Healthy eating on a budget seems to be a hot topic when it comes to programs like the Whole30 because everyone automatically assumes it’s going to be super expensive. I’m here to debunk this myth because healthy eating can be affordable and accessible.
My goal as a health & wellness blogger and Whole30 certified coach is to show people that you can eat nutritious and delicious meals without breaking the bank. Whenever I tell people this, I get a lot of push back because when people think of “eating healthy” they think having to shop at stores like Whole Foods and buying these specialty items that can be expensive.
This week I decided to show the naysayers wrong. I asked my Instagram community to share with me their grocery budget, and let me tell you, the range I got was ALL over the place. It ranged from $25 per week to $180 per week.
I’m very aware that where you live also plays a factor into your grocery budget. When I lived in NYC, my grocery budget was much higher in comparison to when I lived at home in Lowell. Grocery prices vary from place to place, but I’m a firm believer you can still make it work!
It takes planning and prepping before heading to the grocery store. Sticking to my grocery list really helped me. I’m going to be honest, I’m definitely one of those people who will go to a grocery store (sometimes hungry) and buy whatever speaks to me. Then I’m left wondering why I spent over $100 when I really didn’t need to.
Here are the criteria for this challenge (please keep in mind I’m only shopping for myself):
- Coupons and sales played a huge role. Also, why are we sleeping on coupons?! Extreme couponing might be my new hobby.
- I shopped at a regular ole local grocery store to show you that you don’t need a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s or any other specialty store. I also only shopped at one store. (Typically I go to different grocery stores but I know that’s not a reality for some people)
- I shopped in my own cabinets. This week made me use the things I already had in my pantry and freezer that I often overlook. Before I went shopping, I made note of the things I had and worked around those items.
- This grocery challenge is also assuming you have basic things like spices, herbs, and cooking fat already stocked up.
- This challenge was for Monday through Friday. On the weekends, I eat whatever is leftover and shop on Sunday for the following week.
Budget: $50
Grocery list:
- Chicken thighs – 2.5 lbs for $3.62
- Pork Shoulder – 3.5 lbs for $6.38 (on sale)
- Ground beef – 1 lb for $3.99
- Eggs – 12 for $1.69 (used coupon)
- Yellow potatoes – 5 lbs for $2.99
- Green plantains – 2 for $0.89
- Green leaf lettuce – 1 bunch for $0.99
- Kale – 1 bunch for $1.49
- Tomatoes – 2 for $1.59 (on sale)
- Bell pepper – 1 for $1.36
- Avocados – 2 for $1.98
- Bacon – $3.99 (used coupon)
- Apple – 1 for $0.42
Total: $31.38
Remaining: $18.82
As you can see, I didn’t even come close to spending the amount I gave myself. With the additional $18.82, I added it to the following week’s grocery budget. This is a strategy I learned from my financial adviser.
Budget for certain things, and if there’s any money left, add it back into the budget for that certain ‘thing’. (You can even use the leftover funds towards a night out or towards something you’re saving up for!)
So when I went grocery the following week, I splurged on things like different cuts of animal protein (hello steak!), stocked up on a few pantry staple items I was running low on, and even bought a new product to try. Let’s see how long this budgeting thing lasts. LOL

Not an actual picture of this week’s meal prep but close enough.
Anyway, I used my Scoop n Go meal prep method to prep for the week. I didn’t run out of food, and even had leftovers. I typically eat three meals a day so that’s 15 meals Monday – Friday. Each meal cost me less than $3.00. Obviously, I didn’t factor in the things I already had in my kitchen.
This way of eating works for me because I have no problem eating the same things over and over. My Scoop n Go meal method also helps prevent food boredom because I mixed and matched the food I made. Plus, I had different sauces and spices to change it up. Just remember, healthy eating on a budget doesn’t have to be boring!
Here are a few recipes I used for that week:
Cheeseburger Skillet – I used different toppings throughout the week to keep it interesting
Crispy Chicken Thighs (I tossed it in different sauces like The New Primal Class BBQ Sauce all week)
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sliders (I used tostones as the buns, and shredded up a few of the crispy chicken thighs)
Tostones with pulled pork and guacamole
Lots of salads were eaten using different proteins and my cashew butter vinaigrette.
Used half the eggs, bacon, bell pepper, potatoes, and onions to make a fritatta to eat throughout the week.
Prepping things like potatoes differently kept food from getting boring.
There you have it folks! Healthy eating on a budget can be done and has been done. This was definitely a fun challenge, and I’m hoping these habits stick.
Tell me how you budget down below! I’d love to hear more strategies.
i was just diagnosed with Lupus so healthy eating has become even more of a priority, I’m on an exceptionally low budget, but sales and 5 dollar days are my best friend. my issue is i do not have very many so-called pantry staples and many of those are very expensive! herbs, spices, sauces, fats etc. any idea on how to get them on a very very strict budget?
Definitely, stock up when your store is having sales, and see if there are any stores around you that sell spices and herbs in bulk. That tends to be cheaper because you can buy as much as you need when you need it. I do this when I need to buy spices I don’t use often and it costs me less than $1 sometimes! Also, just remember that not everything needs to be name brand and etc. Buying store brand and generic products is just as great!
You can get low cost bulk spices from thrive market online!
Thrive Market is great, but…. The membership is $59.99. I purchased using their 30 free trial, and then the Honey app found a 30% off coupon, which meant that I need to buy more items to get free shipping ($50).
What I did was open different tabs on my browser: Walmart, Target, Amazon, and Thrive. I KNOW that I got the best prices, and then saved more with the coupon that Honey found. I did NOT feel guilty about adding some almond oil for my skin or some other goodies. Afterall, I was willing to spend $50. I just got more than I expected for that amount.
Anyway, I’m trying to convince my cousin to share an account with me. If that’s the case, the membership will only be $30/year for each of us.
Another tip for spices: Check where your store has “Mexican” food items, often they have spices super cheap… And if you have a Penzey’s near you they often give away *free* spices! (Also great online but there’s shipping.)
lol im all about store brand! the spices i do have are the dollar ones from walmart on the bottom shelf! lol ive not found a coconut aminos brand that isnt too sweet for me, and ive not found red boat fish sauce yet as i know that one is sugar free. right now im putting trader joes 21 spice salute on everything i was so excited that was only 1.99! i must admit i was disappointed everything but the bagel had salt in it. most things i dont like salted.
Buy a jar of spice like Basil. Use the Basil. Keep the jar. Find a store that sells spices in bulk. Refill the jar! This is a huge money saver. I usually save 75%. Also, some herbs are easy to grow. Try oregano and thyme. They look nice and are commonly used in recipes.
Rosemary is also super easy to grow, and depending on where you live, your plant may survive the winter and become a rosemary bush the following Spring!
thats a super good idea! thanks!
That’s what I do too! It’s been a big help, plus it helps the environment from the waste of each bottle! BOOM! Double duty awesome!
I noticed that the recipes you gave seem to use sauces and other ingredients that weren’t in your grocery list. In my experience, specialty food items that don’t have sugar are some of the most expensive items in my grocery cart. Are you assuming we already have them?
I agree with Michelle D – the expensive things are the fats and specialty sauces and salad dressings. If you’d included the price of two or three of those, you’d have gone over budget. You also didn’t appear to have any snack food or dessert. And one apple, two tomatoes – for a week? what kind of bland salads are you eating?
I don’t think snacks or desserts are encouraged during a whole30. So it makes sense they wouldn’t be included here…
When I was building my Whole30 pantry, I focused on investing any additional money I had in the budget on specialty ingredients rather than convenience items. So for example, purchasing a bottle of an ingredient like compliant fish sauce or coconut aminos rather than a bottle of pre-made compliant salad dressing. The base ingredients (like a coconut aminos) go a long way, and having them in my pantry meant I could create my own condiments/sauces/dressings/ etc. I also made my own ghee for years by purchasing butter and skimming off the milk solids (lots of tutorials on Youtube for this). That was my low-cost, compliant cooking fat. I also tried to build my collection of vinegar and olive oils whenever I could and I used those as salad dressings. It’s possible to build a robust Whole30 pantry while being budget-conscious, but it takes time and discipline.
This was really helpful to see, but I was surprised to see the costs of your protein. Do you not buy grassfed/organic meat? Every time I’ve done a Whole30, spent about $550 for the month, just for me alone, and the majority of those costs were meat.
I have done Whole 30 plenty of times now. I lived in a very small town in Montana where grassfed/organic/etc. items were very rarely available. Everyone can totally do a Whole30 without buying everything organic especially when it comes to shopping on a budget!
This was my though as well. You are not eating grass fed and pastured protein. 😛
😒😒😒
Definitely buying spices and herbs in bulk is the way to go – also the Dollar store has some too that are good – Check it out
The eggs and meat seem way too cheap to be anything other than factory farmed.
Which is completely fine. If organic/grass-fed/pastured isn’t in the budget, conventional meat and eggs are the obvious choice.
Must be nice to be able to eat that cheaply… can’t even imagine it. I’ve never in my life seen prices that low. In any store: regular old grocery store or wholesale store… it’s all much more costly than that. At a minimum, at least double those costs, if not tripled (and in the case of meat, quadrupled or more!). That’s not even factoring in the additional +35% exchange rate required (to convert to USD) to make an accurate dollar to dollar comparison.
The recipes look super delicious though.. I’ll certainly be trying them!
It sounds like you’re out of the country, which makes comparing your grocery store costs to this list kind of pointless. Dolly lives in the US, and her resources are for US-based folx. We do hope to expand our resources outside of the US eventually, but that’s difficult to do as none of our team members live in other countries.
It sounds like you live out of the country, which makes comparing these prices to your country’s pretty pointless. I’d take the ideas she put forth here (keeping it simple, making your own vs. convenience) and apply that to your local food-scape.
There is a cost elsewhere when you pay rock bottom prices. Factory farmed animals, pesticides in vegetables and fruits (and now in your body). Make the choice if you want to spend the extra money on pastured meat and eggs and organic produce, or if you want to spend the extra cost in your healthcare bills.
You don’t know what is available where they live. Just finding fresh produce and meat may be a struggle. Some people live in food deserts and may not have access to transportation to get them to a place where fresh food is available. In the end, fresh fruit and vegetables are fresh fruit and vegetables. Period. They all have health benefits.
Rebekah, your comment indicates you have a lot of privilege; the choice to spend the money allocated in your budget on grass-fed, organic foods. Not everyone has that privilege. (In fact, I’d say most do not.) For those who are looking to eat healthy without having access to or being able to afford grass-fed or pastured meat, these recommendations may make the difference in a family feeling like the Whole30 is out of their reach, and allowing them to complete the program. And I’m sure, given you’ve experienced the benefits of the program yourself, you’d want as many people as possible to have those same benefits!
Personally I eat organic, grass fed and free range. The prices you paid for things are not feasible when you eat clean. Grass fed beef is $6.49 a pound. Green leaf lettuce is $2.50 a bunch. Free range eggs are $5-6 a dozen.
Stop the food shaming – there’s no problem with eating organic/ grass fed/ locally raised meat if you are financially able to do so. For those who may not have this privilege, be sure that they are doing the best they can while still trying to improve their health. Shame and oppression go hand in hand – instead, try asking what have you done today to ensure that marginalized communities have access to more quality foods.
thank you Bridget!
Hear hear Bridget!
Seriously! Comments like this make the already marginalized feel even worse. I am a first generation Mexican American college graduate that works a job and doesnt make enough to consistently buy grass fed pasture raised mon grain fed all the above products. Finding the whole30 saved my life, but consistently hearing and seeing comments like this makes it more personal for me. I splurge on stuff like that when i can and even then, i see it as a luxury to be able to afford quality products without breaking the bank. Understand others struggles before you start shaming for whatever reason.
Non*
Thanks so much for this!! These recipes look delicious and I love their creativity!! I am always looking for ways to save $$, I think this is FANTASTIC! Definitely going to try these recipes!! Thank you!!
I love this. These are great tips Dolly! Perfect for anyone who is focusing on eating whole foods. You can definitely shop at your local grocery store to get what you need. Something I like to do is buy frozen veggies.
Thank you for demonstrating that Whole30 and the benefits of the program are accessible on any budget. Obviously, we have the option to choose higher quality foods if we have the means. However, some commenters need to check their privilege at the door. They personify everything wrong with the Whole30 community! Elitist with a lack of awareness of the plight of disadvantaged people or anyone outside of their circle. You are offering a solution and I appreciate the work you’ve done to create this resource.
Completely agree. Couldn’t have said it better!
Where are you shopping? Food prices vary by the location. Curious where you are buying groceries at the prices mentioned in the article.
A local grocery store in Lowell, MA called Market Basket. The prices in comparison to other grocery stores in the area are much more affordable.
This is so helpful and well researched, Dolly! Keep up the good work!
Thank you Dolly for your authenticity and realness in the world of whole30 and/or trying to eat whole/better doesn’t have to come in the range of the food elitist. you are doing so much good for the community, thank you everyone who answered my question with helpful suggestions i really appreciate it. and thank you Dolly for this forum for this topic!
Thank for being in this space. I appreciate you. I will continue to share more ways on how to make Whole30 and a healthy lifestyle accessible to all.
This is great! You’ve clearly stated that you already had a lot of your ingredients at home and sauces etc can be expensive but also last you many meals if used sparingly. We have just finished a whole 30 and it was expensive but that’s because I was overcompensating for the drastic change to our diet by trying to make our meals as appealing (read fancier than necessary) as possible. As we have gotten used to this way of eating a simple salad with protein is much more satisfying than it was on day 2! Thanks for the post Dolly
Exactly! It doesn’t have to be fancy at all. Just hit all of the marks and you’re good to go.
I love this so much, Dolly! I’ve started trying to do a solid list before I shop, make most of my own sauces with things on hand like oils and vinegar, and I’ve cut my costs so much! Thanks for showing us that it IS possible to eat well no matter where you are or what your access looks like.
Yes! Sticking to the list helped me so much. If not, I would’ve gone rogue and bought all of the things. 😂
This is such a great way to show how easy and affordable it can be to eat real food! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for this! We are on a tight budget trying to pay down debt and have managed to eat whole 30/paleo on a budget as well. We add some things to your strategies that help us out too. We have go-to sources for our fats and will make special trips for them to stock up. E.G. Trader Joes is the cheapest for nut butters, I get a huge bottle of Avocado Oil at BJs when I’m low and we buy olive oil in a one of those big metal containers and refill a smaller bottle from it. When it comes to other fats, I save my own. When I roast a chicken, I save the drippings in the fridge, scrape the fat off the top the next day and ta-da chicken fat ready to go. If we splurge on Bacon, we save the grease…etc. I have a bunch of ball Jars with them in it in the fridge. We also save the bones of everything in bags in the freezer and once a month I make stock and freeze it in portions. We buy alot of frozen vegetables as well. Every week before going to the store, I look over the sales flyer and build my menu off of what’s on sale. When something is super cheap I buy a lot. For example, recently Market Basket had Whole Turkeys on Sale for 49 cents a pound. I bought the whole thing and then broke it up and froze it portioned in the freezer. We also make all of our own condiments. I do not buy mayo, salad dressing….etc. There are amazing recipes online. Most of them can be made quickly in a ball jar with a stick blender. And for those that will scoff that we are not buying grass fed and free-range, we understand that would be better and would if we could be we cannot afford it. We are finding the best middle ground we can with what we have.
Thank you so much for sharing all of this!!! This is so helpful. Also, I’m a Market Basket shopper when I’m home! You can’t beat their deals and prices.
Also, Market Basket is where my grocery list is based off of.
Straight from the Source: “As long as the ingredients are all compliant, you’re still 100% doing the Whole30, no matter how you choose to use these in your program. Organic and grass-fed. No, you don’t have to buy almonds shelled by Spanish virgins and roasted in unicorn fat to be Whole30 compliant.” 🙂
Amen. 🙌
This is amazing. We are trying to save money right now for a down payment on a house and we realize we spend a lot of money on food. These tips will definitely come into play to help us save so we can focus our attention on buying a home but also continue to eat healthy. Thank you for your dedication to being a helpful resource within this community. It’s so appreciated!
Ahh so exciting!!! Good luck on the house buying process and I can’t wait to hear about it. ❤️
Thank you for putting together this AWESOME resource, Dolly. This is exactly the type of content we need more of if we truly want to make shifts in the health and wellness space to make it more accessible for all. Elitist attitudes surrounding organic vs. conventional food choices are simply perpetuating systems of opression and racism. So happy to see you making waves against this and truly creating a safe and inclusive space for everyone.
Thank you for these tips! I’m getting ready to embark on a Whole30 for the first time on my new (read: significantly lower) budget and these ideas have been super helpful! I’m also privileged to have several grocers nearby, so I try to compare the sale prices (from the ads that come in the mail or the store apps) and figure out who has the best prices on proteins and produce. Even on a less-strict diet, this is a big help financially.
Good luck on your first Whole30, and I’m so happy this was helpful. If you have any questions, please let me know!
I’m so very appreciative for the work you’ve put into this post. I know my prices will vary. I understand that I may have more room in my budget sometimes to spring for grass-fed beef and other times (read: almost always), I’ll have to eat the conventional farmed beef. What I’m most thankful for is that you showed us ways to work around a small budget while also giving recipes to enjoy! You have stuck your neck out there for the less than fortunate people, like me, and I will forever be grateful for that. Just remember you’re helping way more people than the ones you see commenting.
Thank you so much, Carol. This means the world to me! ❤️
What an empowering post. I love seeing tips like this and showing that eating real foods are attainable when you live on a very tight budget. Growing up with food inequality, I know resources like you would have changed my perception on food. Thank you Dolly! I’m up for the challenge of $90/wk for a family of 4!
Great topic. I always check what protein and veggies are on sale and go with them. Cabbage, potatoes, spaghetti squash and butternut squash are some good cheap options. I tend to skip fruit. Make my own mayo and ghee, buy in bulk olive oil, save bones and make my own stock. Always keep a running tab of what’s in my fridge and cut up anything that’s getting old for a stir fry so there’s no waste.