healthy eating on a budget |

I love supporting smaller stores around the Tampa Bay area. Especially when the managers of theses establishments are near and dear to my heart.

That’s the case with Nutrition S’mart. Currently Rudy and Maruchi manage two locations here in Tampa: Carrollwood and Wesley Chapel and I’ve known them, well let’s say they’ve known me since I was a just a little baby. We lived in the same neighborhood, and we were all the best of friends. I use the word “all” because Rudy and Maruchi have 3 children, and I have the fondest of memories growing up with them. Dozens of play dates, beach trips, fishing adventures, Halloween parties and so much more.

Eventually the family moved away, we grew older, and went off to college leaving those fun adventures in our childhood, however our families never lost contact. In fact, they remained very close to my mom and dad, especially throughout my mom’s illness and passing. They have supported Team Judy and our fundraising endeavors, and even walked by our side at our inaugural Miles for Moffitt, Jogging for Judy event. I’ve also reconnected with their daughter, Lauren, and her fabulous blog Gluten Free with Lauren Marie. She shows you how delicious and satisfying gluten free cooking can be!

Rudy and Maruchi are the real deal. They are genuine, kind, giving and two of the most positive people you’ll ever meet. In my opinion, when you manage a business, qualities like this mirror in an establishment. Walk into one of their stores and you’ll feel that vibe.

Nutrition S’mart is staffed with friendly and knowledgeable employees who are willing to help you navigate the over 10,000 natural and organic vitamins, groceries, produce and beauty supplies they carry. Their motto “organic, doesn’t mean expensive” rings true. Their prices are truly amazing, and they offer a variety of weekly BOGO specials. When I was in the store last weekend, the BOGO specials were a-plenty! Everything from Zevia soda and Almond Breeze to coconut water and Alexia frozen potato products! They even featured Kind Bars BOGO! These specials aren’t advertised, so each week you walk into a Nutrition S’mart you will definitely be in for a surprise!
They have an extensive and exclusive Gluten Free section of the store, and a vitamin aisle that literally stretches as far as the eye can see!

Their 100% organic produce section is impressive, and so are the prices! Each week they feature sales on different items. While I was there organic avocados were $.99 each! That is one of the best prices I’ve seen!

The Carrollwood location carries vast selection of craft beer and wine, and great variety of dry goods in bulk bins. Even some of their wines were BOGO!

In addition to the awesome BOGO specials sprinkled around the store, I also noticed amazing deals on some of the products I love.

The shopping experience doesn’t stop at the prices though. Both of the Nutrition S’mart locations in the Bay area offer classes on cooking, and health, in addition to weight loss challenges, product demos, samples and more! Oh, and if you bring your own shopping bag, they’ll give you a nickel off your purchase for every bag you use!

If you haven’t visited a Nutrition S’mart, I definitely suggest you stop by and see what it’s all about! Visit their website for more details, store hours, directions and more!

I’m more than happy to support local businesses in the area, especially those who are dedicated to quality, healthy living and are looking out for the customer. Hoping you’ll stop by and visit Rudy and Maruchi! Tell them Steph sent you! 🙂

**WINNERS**

Please make sure you contact me so that I can get your gift cards to you! 🙂

The #1 question I get from blog readers is

“How do you grocery shop and cook healthy meals on a budget?”

It’s honestly a question I asked myself at the beginning of my own wellness journey. Mostly because I originally fixated on “organic” eating as my only option. Now don’t get me wrong, I try to eat organically, but it’s not always feasible when working with a weekly grocery budget. Organic foods can be more expensive, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find ways to fit in fresh and healthy meal options into your life.

For years I’ve been shopping at my local farmer’s markets, like Parkesdale Farm, for my produce. Today I made a trip out there with Mr. KKM’s mom and Monica. I spent exactly $9.45 and got all of this:
For less than $10 and I got 2 HUGE avocados, 3 red plums, 3 HUGE sweet potatoes, 4 tomatoes, 8 limes, a bunch of cilantro, a Spanish onion and 2 baking potatoes. That, my friends, is what you call a DEAL. If you don’t have a farmer’s market near by, consider joining a co-op! You’ll have fresh produce delivered to your door every month (or even every week in some cases). Look for a co-op in your neighborhood here.

As for everything else, I’ve never been a “loyal” grocery chain shopper. Here in Florida Publix is one of our biggest chain grocers, and although I do love shopping there (it is a pleasure, after all), it’s not always kind to my wallet. I typically do my shopping on Saturday mornings and will browse the ads to see who’s got the best deals. I’m totally ok with store brands, so couponing has never been my priority as I think many times you can save more money by going generic on most items, receiving equal quality and taste. Now, in a moment, I may lose brand-loyal readers, but I want to introduce you to a little store called Aldi.

Ever heard of Trader Joe’s? (oh, I bet I just got a few swoons and oooo’s and ahhh’s). Well Aldi is their discount chain and parent company. (Yes, it’s true!). When Tampa first got an Aldi, I decided to check it out. I had heard about it’s popularity over in Europe, so I figured I would see what all of the trans-Atlantic hype was about.

I have been HOOKED on Aldi ever since. Calling it a “discount” store is like putting it in the same category as Save-a-Lot or Dollar General, and that should be a crime. Aldi is in a different league all on it’s own.

With impeccably clean stores, specialty items and some of the freshest produce around, there is no doubt that Aldi is in the same family as the infamous Trader Joe’s.

I did my grocery shopping there yesterday, and wanted to share with you what I found. If you’re living on a budget (like me), then you should check out Aldi for all of your healthy meal planning needs. Let’s take a look at what I bought:

Let’s crunch some numbers:

1 gallon skim milk $3.19
ground turkey $1.69 x2= $3.38
black beans $0.59 x2=$1.18
pork tenderloin (1lb) $5.99
shredded part skim cheese $2.79
pecan halves (6oz) $3.99
chicken broth $1.49
baby carrots $0.59
parsley flakes $0.99
basil leaves $0.99
steak seasoning $0.99
diced tomatoes $0.59 x2= $1.18
dozen large eggs $1.39
turkey bacon $1.39
brown rice $1.29
tilapia filets $5.99
sweet potato chips $0.99
total= $37.80

Combine that with my farmer’s market buys and you have a grand total of $47.25!
That’s under $50 for tons of staples that can lead to amazing meals!

In addition to the above goodies, you’ll find things like: