Eating Healthy On A Budget

Eating healthy can be challenging enough but to eat healthy on a budget can seem almost impossible. Before opting for a fast food dollar meal try some of these great tips:

First of all, do some planning:

• Set aside time each week to plan your meals
• Shop the ads of your grocery store so you can buy healthy items that are on sale
• Shop on a full stomach so you’re less likely to buy on impulse
• Make a grocery list and stick to it

 

Foods to limit:

• Fast food
• Junk food
• Alcohol
• Salty and Sugary foods
• Foods high in saturated fats such as fatty meats, cheese, and regular dairy products

 

Quick cost cuts:

• Plan your meals around grocery store specials: This is a great time to shop for meats, dairy products and fresh produce that are on sale
• Buy healthy foods in bulk
• Buy fresh produce that is in season. It’s less expensive and tastes better.
• Try beans in your meals as opposed to or in addition to meat
• Make home-cooked meals. Eating out on a regular basis can be very costly. Plus restaurant foods can be high in fat, sodium and cholesterol.

 

Stock up on these foods:

• Beans and lentils
• Pasta
• Brown Rice
• Canned fruit in light syrup or natural juices
• Low sodium canned vegetables
• Low sodium soups
• Inexpensive cuts of meats for soups and stews
• Canned tuna and salmon
• Spices and condiments: mustard, salsa, seasonings, tomato sauce, reduced sodium soy sauce
• Frozen foods such as fruits for smoothies and vegetables for stir- fries and soups

 

A few other helpful hints:

• When preparing meals make extra to freeze for later use
• Make your own stock for soups and stews with left over vegetable trimmings
• Try crockpot recipes. They are fast and inexpensive

 

Here is a great recipe that is healthy, inexpensive and takes less than 20 minutes to make.

 

Quick and Easy Black Bean Soup
Serves: 6
Hands-OnTime: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Ingredients: 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, undrained 1 (16 ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth 1/2 cup salsa 1 tablespoon chili powder Reduced fat shredded cheese (optional) Reduced fat sour cream (optional) Chopped onion (optional) Cilantro (optional)
Directions: Mash one can of beans with food processor. Pour both cans of beans into medium saucepan. Add chicken broth, salsa, and chili powder. Bring to a boil. If desired top with shredded cheese, sour cream, onion, and cilantro.
Nutrition Info (per serving)
Calories 135 (10% from fat) Fat 1.7g (sat 0.5g) Cholesterol 2mg	Carbohydrate 24.6g Fiber 8.4g Protein 9.5g