With the economy in a rut, many people are looking to save money, and that means eating healthy on the cheap.

Trying to stay on budget takes some strategy, but it can be done.

Kandi Ziccardi plans her trips to the grocery store before she goes so she doesn't lose sight of her goals.

"Stick to some of the basics, try to skip by some of the aisles that I know that I don't need anything in, just so I don't pick things up impulsively," she says.

But you don't need to sacrifice healthy foods to cut costs.

"Many of our healthiest foods are actually our least expensive," says dietician Desiree Nielson.

Protein can be one of the most expensive parts of a meal because many people favour animal sources.

If you want to eat meat, it's best to choose less expensive cuts -- or buy chicken with the bone in.

You can also turn to other sources of protein, such as eggs.

"An omelet is one of the fastest dinners you can whip up and with some veggies and a little bit of whole grain toast on the side and incredibly healthy too," says Neilson.

Beans are another inexpensive alternative. Add them to salads or other meals.

"You can make easy sandwich fillings with white beans or chickpeas in addition choosing something like good old baked beans in tomato sauce are an incredibly healthy choice," says Neilson.

When it comes to produce, eating local and eating in season is the number one thing that you do that is cost effective, according to Neilson.

That means fruits like apples, bananas and oranges.

And buying in bulk -- like a bag of apples -- is also a good idea.

Snacks can be expensive. Instead of buying chips and pretzels, get a hot air popper and make popcorn.

"Popcorn is probably the number one dietician approved snack food," she says. "It's 100 per cent whole grain, it's very inexpensive and it's very quick."

Or go to the bulk aisle and buy ingredients for your own trail mix.

Try to stay away from pricey, sugary soft drinks. A healthier alternative is to buy club soda

"Which is very inexpensive and absolutely sugar-free and then you can choose your favorite fruit juices to flavour them," says Neilson.

Homemade iced tea is another idea for an inexpensive and refreshing drink.

While these alternatives may take a little more time, it will make a difference for your wallet -- and your health.

"It's very important to eat whole foods and less processed foods as much as possible and it's far less expensive."

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Dr. Rhonda Low