7 Healthy Foods to Save Money on Using Coupons

One quick pass through the Sunday newspaper sales inserts and you may arrive at an erroneous conclusion – that coupons are only available for junk food. Well, that’s simply not true.

Yes. Most of the items you find coupons for are highly processed and fattening. However, there are still opportunities to save money on healthy food as well.

If you adhere to a gluten-free, organic, vegan raw food diet, then there’s not much I can do to help you. But, if you’re one who’s interested in eating well and saving money on groceries, then here are 7 healthy foods you can buy using coupons.

1. Tuna (Packaged)

High in protein, vitamin B12 and a host of other minerals, tuna is one of the few meats (all animal flesh qualifies as meat if you ask me) you can easily buy using coupons. Recently, CVS had 5 oz cans of Bumble Bee Tuna on sale for $0.69 each. Combine a deal like this with a coupon, and you’ll leave the checkout line having paid only pennies.

2. Granola

Full of fiber and protein, granola is nothing short of awesome. Admittedly, eating a big ol’ bowl of it like it’s your traditional kids’ cereal will most certainly make you fat. There can easily be over 200 calories in a 1/2 cup of granola. Mix a 1/4 cup of granola with fresh berries and yogurt, and you’ve got yourself a nutrient rich breakfast that’s both filling and low in calories.

3. Greek Yogurt

When I first learned of Greek yogurt, I was in heaven. A single serving of Oikos Vanilla Organic Greek Yogurt has only 110 calories and 15 grams of protein (that’s about twice as much as you’ll find in regular yogurt). And did I mention it contains 20% of the recommended daily value of calcium?

4. Almonds

Almonds are a great source of heart healthy fats, fiber, protein and vitamin E. Obviously, you need to stay away from almonds that look like they’ve been dipped in honey, coated in sugar, and fried in butter. Instead, try raw or lightly roasted almonds with a little sea salt.

5. Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

This is where you’ll get many of your letter vitamins: A, B6, C, E, K. And, of course, fiber.

You’ll find tons of widely eaten fruits and vegetables in your grocer’s frozen food section. Coupons for brands like Birds Eye and Green Giant are pretty easy to come by. Recently, I received a register coupon from Harris Teeter for store brand frozen fruits, so keep a look out for these. You won’t be able to buy all your produce frozen, but there are many options to choose from.

Here’s a short list of frozen fruits and veggies you can find in almost any supermarket.

• broccoli
• carrots
• cauliflower
• green beans
• onions
• peppers
• spinach
• blueberries
• mango
• peaches
• pineapple
• strawberries

6. Beans

By now, it’s pretty darn clear how much I love fiber and protein. Beans are the mother load – no – the mother ship of fiber and protein. Although raw beans are really inexpensive, I’m not a huge fan of the “soak for 6 hours, slow cook for 7 hours” method of preparing beans. I’m more of a canned bean girl. As a result, I use coupons to save money on Goya black and pinto beans.

7. Coffee

Personally, I think caffeine is a wonderful stimulant taken in moderation. (Caffeinated soda, however, is another story.) If you’ve already sworn off your morning intake of coffee from your local Starbuck’s, Dunkin’ Donuts or 7-Eleven and started preparing your own at home, then coupons are a great way to save even more money for your change in habit.

More Healthy and Semi-Healthy Foods

In addition to the 7 healthy foods listed above, I’ve gathered 15 more you can save a few bucks on from couponing. The list may not consist solely of foods that are popularly considered as healthy, but none of the items mentioned are unhealthy. Well, they’re not unhealthy as long as you’re mindful of the quantities used in meal preparation.

• Butter, Sprayable
• Cheese
• Chicken, Frozen
• Eggs
• Jello
• Milk
• Mustard
• Olive Oil
• Orange Juice
• Peanut Butter
• Pickles
• Salad Mix
• Salsa
• Spices
• Tea

Where to Find Coupons

Since coupons for healthier foods are a bit more difficult to come by, so you’ll need to look in a variety of places for savings. 

• Store sales ads
• Store and manufacturers’ e-newsletters
• Register coupon printouts
• Manufacturer’s websites
• Product packaging, e.g., peelies and wine tags
• Tear pads
• Magazines
• Coupon Network
• SmartSource
• Red Plum
• Coupons.com
• Target
• Whole Foods
• Ebay

This article was mentioned in the 30th Edition of The Totally Money Blog Carnival at Compounding Returns.