Save Money and Still Eat Healthy Meals

Eat Healthy Meals

Most of us are trying to save money in any way that we can. As living on a budget is becoming more important, it is helpful to know how to stretch your food dollars and still eat a healthy diet. There are various creative ways to do this.

It requires a little knowledge, time, and planning, but you can enjoy healthy food on any budget. The more you focus on purchasing local, unprocessed food as well as preparing meals at home, the healthier it will be and the more money you will save.

Save money and still enjoy healthy and delicious food

Make smart choices in order to save money. Evaluate how you are spending your money on food, the unnecessary items you purchase, how often you eat out. The first way to save money on food is to cut out unnecessary food spending. Some specific ways to do this are listed here:

Cut the junk by evaluating how much money you are spending on items such as soda, juice, packages of cookies, crackers, pre-packaged meals and processed foods. Limit or cut out these unhealthy foods to save your money and health.
Eat out less as even reducing your meals out by 1 or 2 times each week can actually save you about $15 – $25 per week. This is an easy way in order to save money and have some extra to spend on higher quality foods.
Stick to your grocery list as the more prepared you are when you get to the store the less of impulse purchases you will make. Write out a grocery list and then, stick to it!
Shop the perimeter of the store first as this way you will be filling your cart with healthy whole foods such as fresh produce and meat, and having less room for the junk food and thus saving money.
Cook large portions ahead as it saves time to cook once and you can eat multiple times. Make a large pot of soup at the start of the week or whenever you are going food shopping. When you don’t feel like cooking, just help yourself to a hearty bowlful along with a green salad, which makes a nutritious lunch or dinner anytime.

Purchase only healthy food

When you are on a budget, it is still important to think about the quality of the food you purchase. How foods are grown or raised has an impact on their quality, which also impacts your health. Organically grown food reduces the potential health as well as environmental hazards which are posed by pesticides, GMOs, irradiation as well as additives. An investment in your food now could save you money on your health bills later.

Here are a few ways in which you can stretch your money when purchasing high quality, organic foods:

Buy the highest quality which is possible for the foods you eat the most. This way you are able to reduce your exposure to things such as pesticides, herbicides, as well as antibiotics, while increasing the nutritional value of your food. Organic foods tend to have higher levels of antioxidants and various vitamins and minerals such as: vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and iron.
Use excess food money for buying higher quality food. Focus on purchasing organic/grass-fed/free-range sources of meat as well as dairy, because of the possible higher concentration of antibiotics as well as hormones that could be passed on to you.
Educate yourself as once you know which produce has the most chemical residue, you can choose to buy certain things organic or from those local farmers who do not use chemicals, and others who are conventional.

Eating well on a food budget tip #1: Shop by using wisdom

The conventional grocery store is not the only place for you to buy food. Many options are available which you may not be aware of. Some of these venues may offer a significantly cheaper way to purchase food. Search out for these types of stores and markets in your area. Compare prices which can save you a lot of money.

Discount stores are warehouse or club stores such as Costco and Sam’s which offer great bargains. Only purchase what you intend to use. Seasonal produce is usually cheaper at these stores, as are foods like boneless, skinless chicken breast and reduced fat cheese. Due to the very large portions you need to carefully plan on how you will use all the food. It is helpful to freeze them in smaller, more manageable packages.
Search out Farmers’ Markets which are hosted in many cities, as well as small towns. Local farmers bring their wares to specific locations, which are usually the open-air street markets, and will sell fresh food directly to you, often for less than what you’d pay in the grocery store or supermarket. In case you go towards the end of the market, some vendors may sell their remaining perishable items at a further discount. This way you are supporting your local economy, the environment. It’s a great opportunity to socialize and to get to know like-minded people in your neighbourhood who might want to join a CSA (community supported agriculture) group or even start a buying club with you.
Ethnic markets and corner stores are worth looking into as many of them feature an impressive, yet affordable selection of fruits and vegetables, besides some other products.
Purchase generic/store brands as when you shop at conventional grocery stores; compare the unit prices on items. The store brand will be cheaper than the name brand for the same quality. And join the savings clubs in order to save some additional money.

Eating well on a food budget tip #2: Look out for the cheaper protein options

There are a number of ways for you to stretch your food dollars. You may always compare prices in order to find the best deal and clipping coupons for healthy foods which you like and would buy anyway. Two of most effective ways in order to save money on food are to buy in bulk and learn how to purchase protein in an affordable way.

Protein: how to save money as well as have high quality protein in your diet

Protein is a vital part of a healthy diet, whether it is from a meat or a vegetarian source. Our body tends to rely on protein for many of its functions. Meat is quite expensive. But, most of the people in the U.S. tend to consume more animal protein than they need. With a few adjustments they can save money as well have plenty of protein in their diet.

Purchase less expensive cuts of meat besides practicing portion control which helps you to save money on the cut of meat, besides also stretching the meat for more meals. This way you can make tasty things such as casseroles, sauces, soups, stews, and stir-fries. It is easy to add extra vegetables, beans as well as whole grains to create delicious, hearty, and filling meals. You get plenty of protein and also save money.
Experiment with vegetarian sources of protein, as veggie proteins, such as beans, are quite inexpensive, highly nutritious, besides being easy to prepare, and taste great. Stock up on dried and canned beans and lentils as you save money, and calories too! Other great sources of less expensive high quality protein are nuts and seeds, besides eggs. Try to go meatless once a week.
Canned fish and chicken are a great option for things such as sandwiches, enchiladas, casseroles, as well as salads. These items last for a long time on the shelf and hence can be bought ahead. They are ideal to have on hand for great tasting, quick, easy, as well as healthy meals.

Eating well on a food budget tip #3: Always buy food in bulk

Doing things in bulk saves time as well as money. Buying in bulk is always cheaper. Many items are there which can be bought in bulk. These include grains, dairy products, as well as meat. You can freeze perishable items, like meat, milk, and bread, and use in smaller portions, as they are needed. It is always a good idea to buy non-perishable items, like dried beans, grains, and canned foods, in bulk.

Shop for produce in season. Buy by the bag. When produce is in season, it is cheapest, as well as its best flavour and nutritional value. Purchase produce by the bag, not by the piece. It will fill more lunch bags and cover more meals, such as apples, oranges, grapefruit, potatoes, as well as onions.
Check the freezer aisle to look for the largest packages of vegetables in the frozen foods section, as these are great for stir-fries and soups. Frozen and fresh veggies are equally nutritious, taste good. Often the cheapest will be the largest frozen bags.
Ethnic markets and corner stores are worth looking into as many of them feature an impressive, affordable selection of fruits and vegetables, besides some other products.
Buy all your grains in bulk, even cereals. Store them in airtight containers. Examples are whole grain, brown rice, millet, barley as well as rolled oats. Brown Rice may be a little more expensive than white rice, but their higher nutritional value is well worth it. Whole grains are a great source of nutrients, including proteins!
Bulk protein comes in various forms. Meat is often sold in larger packages at a lower price. Split the packages into meal size portions. Freeze them for using later. Buy a whole chicken and ask the butcher to cut it up for you. Dried legumes and peas can easily be bought in bulk packages at grocery stores. Canned beans can be bought at warehouse stores. Also look for offers on dairy, which you can keep good by freezing.

Eating well on a food budget tip #4: Stretch your dollar while you cook

Prepare large portions of food in order to use over multiple meals. This saves time as well as energy. While cooking, think about how to incorporate leftovers into new meals. Presentation has a huge impact on the appeal of a meal. Hence a little effort put in makes a huge difference.

Save money by always cooking in bulk

It’s ideal to pick one or two days in a week to cook something which can be used for multiple days and meals. Some easy tips for cooking in bulk:

Cook once and eat it multiple times, by cooking a large meal at the beginning of the week. It is very easy to simply double a recipe. This way you have extra to use later in the week for quick lunches or even dinners when you are not feeling like cooking. You can also freeze half and keep it for another day. Add a green salad or some other side dish. This way you have a delicious easy meal.
One-pot dishes, such as soups, stews, or casseroles, are good because they generally save preparation time, money, as well as dishwashing. Besides, they make great leftovers. Cook one pot of oatmeal. Heat up one serving size every morning. Rolled or steel cut oats are nutritious, inexpensive and you can add anything you want, like seasonal fresh fruit, nuts or seeds in order to create a wonderful breakfast. This is much cheaper and more nutritious than dry cereal or the flavoured packets of instant oatmeal, which are normally packed with sugar.

Make fresh meals from old ones

Another key to saving money on food is to ensure that you are not wasting anything. All leftovers can always be used for another meal. Once you have a few easy recipes in order to use for leftovers, it becomes a habit. These meals can be very tasty. Some ideas:

Soups, stews, or stir-fries are ideal for using leftovers. Create a base with the help of broth or a sauce, and add any leftovers you may have, like whole grains, veggies, and meat. A small amount of meat is perfect in order to add flavour and substance. Cut it into small pieces. You can be very creative with herbs and spices in order to create unique flavours that will please your palate. Another way to add a lot of flavour is to sauté an onion at the beginning. Allow the food to come to a boil or cook at a high heat, in order to make sure that the leftovers are sterilized.
Everything burritos most leftovers can be used to make very tasty burritos! Simply put everything into a tortilla shell, made from whole grain preferably with a little low-fat cheese. You may cut up leftover meat into small pieces and add to a can of beans, and add any leftover grains and veggies.
Experiment with combinations in order to try something totally new! There are many foods with different flavours which go well together. Try making a large green salad and add cooked whole grains as well as veggies on the top, besides cut up pieces of any meat from another meal. Add your favourite healthy dressing to have a wonderful new meal.

Food presentation: Make the meals look inviting

Presentation makes a big difference in the appeal of any meal. Eating on a budget can still be elegant, romantic, fun and tasty! Some easy ways in order to spice up the table:

Colourful meals can be made by using small amounts of contrasting colours which pleases our eyes. Add bright green herbs or even some yellow frozen corn to a dish which is made of black beans or lentils and save some in order to sprinkle on top for a garnish. Cut some orange carrots and red tomatoes or peppers on a green leafy salad.
Inviting table setting can be done in many creative ways so that it is beautiful. Place a candle or some flowers you have picked in the centre of the table. Use a colourful tablecloth or place mats and fold colourful napkins at each place setting.
Involve the kids by inviting them to set the table. Let them use their own unique way to decorate it.

Have desserts which can be affordable, healthy, and delicious

Healthy Desserts

Cutting out junk does not mean that you have to cut out all desserts. We enjoy sweet treats, so it is important to know how to include healthy and affordable desserts in your menu. Try picking out a day in each week for a special sweet treat. On other days you can find ways to shift your thinking about what dessert can be. A fresh fruit is sweet, juicy, healthy, and makes a wonderful dessert.

Popsicles: Freeze your own 100% fruit juice popsicles. In case you don’t have a Popsicle tray you can use an ice-cube tray and use small plastic spoons as handles.
Home baked items: are much more affordable to make your own. It’s also a great way in order to spend time with family or friends. Oatmeal cookies with rolled oats are a healthier baked option. Besides, you can always reduce the amount of sugar recipes call for.
Yogurt: Buy a big container of plain yogurt. Make each serving unique by adding a little sweetener like honey and cut up pieces of fresh in season fruit.
Frozen treats: There are various delicious frozen treats like fruit, yogurt, and smoothies. Try freezing grapes, bananas as well as peaches or berries. For an amazing dessert pour a little dark chocolate sauce over that frozen fruit.
Chocolate: Many of us tend to have chocolate cravings. Dark chocolate is high in anti-oxidants so enjoy the occasional square of dark chocolate as a wonderful treat.