Find coupons for low-fat foods, produce in healthy amounts

I've heard every reason why people don't use grocery coupons. One of the most common is "there are no coupons for 'healthy' foods." I generally nod and say something to the effect of "I see," although I don't actually agree. There are many strategies to save money on healthy food available to shoppers dedicated to saving money and providing a healthy diet for their families.

First, advertisers know that, during the beginning of the year, consumers are interested in losing weight and improving their health. So shoppers tend to be bombarded with special offers and promotions for foods most consider to be healthy. Specially prepared packaged foods as well as low-fat dairy products and produce will have coupons and discounts.

The grocery circulars also reflect current consumer trends. They must offer relevant advertising in order to get consumers to respond. If low-fat, no trans fat or low-sugar products are in favor, we can expect to see coupons in the Sunday newspaper coupon circulars for those items. There are also twice as many coupons in the Sunday circulars in January as there are during the summer, so take a second look to see whether they have coupons for healthy items you use.

Second, the grocery stores are working very hard to accommodate consumer preferences to gain our loyalty. Grocery retailers do a good job of crafting creative promotions that encourage shoppers to buy larger quantities of a particular item in exchange for money off or additional free products.

They may do a better job of understanding our shopping behavior than we realize. A current promotion in my store rewards shoppers who buy several diet frozen entrees with a free carton of low-fat ice cream. They repeat this promotion every January, so it must be effective. That's my kind of diet!

Third, retailers recognize that time-crunched shoppers may also appreciate easy tools to help with healthy-meal planning. Look for store magazines with healthy recipes in special racks in your store or at the customer-service desk. Subscribe to have your store's magazine mailed to your home, because the mailed versions are more likely to include coupons for recipe items.

Fourth, many retailers recognize the growing consumer interest in organic foods. Smart shoppers know that store brands can be a money-saving alternative to more expensive name-brand foods, but organic shoppers do not have as many brand alternatives as traditional shoppers. Fortunately, major retailers like Kroger, Safeway and Meijer now market a full spectrum of organic products under their own private labels.

Shoppers can save money while adhering to their organic preferences with private-label organics. As with their other store brands, retailers guarantee the quality of their organic products so shoppers can either get a refund or a substitution if the product does not meet their expectations. You can't lose with that type of guarantee.

Finally, many shoppers use retailer Web sites to find sales and plan shopping lists. You can also take advantage of comprehensive resources on health and wellness on retailer sites. For example, Meijer's has a special section of their Web site called "Healthy Living" that includes educational articles, healthy meal plans and recipes with complete calorie and nutritional information, and a question form to ask their dietitian specific questions. Kroger has a "Healthy Living" section with similar features, Safeway has a similar "Wellness" section, and Giant Eagle has a "Health and Wellness" section. Check your favorite retailer's Web site to take advantage of their free health-and-wellness tools to get your healthy eating plan off to a great start this year.