The Rachel Cruze Show - How to Inflation-Proof Your Grocery Budget

Episode Date: August 15, 2022

Looking for more ways to save money on groceries? You can beat inflation without sacrificing the healthy food choices you love. I’ll show you how! In this episode: ·     Beat Rising Food Costs by Shopping Here ·     10 Healthy Food Swaps on a Budget with George Kamel Helpful resources: Christian Healthcare Ministries Financial Peace University EveryDollar                                                Sponsors pay the producer of this show, The Lampo Group, LLC, advertising fees for mentioning their services or products during programming. Advertising fees are not based upon or otherwise tied to any product sale or business transacted between any consumer or sponsor. The following sponsors have paid for the programming you are viewing: Christian Healthcare Ministries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don't be tied to one specific brand. Try to shop for what's on sale. That might not be the brand you usually get, but hey, branch out. Try something new. Save some money. Save some money there. Of course, go for the generic brand when possible. So especially if you're Trader Joe's or Kirkland Signature, it's always going to be

cheaper than going for the name brand. Hey guys, welcome to this episode of the Rachel Cruise Show podcast. I'm really glad that you are here. So in this episode, we're going to talk about all things on saving on food. I know we are all feeling the impact. of inflation right now in our grocery budgets. So you'll hear a conversation I had with my friends and Ramsey personality, George Camel, on healthy food hacks. Him and his wife are both gluten-free and dairy-free. They're very healthy. So he's done a lot of research. And well, we're going to talk

about it. But first, let's talk about which grocery stores have the best prices right now, because I want you to get the best deal. So let's see who has the best deal on our grocery list Take a listen. All right, when we talk about inflation right now and our budgets and money, the two things that people constantly are saying because it's true of how expensive they are. Gas and food.

Gas and food, y'all. Grocery shopping right now, it is so frustrating. Even Winston I, we were looking over last month's budget to prepare for this one, and I was this month's budget. And I just kept saying, I'm literally buying the same things. Like the same things we always buy, and it is, we got to up it.

We got to up the budget because it is so expensive. So we're all feeling it. And one of the pieces of advice that we always talk about on this show is to shop around. Look at different prices because depending on where you shop is where you're going to get the best deal. So let's look at the three main places where people shop or that you guys shop. So Costco is number one, Aldi number two, and Walmart number three. That's where a lot of people are buying their groceries right now. and those are great places to save money.

So I wanted to talk through who has the best value out of all those stores. So here are some of the most common top-selling grocery list items in America. Starting off first is soda. All right. So it's just some good old soda if you're from the South. It's just Coke. Everything is a Coke. So Walmart's brand here is $3.68 for a 12-back of 12-ounce cans.

All these is $3.44. for a 12-back 12-ounce cans. And Costco, the big one right here, is $12.59 for a 35-pack of 12-ounce cans. So looking at all the math, the winner is Aldi. All right, next up is cereal. Next up, we got just some classic Cheerios. So we got Wal-Mart's for $1.29 for a 21.6-ounce box. Now we've got Aldi's for $2.27.

for a 12-ounce box. And then you got Costco over here, $6.29 for a 40-ounce. So after looking at all the costs per ounce, Walmart is the winner since it has 21 ounces of Cheerios and Aldi only has 12 ounces. Okay, so next up, Frozen Dinners. All right, Walmart's Frozen Dinner is $7.97 for 31 ounces at 25 cents per ounce. all these is $5.79 for 24 ounces, so 24 cents per ounce. And then you got Costco $11.99 for 56 ounces at $21 per ounce. So looking at all the cost, Costco is the winner of this one.

All right, next, my favorite food group in the world, chips. All right, chips. So you got Walmart for $2.37 for 15 ounces. All these, $1.88 for $10.10. ounces and Costco $5.29 for 32 ounces. Again, after looking at the price per ounce, Costco is the better deal here. All right, another staple for everyone, milk. All right, so milk, you got Walmart for $3.32 for a gallon. You got Aldi, $2.97 for a gallon. And then you got Costco $3.62 for a gallon. Now, when you look at the price per ounce, actually Walmart

is the winner here. All right, up next are eggs. All right, for eggs, Walmart is $2.90 a dozen. Aldi is $2.99 a dozen. And Costco is $4.29 for two dozen. So again, doing the math, Costco is the winner at $2.14 per dozen. All right, next is peanut butter. All right, Walmart is $3.47 for 40 ounces.

Allie is $3.39 for 40 ounces. and Costco, $9.99 for two packs, which is 46 ounces. So the winner, price per ounce, actually is Aldi. All right, next is peanut butter's BFF, jelly. All right, for jelly, as you can see, Costco's here. Different color. They didn't have grape, so we went a strawberry. So Walmart over here is $2.28 for 30 ounces, so $7.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0. $0.0.0. $0.0. All

$2.25 for 30 ounces, 7 cents per ounce, and Costco, $8.99 for 42 ounces at 21 cents per ounce. So the winner here actually is Alty. Next is packaged meats. All right, so when you look at packaged meats, you know, popular ones are like turkey, ham, roast beef, but we did turkey for this. All right, Walmarts is $6.98 for 16 ounces at 43 cents per ounce. Aldi, $5.39 for 16 ounces at 33 cents per ounce. And then Costco, $17.5 for a little over a pound of turkey. Still, look at all the math.

Aldi is the winner. Okay, next is fruit. All right, so the most popular fruit right now in America are bananas and strawberries. So we will look at bananas. Walmart is 57 cents for a pound of bananas. Aldi is 61 cents for a pound of bananas, and Costco is $1.59 for three pounds of bananas at $53 cents per pound. So the winner here is Costco.

All right, up next are veggies. So the most popular vegetables right now in America are broccoli, corn, and carrots. So we went with broccoli. Walmart, $1.62 for a pound. All day, $2.79 for a pound. and Costco, $2.99 for a pound. So the winner here actually is Walmarts. All right, next is bread.

All right, so we got some bread here. Walmart is a dollar for $5.0.5 per ounce at 20 ounces. All these 99 cents for $5 per ounce at 20 ounces. And Costco is $4.69 for 40 ounces of bread at $1.80 per pound. So Costco is the winner of this one. All right, next, my BFF every morning. Coffee. All right, Walmart is $2.98 for 11 ounces at $26 per ounce.

Aldi is $6.49 for 30.5 ounces at $21 per ounce. Costco is $15.99 for 3 pounds at $5 a pound. So looking at the coffee, actually, Aldi. is the winner here. All right, next are cookies. All right, chocolate chip cookies. Walmart here is at $2.08 for $13.10. That's 16 cents per ounce.

Aldi is $1.49 for 13 ounces at 11 cents per ounce. And Costco is $9.99 for 23 ounces at $43 per ounce. So the winner again, Aldi. All right, next, cheese. All right, some sliced cheese at Walmart. It's $1.98 for 12 ounces at 16 cents an ounce. Allie is $3.89 for 16 ounces at 24 an ounce. And Costco is $7.99 for $32 ounces at $3.99 per pound.

So here the winner is actually Walmart. Let go, Walmart. All right, next bottle of water. Walmart is a bottle of water. is at $3.48 for a 24 pack. Allie is at $3.79 for a 24 pack. And Costco is $4.19 for a 40 pack. So, for sure, the winner here, Costco. All right, next, chocolate chips. All right, chocolate chips. Walmart, $1.98 for 12 ounces at 16 cents an ounce. Aldi is $1.89 for 12 ounces, so 16 cents per ounce. over here is $9.99 for 72 ounces at 13 cents an ounce. So the winner per ounce is still Costco.

Next up, breakfast bars. Walmart is $1.74 for a six-pack, so that's $29 a bar. Aldi is $1.43 for a six-pack at $24 a bar. and Costco is $14.59 for a pack of $0.48, but that comes out to 30 cents a bar. So the winner at 24 cents per bar is Aldi. All right. Next are hot dogs. Walmart is $4.22 for 15 ounces, so 28 cents per ounce. Aldi is 79 cents for 12 ounces at 8 cents per ounce. Costco is $13.99 for 3.8 pounds at $3.60 per pound. So for sure here, the winner is Aldi.

I do not know what ingredients is chosen in each of these odd dogs, but again, saves your money. So looking at all three comparisons, Aldi is the cheapest place to shop. In a very close second is Costco. and then Walmart is a little bit behind. So this was just a fun price comparison, you guys. And again, it's going to maybe be different depending on your area, depending on the week, depending on what's in season, all of it. But these were some of the most popular grocery items right now in America.

And again, it's just kind of a fun way to show you that when you shop around, it really does matter. But I want that to be in your hand. So again, this is a reminder to look at prices. You can look it up online, even stores have different apps, and just compare because that can take you a really, really long way. And remember, you guys, a huge part of saving money and being intentional with where your money's going, including where it's going at the grocery store for your food, is sticking

to a budget. My favorite budgeting app is every dollar because it makes it so easy. It does all the math for you. When I go grocery shopping, I know exactly what's in the line item to know, okay, how much do we have to spend every month? It just gives you peace of mind because you know you're living, like, in a boundary, you know the limit, you know what's going on, and it just gives you control. So again, it's an important subject to talk about because this stuff will save you money over the long haul. My friend and fellow Ramsey personality, George Camel, is back. You can't get rid of me. Yeah, you just keep showing up. It's like, you know, I just imagine I dream a genie and like, what a callback? What if you just like, are you all even old enough

to know about I dream of genie? Man, that was Nick at Night Days. Bewitched. But anyways, thanks for being back. Thanks for matching. We're twinning. Our wardrobe stylist Winston Cruz. It's just an accident. That would be so funny. He just loves black and gene. That's just his thing. Winston as a stylist, that would be the day. That would be, yeah, that would be funny.

Okay, George, you are here to talk about some healthy food hacks. That's right. And you're going to share healthier alternatives to this healthier lifestyle that you and Whitney have taken on. That's right. Y'all are. Y'all eat healthy. We do. I have been gluten-free now for five years.

That's crazy, yeah. And the team makes fun of me for it. No. I know, but you're very kind about it. But I avoid dairy, I avoid gluten, try to avoid sugar. I try. I'm not saying, I'm not a picture of health. Although looking at my physique, you'd be like, whatever that guy's doing.

You know, we've joked about this. I don't work out. So, you know, we say money is like personal finance is 80% behavior, 20% head knowledge. I feel that way with food and exercise. 80% food, 20% exercise. Oh, that's a good balance. I'll get a B-minus if I can just get the food dialed in. I like it.

So that's where I'm at. Because you don't have you just for the health, right? Well, I realize I had intolerance. A lot of people don't realize they're even intolerant until they take it out of their system, out of their diet for a period of time, and then they bring it back in. So that's what happened. The doctor said, hey, cut out all of these things.

And for three weeks I did that. And I brought it back in. I went, oh, this is my body is telling me no. That is not good. There we go. Way to listen to your body. We have figured some things out. over the years. I'm so glad, George, and I'm so glad that you're here to share all that wisdom

of what you're going. Because Rachel is a big fan of gluten. She asks for extra gluten when she's out to eat. I am a terrible eater. Can I get more crust on this crust? It's fine. I just more crust on crust on crust. But I'll tell you, I don't miss it because of these alternatives I'm about to share. That is true. And if you're ever going to live in a world without dairy, without gluten, 22 would be the world. That's right. 2004 would be sad. No, very difficult back then. You need your own dough, like Little House on the Prairie. Yeah, it'd be terrible. You can't have that.

But there's stuff everywhere. So I want to know some of your best alternatives for gluten, gluten-free, all of us. Switch up. Here we go. So you know I'm a big Costco fan. Kirkland's signature is the goat. And so I have found the best gluten-free store-bought pizza that money can buy. Oh, seriously?

At Costco. Yes. And it's called Sabatassos is the brand. They've got a cheese pizza. It's a three-pack for about $16. That's right. You're talking a little over $5 for a pizza that feeds two people. easily. Love it. So that's my favorite. Costco also has their own

Supreme Gluten Free Pizza now in a two-pack. For Kirkland's. For Kirkland's signature. And it's delicious. That's great. Something for everyone there. There you go. Love it. Love all the pizza examples. You like to get your pizza from Papa John's. We know that. Hashtag not sponsor. Don't know why anyone's favorite pizza is Papa John's. So good. But bless your heart. We've got one, it's a, it's regional. Marco's pizza. They're all over, but they have an incredible gluten-friendly crust. And so that is my go-to. But you have to make sure you order from the correct store. This is a backstory where I told Winston Cruz, dude, you got to get Marcos. Let me order

for you. He shows up to the store to pick up at the pizza. He's alone with the kids. Rachel's out of town. And they go, sir, we don't have an order for you. And he texts me and I go, I ordered from the wrong store. It was a different location. So make sure you order from the correct store. But their gluten-free crust is great too. Or off to a great start. Speaking of breads, Rachel, this is another one. People go, I can't not have bread. So how am I going to go gluten-free? And truthfully, gluten-free bread back in the day, very sad, very cardboardy. It falls apart, you know.

It's not fun. But there's a lot of great brands out there. One of my favorite, just overall brands is called Canyon Bakehouse. You can get these at Target, Walmart, a lot of places have it now. That is my favorite. You know, it goes toe-to-to-toe with actual different types of bread. I may try it. Yeah, they've got like honey wheat, they've got it all.

You'd have no idea. And then Trader Joe's, you know, I'm a big Trader Joe's fan. They have some great gluten-free breads, English muffins, you name it. Bagels. Bagels, everything bagels, gluten-free, fantastic. Nice. So there you go. So you're not just gluten-free.

You go even a step further. Dairy-free. I got this from the Ramsey Cafe. Yeah, it's beautiful. And it's a cold brew with oat milk. Oh, wow. And I did a little drizzle of caramel just to add a little joy back into my life. Look at you.

So there you go. I love an iced coffee. I live this out. So oat milk, oat milk is my go-to. Okay. You don't do cereal, probably, do you? do. Okay, what do you use? Ammon milk, goat milk? I don't use goat milk. I do you, I oat milk is my favorite. I mean, you could. It's legal, but I'm not Dwight Trute. Like,

I don't need to use goat milk in my cereal. I was thinking different types of cheeses. So I was like goat cheese. That's bougie. If y'all are using goat milk in your cereal, you're on a different pay scale, okay? With that, that would be dairy, though. Yes, there is. It is. It's from an animal. That's what I'm thinking. But a lot of people who are dairy-free actually do pretty well with goat cheese, surprisingly. Okay, okay. Good to know. There you go.

So, oat milk, almond milk. I am in deep waters right now, George. I really don't know how to get myself out. I'm trying to just keep this train on the tracks. The boat is sinking, and I would jump off if I were you. So let's recap. The best dairy-free milks, oat milk or almond milk. I go for unsweetened, and the less oils and the less gums, the better.

The less what? G-U-M's. I don't even know what that. What is that? When you look at the back of a label, and it's like, Guar, Xantham, you've seen these gum. It'll say gum after it. These are all words that I've never heard.

Rachel's never looked at an ingredient in her life. That's privilege, Rachel. Just willy-nilly eating whatever she wants. My body loves gluten in the world. I'm sorry. You've got some Dave Ramsey genetics when you can just eat whatever you want. Your body goes, all right, I will accept this. Anyways.

I don't know, George. You're just... Better than you? Listen, my body is so sensitive. You know who would take you on as a child right now? Who? Because she would love you so much. Sharon Ramsey.

My mom says all the time. Me and Sharon. Rachel, you don't get gluten-free bread. The kids will have no idea if you start now. And all the organic peanut butter with the oil on top and you got to. I'm like, we went to the lakehouse for our personalities retreat. And the pantry was like, this is Sharon Ramsey's pantry. Oh, man.

It was all the stuff I could eat. I know. It's all the, it's all this. Gums and all. Sorry. Sorry. Anyway. Gums and all.

Okay. Ice cream. Dairy free. That's a big one too. Yes. I've had this before. So either with almond milk or oat milk, there are coconut milk ones as well that are very delicious. Trader Joe's has some great ones.

There's a brand called So Delicious that you can find at your grocery stores. And I find they have great options when it comes to those. And they have every flavor under the sun. They even have some cookies and cream, cookie dough, things that you go, wait, doesn't have gluten in it? They make them gluten-free now. There you go. And I will say it is not dairy-free, but Jenny's has a gooey buttercake flavor that has gluten-free yellow cake in it. Oh, wow.

And it is... But you can't do it, though. Oh, I do it. It's got to be worth it. It's got to be worth it. So you will... You will break the rules every now. I will break the rules if it's worth it.

Okay. But don't put some blue bell in front of me and expect me to ruin it. Oh, my gosh. I just offended half of America. Mayfield is... Man, that's some East Tennessee. We'll go there later.

I don't want to get... Mayfield chocolate milk is so good. For being too bougie with ice cream. Okay, so the adult beverage. of the spectrum. There's some ways to get some gluten-free. Yeah. This is a big deal because people, they're like, well, I don't want to go gluten-free or I have to go gluten-free, but I miss having a beer every once in a while. And so there's good news. A lot of brands now have come out with their own gluten-free. There's a specific

brand called Omission that makes all kinds of gluten-free beers from light to, you know, your IPAs to all that stuff. And is it good? I find it to be very good. Okay. Doesn't taste that much different. Thumbs up for me. And then any hard-seltzer. If you see hard, those are really popular right now, those are generally going to be gluten-free. So you're safe. There you go. And there's even non-alcoholic liquor these days. Okay, I didn't know that. Does that hurt your brain? Because I was pregnant. Oh, and you were making mocktails. Rachel's making mocktails. They have like non-alcoholic wine. Oh yeah, that's true. Non-accomal beer. Yeah. So two brands to mention on that side, ritual and seed lip both make liquor alternatives so that if you're pregnant or you don't drink or

whatever, you can have a little mocktail. Yeah. And it's healthier for you. Why not? So there you go. Yeah. All right, so even frozen meals. Yes. My freezer is stocked right now with these. Really? So I can, from personal experience, Saffron Road. If you see that brand at the grocery store, stock up. It's a green light from George. Green light. They make a lot of, like, they make some more Indian cuisine, but they have, you know, pad tithes, they do enchiladas, they do it all, and all of them are gluten-free. Dang. And get them when they're on sale. So I've got a Kroger near me. I wait for them to go on sale. You buy five or more. It's like three bucks for,

three, four bucks a meal. There you go. Hard to beat that. I love it. Love it, love it. Even pretzels. Would you think they make gluten-free pretzels? It's amazing.

So Snyders is a brand. You know the Snyder's brand. They now have gluten-free pretzels. They even have like buffalo. Ooh, that's good, yeah. Flavored pretzels, they got it all. There you go. And some snacks, this is where I'm at.

I love. You do love a snack. I love a good snack. Yeah. So breakfast, I'll eat a larabar. Almost every day. I'll have a Lara bar. My wife loves epic bars, which not the cheapest,

but they're good. Yeah. Kindy, beef jerky type of. And some of these you can, Kind bars, those kind... I just got it like Costco. Oh, yeah. Costco's got Lara bars,

kind bars. They've got it all. So great place to shop if you're looking to buy in bulk. I love it. Well, man, George, wealth of knowledge. Lots of options. I live in this space, Rachel.

This is my sweet spot. Go, you are in your lane and just run, George, run. But it can be expensive. I feel like that that is the downside. Yes. When it comes to organic, all this gloom for all the things is that they mark up the price because I'm sure it's more to make.

So again, it can be expensive. People are trying to save money, inflation, everything is just crazy right now. So what are a couple of things? If they can't get everything on that last list. Yep. But they're like, I just need some affordable staples to have so I can eat healthier. What are your go-to? I'll start with the joke, rice and beans. Oh. That's a good staple. We like to make jokes as part of the Ramsey plan. You live on rice and beans. But it really is a great stable. So we like to go for our kind of starch. We stick to rice or potatoes. And there are a bunch of

noodles that are gluten-free, but rice and potatoes are going to be the go-to. And then we'll just choose a veggie of choice. I'll usually just look for what's on sale. Oh, there you go. And just shop for... What's your go-to? I love sweet potatoes. I like green beans. Corn? Corn. My wife will do... My wife loves asparagus and Brussels sprouts. Yes, we like Brussels sprouts. You got to get them right. Brussels are very... No, it could be tough. I found the exact configuration. Everything that I need to make Brussels spots good. I have a deal. You nailed it.

We'll get that recipe later. We got it. So then a fruit of choice, that's a good sweet. Now, obviously, fruit can have a lot of sugar. So if you're trying to watch sugar... That is... Just be careful. I hate when people...

See, this is what frustrates me about this whole space is everyone's like, eat healthy, but there's certain fruits you shouldn't eat. I'm like, what? Well, here's an example, Rachel, orange juice. If you drink four glasses of orange juice, that's like 98 grams of sugar.

That's like a juice. Like, that's not like... Because you usually buy it and it has concentrated, has sugar, all the stuff. Out of all the topics that could be controversial. But don't tell me, don't eat strawberry. Like,

I'm just saying you're trying to watch your sugar. Lower the berry intake. I'm like, I'm sorry. I really thought that this is what's supposed to be healthy. Okay, so up next. Lean protein. Yes. So you're trying to eat healthy.

Chicken fish, turkey. Go for the chicken thighs instead of the boneless chicken breast. A lot of the times it's going to be cheaper, more flavorful. You can do it that way to save some money. So chicken fish turkey. Obviously red meat is going to be more expensive as well. Yes. top of it, not being as lean.

And it's always you go just to add some spice, some vinegar. Open up your spice cabinet, as Sharon Ramsey would say. Open up your spice cabinet. So that is a way. And you make everything flavorful. Yes. For people are like, that sounds so bland and boring. Listen, our spice cabinet is off the chains. Yes. So go hard on the spices, balsamic vinegar is a great one. There's multiple chains. Plural. Yes. Okay. Didn't know that. Homemade popcorn. Homemade. How do you make it? Help me in the microwave. In a bag. You get the kernels.

And buy a silicone popper. Oh, that whole thing. The silicone popper on Amazon, you don't even eat oil. You just put it in there. That's what Sharon Ramsey does. On the stove? No. Oh.

I do microwave. My mom does on the stove. Well, Sharon Ramsey's a step above. Well, I thought you and Sharon were like on the same way. Yeah, but I'm also millennial, so I like convenience. Okay, there you go. So, great snack, though, homemade popcorn. Yeah, popcorn's great.

Hommis is a go-to in our house. Delicious. Peppers are great, not only from dipping into dips, but also as your veggie for the meal. I know you're a big pepper fan. You're growing some in the garden. I am. Green bell peppers.

Red bell peppers. Bring me some. We didn't do any yellow. But they're so good. What do you have against yellow? I don't know. When we were doing the garden. I prefer red or orange.

Okay. Personally. Okay. I like red. Red is go. And jalapinos too. Oh, yes. Add that to anything.

It'll make it better. Delicious. Okay. So what are some just general tips of eating healthy? Again, during this expensive time. Yes. Slations on the rise, all the things. And people are watching their budget, especially their food budget.

So it's hard to just generalize, but I'm going to do it. So don't be mad. But don't be tied to one specific brand. Try to shop for what's on sale. That might not be the brand you usually get, but hey, branch out. Try something new. Save money. Save some money there.

Of course, go for the generic brand when possible. So especially if you're Trader Joe's or Kirkland signature, it's always going to be cheaper than going for the name brand. So there's one right there. And then I'm sure you do this too, but you kind of have your go-to meals. So if you figure out your go-to meals, and you decide that week what we're going to have, even if it's three meals.

We're going to do burrito bowls, we're going to do pat-tie, whatever it is. That really helps. And you can just swap out each week. Let's pick a different protein, a different veggie, and a different starch. That makes it easy. And finding recipes,

so whether it's through apps or just people you love. Like, I love Happy Harvest. Most of your recipes are from Happy. I know because she makes it, it's like, they're kind of complex in a good way. Like, it's a lot of different stuff, but it's so easy. It's a fun little challenge. And they look amazing.

I know. It's so good. She posts these. I'm like, thanks for the invite, Cruz family. I know. She's great. But if you find people that are cooking the foods you like, oh, it's worth it. It's worth following.

Food Network app is actually really cool because you can choose a meal. It will automatically add all of those ingredients to a basket at your grocery store and you can hit pickup. So it's pretty cool. Wow. Pretty snazzy. And if you're wondering, is this healthy or not, you can download an app like Shop Well, and it will show you nutrition ratings and alternative options. There you go.

So that's helpful as well. Love it. And when it comes to meat, though, I feel like that's always where... People like, I need my red meat. Where it's pricey. America. But you love stakes from Aldi. Yes. So Aldi, I bought the steak there. It was like $4. And I thought, how good can a $4 steak be? Sure.

But you pull out the cast iron, you get some garlic cloves from rosemary. You cook it perfectly. It was one of the best steaks we've ever had. So good. No thanks to me. But I'm just saying... Well, you cooked it. You don't need to go to Whole Foods to get the highest cut of meat there. all of you will just do fine. I love it.

Okay. And avoiding liquid calories is another one. That's a big one. If you're trying to eat healthier, the first place to start is with that drink. Because you can be adding two, 300 calories to your meal. For sure. Because you wanted the, you know, the Coca-Cola. And I get it.

I'm not here. There's no shame in this game. I'm just saying if you want to eat healthy, try to avoid liquid calories. I stick to black coffee, maybe some dairy-free milk, greener black tea, water, and America's favorite, seltzer water. So there you go. Get a little crispy. There you go.

And I got to say, there's a lot of things that are marketed to be healthy that are not. Example. Which is tricky too. Sugar-free. Ooh, keep talking.

This is a big one. Well, like aspartame and sucralose and all these different fake sugars that are no better for you than just real unprocessed sugar. So just don't live your life sugar-free and fat-free. You've seen that one around.

Fat-free's been around a long time. Yes. I would rather you get, you know, the... The good fats. The grass-raised butter than the margarine. You know what I'm saying? Shian Ramsey knows. Shane Ramsey understands.

I'm really trying to track. Rachel's like, I have no clue what's happening, right? I've never looked at an ingredient label. I'm really trying to track. Okay. Where your favorite place is shop, because this is what's key. Where you shop determines a lot. Because, again, it can be more expensive.

There your heart will follow, yes. And it can be more expensive to buy all these things you're talking about. Agreed. So we mentioned Aldi. That's a great starter. Sometimes they don't have everything you need. If you've got to Trader Joe's in your area, that is my all-time favorite. Because it's small and you can fill up a whole buggy, and you're like,

oh, I only spent $78 instead of $150. Yeah. Costco is a great one. They have great quality products, especially if you stick to the Kirkland Signature generic brand, but it can add up quick. So be careful and only buy stuff that you actually use in bulk. And lastly, Walmart. Everyone's got a Walmart in their area,

and Walmart surprisingly has a giant gluten-free and dairy-free selection. It's so great. George, you know what I love about you. What's that? You talk about money. We're on the show and we talk about money, but you also bring other things like this. Thank you.

Who knew you were a nutritionist, George? I am definitely not, please. It's what I feel. I feel. I feel like I'm sitting next to a nutritionist right now. Real nutritionists out there are like just, they're angry. Like Rachel, I work four years to get this degree. I know, but you're a wealth of knowledge. Thank you.

A wealth of knowledge. All right. George, thanks for being on. Always a pleasure. I'll bring a gluten-free pizza, by the way. Yeah, please do. You won't know the difference. I will.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? I am thinking what you're thinking? Blind taste test. Yes. Next episode. I can't wait. Absolutely. Oh my gosh.

Okay. Where can everyone find you, George? So at George Camel with a K on Instagram, we've been having fun making some reels. I know. On more money hacks. I love it. So you can find me there. So great.

All right, you guys, look, you can eat healthy, endure inflation, all the things, but just make sure that you are sticking to your budget. So we talked about some apps for your food. Download every dollar if you haven't. It's a budgeting app. It is the best. Again, it helps you. eat healthy, maybe with some of the higher price points, but figuring out what's important to you.

Oh, George, I always love having him on. So fun. So so, so great. So thank you, George, for being a guest today on this episode. And thank you guys so much for listening. If you've not hit that follow button to subscribe to this podcast, make sure to do that. And if the spirit leads, you can leave a review. As always, make sure to take control of your money and create a life you love.