{"id":90233,"date":"2013-07-26T08:00:04","date_gmt":"2013-07-26T13:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/?p=90233"},"modified":"2013-07-23T12:39:59","modified_gmt":"2013-07-23T17:39:59","slug":"why-you-should-absolutely-shop-sams-and-costco-for-healthy-eating-on-a-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/07\/why-you-should-absolutely-shop-sams-and-costco-for-healthy-eating-on-a-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Absolutely Shop Sam&#8217;s and Costco for Healthy Eating on a Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For six ounces of raspberries, that usually mold in a day or two, I pay my grocer $4.00. This seems ludicrous, and so raspberries are a &#8220;treat&#8221; that we get on sale occasionally. My <strong><a title=\"save on groceries\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/08\/slash-your-grocery-bill-and-avoid-a-nutrition-recession\/\">grocery budget<\/a><\/strong> is admittedly larger than a lot of families, but it still has a strict cap and has to go a long way.<\/p>\n<p>About six months ago, I visited the Big Box Warehouse Store in my city to pick up something with a friend. I was shocked. Those same raspberries, in a package three times the size, were the same price. And the kicker? They were organic. And I found that to be the case over and over.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"raspberries\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/07\/why-you-should-absolutely-shop-sams-and-costco-for-healthy-eating-on-a-budget\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-90238\" alt=\"raspberries\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/raspberries.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/raspberries.jpg 600w, https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/raspberries-300x189.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nI almost exclusively buy my fruits and vegetables at this warehouse store now, along with a number of other items that are always on <strong><a title=\"healthy grocery list\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/media\/pdfs\/Healthy-Grocery-Shopping.pdf\">our &#8220;healthy&#8221; grocery list<\/a><\/strong>. I get them at a fraction of the cost, and when anyone is trying to stretch their dollar further at the grocery store, less cost and more food is always a win.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, the total at the end of your receipt might be higher than what you typically pay, but don&#8217;t let that initial sticker shock weigh you down. Remember, you&#8217;re getting at least two or three times the food for that price. Where you couldn&#8217;t buy raspberries every week before, now you can. And it doesn&#8217;t stop at the berries.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lisajohnsonfitness.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Lisa Johnson<\/a><\/strong> conducted an experiment to <strong><a title=\"whole foods poverty challenge\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/02\/challenge-buy-30-days-of-groceries-at-whole-foods-on-a-poverty-level-budget\/\">feed her family on a poverty level budget exclusively at Whole Foods for 30 days<\/a><\/strong>. She pulled it off, with wine and money to spare. Just imagine what you could accomplish with that budget at a place like Sam&#8217;s or Costco, both of which accept SNAP, or food stamps.<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ll share with you our shopping tips for navigating the store and getting the most out of your time and money. As well, we&#8217;ll share with you the healthiest must-have food items there (at least at our location). <!--more--><\/p>\n<p>The Big Box Warehouse doesn&#8217;t just have to be super tubs of cheese balls and a month&#8217;s supply of chocolate chip cookies.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"cheese balls at sam's\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/07\/why-you-should-absolutely-shop-sams-and-costco-for-healthy-eating-on-a-budget\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-90239\" alt=\"sams cheeseballs\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/sams-cheeseballs.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/sams-cheeseballs.jpg 450w, https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/sams-cheeseballs-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Warehouse Shopping Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Get a free one-day pass for new customers<\/strong> to check out the prices and selection before you commit to a membership. Without a membership or day pass, shoppers incur a service fee.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Take cash and a list<\/strong>. With a hard budget you can&#8217;t afford to break, take cash instead of a credit card and shop only according to your list. This prevents impulse purchases.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Take reusable grocery bags<\/strong>. There aren&#8217;t any shopping bags and you can&#8217;t always get a &#8220;good&#8221; box to carry home your loot.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Shop the perimeter of the store<\/strong>, mostly. &#8220;Shop the perimeter and make the most of the middle,&#8221; advises <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bonnietaubdix.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Bonnie Taub-Dix<\/a><\/strong>, MA,RD,CDN, author of <strong><a title=\"read it before you eat it book review\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/09\/read-it-before-you-eat-it-helps-you-decode-food-nutrition-labels\/\">Read It Before You Eat It<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Avoid weekends<\/strong> when these stores are at peak volume. You&#8217;ll get in and out faster, face fewer headaches, and avoid unexpected calorie bombs from the sample booths.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Leave your coupons at home<\/strong>. Sam&#8217;s and Costco do not accept standard manufacturer coupons. Their prices are typically a score without the extra 50 cent savings anyway.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Divide and conquer<\/strong>. Taub suggests that when buying fresh meat, poultry, and fish, that you clean and freeze separately &#8220;so that you have the individual-sized portions you&#8217;ll need when you&#8217;re ready to cook for your family.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Don&#8217;t go hungry<\/strong>. Taub also advises not to go shopping with a grumbling stomach, you&#8217;ll be less tempted to take the samples and unexpected snacks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a title=\"warehouse grocery\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/07\/why-you-should-absolutely-shop-sams-and-costco-for-healthy-eating-on-a-budget\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-90240\" alt=\"warehouse grocery\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/warehouse-grocery.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/warehouse-grocery.jpg 600w, https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/warehouse-grocery-300x198.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Warehouse Shopping List<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Whole Chickens and Breasts, organic available<br \/>\nJennie-O Ground Turkey<br \/>\nJennie-O Whole Deli Turkey (the butcher will slice it for you, then freeze one-pound packs at home)<br \/>\nSargento String Cheese<br \/>\nLaughing Cow Babybel Cheese, wedges and wheels<br \/>\nFat-Free Feta Cheese<br \/>\nGreek Yogurt<br \/>\nCage-Free Eggs<br \/>\nWholly Guacamole<br \/>\nRaspberries, organic available<br \/>\nBlackberries, organic available<br \/>\nStrawberries, organic available<br \/>\nBlueberries, organic available<br \/>\nEnglish Cucumbers<br \/>\nSpinach and other greens, organic available<br \/>\nBell Peppers<br \/>\nAvocados<br \/>\nBananas<br \/>\nMangos<br \/>\nApples, several varieties<br \/>\nTomatoes, several varieties<br \/>\nPineapple<br \/>\nOranges<br \/>\nAsparagus<br \/>\nMushrooms<br \/>\nCarrots<br \/>\nBroccoli<br \/>\nMelons<br \/>\nOatmeal<br \/>\nWhole Grain English Muffins<br \/>\nStacy&#8217;s Pita Chips<br \/>\nPretzels<br \/>\nSkinny Pop popcorn<br \/>\nFood Should Taste Good whole grain chips<br \/>\nPistachios, almonds, and other nuts<br \/>\nDried fruits<br \/>\nRice, several varieties<br \/>\nCanned Tomatoes<br \/>\nCanned Black Beans<br \/>\nOlive Oil<br \/>\nSpices and Seasonings<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"green grocery shopping\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/12\/eco-friendly-grocery-shopping-guide-whats-good-for-you-and-mother-earth\/\">Eco-Friendly Grocery Shopping Guide<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"cheap and healthy meals\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/02\/3-meals-that-are-cheap-and-healthy\/\">3 Meals That are Cheap and Healthy<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"healthy grocery list\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/08\/top-10-must-haves-on-your-grocery-list-for-weight-loss\/\">10 Must-Have Foods for Weight Loss<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>photo credits: Barry Morgan, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/gallery-668929p1.html?cr=00&amp;pl=edit-00\">ChameleonsEye<\/a> \/ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/?cr=00&amp;pl=edit-00\">Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For six ounces of raspberries, that usually mold in a day or two, I pay my grocer $4.00. This seems ludicrous, and so raspberries are a &#8220;treat&#8221; that we get on sale occasionally. My grocery budget is admittedly larger than &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/07\/why-you-should-absolutely-shop-sams-and-costco-for-healthy-eating-on-a-budget\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3695],"tags":[4330,127,10699,6547,8440,9278,7509],"class_list":["post-90233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet-and-nutrition","tag-bonnie-taub-dix","tag-budget","tag-costco","tag-grocery-shopping","tag-homepage","tag-lisa-johnson","tag-sams-club"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/85"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90233"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90244,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90233\/revisions\/90244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}