If you are committed to selecting healthier foods at the grocery store, you may have noticed that they sometimes cost a little more. As a dietitian counseling patients on good nutrition, I try to help clients stretch their dollars at the grocery store and yet still be able to buy some of the healthier items on the shelves.

Here are ways to help you keep costs down and nutrition up the next time you visit the grocery store:

• Plan out a week's worth of healthy meals before you head to the store: If you are focused on a list of key ingredients, you are less likely to be tempted by unneeded or unhealthy items. Research shows that shoppers without a list tend to buy more food, especially of the snacking variety!
  
• Avoid going to the grocery store hungry. Again, you will be less tempted by impulse buys and snack foods.
  
• Compare prices, both before heading out and after you're inside the store. If you have the time, go online and check out the store's latest promotions or weekly specials. Remember that generic brands, while cheaper than name brands, have the same nutritional value.
  
• Watch out for foods that are close to the expiration date. Meats and dairy items can typically have expiration dates that are close by. You don't want to waste money on something you may not be able to use.
  
• Clip coupons and save them! Grocery stores may double or even triple coupons on certain days.
  
• Consider visiting your local farmers market when fresh produce is in season in your part of the country. Most cities and towns have such markets and the produce, because it often comes from local growers, may be a little cheaper and a lot fresher. Farmers markets may also be a good source of less-expensive organic produce.