occasionally
(15:42) either just placing a grocery order for a pickup (15:46) or like I said, do a quick snack or something (15:50) or eat your lunch a little bit later (15:52) before you head to the store after work (15:53) or whatever it might be (15:54) just so you're not going shopping completely banished. (16:00) Hack number seven is waste less food.(16:04) So one of the biggest grocery expenses (16:07) isn't what we buy, it's what we throw away. (16:11) And I say this stuff because I've done it. (16:14) How many times have I bought, oh my gosh, (16:16) spinach or some type of lettuce (16:18) and I always had the best intentions, (16:20) but I discovered it's still sitting in there a week later (16:24) and now it's stinky and bad.(16:28) So instead of feeling guilty about that, (16:30) let's create a new habit. (16:31) Freeze the bananas maybe before they are overripe, (16:36) turn leftover vegetables into a soup (16:38) or maybe a like sheet pan dish with your protein or whatever. (16:45) As long as the spinach isn't rotten, (16:48) if it's starting to wilt, (16:49) you can add that to smoothies or juices (16:52) or something like that.(16:54) You can do fresh herbs and olive oil (16:56) using that leftover chicken in other ways, (16:59) in a soup and a salad.
(17:02) Yeah, find other ways, (17:03) or you can maybe freeze some of those other items too (17:06) for meals that you can have on hand. (17:09) But every meal that you rescue is money (17:13) that you're saving and you're keeping.(17:17) Hack number eight is build your pantry around staples. (17:22) So instead of shopping for individual recipes every week, (17:25) build a pantry that gives you some flexibility. (17:28) So think about this (17:29) and kind of going along with the budget too, (17:32) think about instead of shopping for a recipe, (17:35) especially when you look at a recipe (17:37) and there might be some items on there (17:39) that you're gonna use for this recipe, (17:41) but you may not ever use them again (17:43) or may not use them for a while (17:44) and then they're gonna go bad, right? (17:45) Sometimes it's a fresh herb, (17:47) sometimes it's a specialty spice (17:49) or some fancy noodle or something.(17:52) So think about building a pantry that gives you flexibility. (17:57) So I should say pantry and refrigerated items, (18:01) but eggs, beans, rice, Greek yogurt, (18:04) those frozen vegetables, chicken, ground turkey, (18:07) ground beef, potatoes, (18:09) things that you can easily grab and put into meals. (18:12) And instead of focusing on the recipe (18:14) and going for all of these specialty items to the store, (18:17) maybe even thinking about going to the store first (18:20) or looking on their website (18:22) and seeing what they have on sale even first, (18:26) especially making the focus on protein.(18:28) So what's their protein on sale this week? (18:30) And then building a meal around that (18:32) along with those items that you have in your pantry (18:35) to give you that flexibility. (18:38) I mean, just remember you don't have to be, (18:41) it doesn't have to be complicated. (18:43) It shouldn't have to be complicated.(18:43) We make so many decisions in our life (18:46) throughout an entire day and food is part of that,
(18:50) but food should not be that complicated. (18:52) I love cooking, but I love simple recipes (18:57) and you can get creative even if you are starting off, (19:01) feel free to play with some of these things a little bit (19:03) and see what you can create. (19:05) But when you have these things on hand too, (19:08) it definitely helps you save time and helps you save money.(19:14) So hack number nine is healthy (19:16) doesn't have to mean organic. (19:20) This one can be controversial, (19:22) but to me if it's choosing organic, (19:28) if that means buying fewer fruits and vegetables altogether, (19:33) then I'd rather just see you eat more produce in general, (19:37) organic or not, who cares? (19:40) Because organic may not fit everybody's budgets. (19:43) Now there are some items (19:44) where people do really recommend buying organic, (19:48) but if that's just not in your budget, that's fine.(19:51) I would rather have you eat just the regular strawberries (19:54) because there's so many benefits to those (19:56) versus the organic ones. (19:57) Just make sure you're cleaning them really well (20:00) because even our organic produce, (20:02) again, at least here in America, (20:03) is still maybe not as organic as we would like it to be (20:08) or as it might be in other countries. (20:09) So just whatever you can do, (20:13) get those fruits and veggies in, organic or not.(20:16) The goal is just more nourishing foods, not perfection. (20:20) And progress always beats perfection. (20:24) Hack number 10, this is my favorite.(20:26) I love this one. (20:28) Budget with your health in mind. (20:30) So as we wrap up, I want to leave you,
(20:35) of course I'm ending with this (20:37) because I want to leave you with this very powerful one.(20:40) So when we think about food, (20:41) we often ask how much does this cost? (20:44) But maybe the better question is what is this giving me? (20:47) Is it giving me more energy? (20:49) Is it helping to stabilize my blood sugar, (20:51) less inflammation, more time just feeling good (20:54) with the people I love? (20:56) And that means maybe less time in the doctor's office, (20:59) less time fighting with insurance companies (21:02) or worrying about spending money on medications. (21:06) So prioritizing these whole foods, (21:09) healthy eating is not about spending more. (21:12) It's about spending intentionally (21:14) because every grocery trip is an opportunity (21:18) to invest in your future health.(21:23) So here's my challenge for you this week. (21:25) The next time you go grocery shopping, (21:27) don't try to change everything. (21:28) Just choose one of these hacks.(21:31) Maybe you'll compare store brands, (21:32) maybe you'll buy frozen vegetables, (21:34) maybe you'll start looking at cost per meal
(21:36) instead of cost per item. (21:38) Small shifts like these can make a surprising difference, (21:41) not just in your grocery bill, (21:42) but in the way you think about nourishing yourself. (21:45) And if today's episode was helpful, (21:46) I've created something to make putting these ideas (21:48) into practice even easier, (21:50) a free healthy budget cheat sheet.(21:52) It includes my favorite grocery saving strategies, (21:56) a simple meal building formula (21:57) and an easy shopping checklist (21:59) to help you eat well without overspending. (22:01) You can grab it in my community. (22:03) The link is in the bio.(22:05) If you enjoyed this episode, (22:06) I would love it if you would share it (22:07) with someone who's ever said healthy eating (22:09) is just too expensive. (22:11) And if you do, be sure to tag me. (22:13) I always love seeing who's listening.(22:15) Until next time, I'm sending you so much love (22:17) and I'll see you on the next episode of PCOS Unfiltered. (22:21) Nourish, heal, thrive.