It is a common misconception that if you are on a budget, you can't eat as healthy. Sure, fresh fruits and vegetables can cost a lot, and there are rarely coupons for them, but there are ways to get around this, and still eat healthy.
1. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. The prices will be cheaper this way, and if you are not going to use them immediately, you can always pick out a few that still need some time to ripen.
2. If you make stews and soups, you can use less meat, which can be pricey, and store-brand frozen vegetables work just great.
3. Buying in bulk is cheaper, so if you have the freezer space, this is the way to go. You can save time, too, by preparing the same meal in bulk - make one casserole for dinner this week, but double the recipe so you have 2 casseroles. Freeze one to use at a later time.
4. Learn what foods are less expensive all the time. Beans, potatoes, carrots, bananas, and apples are usually low in price year-round. Add in the produce that is in season right now, and you've got a healthy variety of lower cost foods.
5. Plan your meals for the week or for two weeks at a time. In doing this, not only will it make preparation easier for you because you will already know what you are having that day, but you can plan on using leftover chicken from one night's dinner to make chicken salad for the next day's lunch, or left over meatloaf can be crumbled over a salad to turn it into a taco salad.
6. Making things from scratch is almost always more cost efficient than buying it already made at the store. If you can, plan to cut up your own vegetables, make your own oatmeal, etc. Some meals take longer to make (like lasagna), but they are a whole lot cheaper making them yourself. This is a great one to make extra and freeze. Saves money and time.
This week I will be adding some low-cost recipes to my blog, so stay tuned. Have a wonderful day!
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