I don’t like to diet because it usually requires me to invest more money in food and special meal plans. So, to anyone out there that says they cannot afford to diet and have their own meal plan while their family eats something else – I totally understand. In light of the New Year and new beginnings, many articles are being posted about losing weight and starting the year healthier. I came across an article posted by Mint.com that I had to share, “6 Ways to Cut the Cost of Popular Weight Loss Plans.” I am a huge believer in the last one – Utilize Smart Prep (in my case – buy food I will actually eat in bulk). Since I drink a lot of protein shakes and fruit filled replacement shakes, I consume a lot more fruit than ever before. About every two months, I stop by Costco and stock up on bags of frozen fruit chunks to make smoothies with. I also pick up protein bars and dried fruit. Below is an excerpt from the article.

“6 Ways to Cut the Cost of Popular Weight Loss Plans” from MintLife.com

Utilize Smart Prep

If the diet entails you making your own food, use smart strategies like shopping sales and clipping coupons to cut your bill.

“When you’re buying a lot of fresh produce, it’s also a good idea to shake off water before bagging to avoid paying extra for that water weight,” says Pavini.

Some produce may even be cheaper in bulk, like multi-packs of avocados.

Plus, Frugal Foodie is a big fan of frozen fruits and vegetables – a 32-ounce bag of frozen blueberries is $10 at her supermarket, while one fresh 12-ounce pint is $4.

Frugal Foodie is a journalist based in New York City who spends her days writing about personal finance and obsessing about what she’ll have for dinner. Chat with her on Twitter through @MintFoodie http://www.twitter.com/mintfoodie.

Full article – http://www.mint.com/blog/saving/6-ways-to-cut-the-cost-of-popular-weight-loss-plans-0113/