I don't know of anyone that doesn't care how much they spend on food. Some people might spend a lot more than others but there's always that point that's too much. One of the largest complaints I've heard about eating Paleo or Whole30 is the expense. One of my friends told me "it's just too expensive to eat that way." I'm of the mentality that you should be putting the healthiest food into your body as much as possible. If you don't buy all the junk, you actually don't spend that much.
I know buying fruits, vegetables and meat that's fresh means more trips to the store and less coupons. I've come across a few different tricks on how to save but maintain eating fresh healthy items.
#1- Buy in bulk- We buy a whole pig and half a cow each year. When I buy in bulk the cost averages out among the cuts. We paid about $5/lb for grassfed beef last year which is more costly for ground beef but much less for steaks.
#2- Ask for case deals- Several of the local produce stores I go to offer between 5-15% discount for purchasing a full case. I purchase items that I know will last a long time and store them in the garage through the winter. In the summer, my garage fridge is filled with these items too. Good items to buy is sweet potatoes, onions, or fruit.
#3- Make the most of each item- I freeze bones, onion peels, carrot ends, leek greens, and celery to make my own stock. My breakfast hash usually consists of vegetables that are starting to fade, to ensure they get used. If my bananas are getting too spotted for my taste, I'll dehydrate them for snacks or homemade larabars.
#4- Freeze, Freeze, Freeze or Can, Can, Can- I purchased a pressure canner this year which has been amazing but otherwise I was freezing everything. I now am able to pressure can my stock every couple weeks and leave more room in my freezer for items that can't be canned. In the summer and fall I have many canning parties. This past year I canned peaches, pears, applesauce, tomatoes, and stock. I'm sure this year there will be even more. I throw our leftovers after a couple days in the freezer in lunch size servings to easily pull out. I freeze leftover gravy or cauliflower base to pull out for later. I also freeze berries for smoothies.
#5- Plan ahead- Just going to the grocery store and seeing what looks good isn't a good plan. When I have a list, I'm much more likely to stick to it and not pick up extras. I do find myself rethinking dinner choices if I'm unprepared for the price of a main item but otherwise, I know what I'm getting. If you get to the store and you needed 5 zucchini and they were 3x the price as last week, try to re-evaluate and switch out your meals. Also, looking at the ads before going doesn't hurt. Then you know what's on sale and can work your meals around that. I often go to 2 or 3 stores if there are specific items I know are much cheaper.
#6- Prioritize your eating- It is extremely rare for us to eat out anymore. We have dinner out only once or twice a month. With this choice, we can save a ton of money and allocate it towards our groceries instead. Also, it's not the same eating out when most places we go we can't eat many of the items. We've found some all gluten free restaurants around Portland which has been a lifesaver but otherwise, it's disappointing when there are only a handful of menu options that someone Paleo or gluten free can eat.
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