Main CourseCan you eat healthy on a budget??
Nowadays it is even harder to save money than ever before. Prices have skyrocketed everywhere. Those of us who are barely scraping by know that cutting corners is the only way we will be able to eat, pay bills, AND maintain a roof over our heads. With this said we need to keep in mind that eating healthy does not have to be expensive. We CAN do this on our limited , stretched, and lets face it, meager budget.
1. DONY BUY JUNK FOOD!
I know that the kids are begging and the husband is set in his waysò€¦they all want chips, dips, cakes, ice cream, etc. So we need to schedule the shopping during the time the kids are at school or a friends house. Iò€™m sure your spouse can be persuaded not to go shopping! You know what you can spend and what the meal plan is so stick to it!
2. NO Soda!
Milk and water are necessary to maintain good health, healthy teeth, and growing bodies. So stick with them as much as possible. If the family canò€™t live without soda then set a limit on each family memberò€¦1 soda a dayò€¦.I know, I know its not easy. If the kids like flavored water you can cut up limes or lemon to give the water a splash of taste.
3. Cook meals ahead of time and freeze extras!
If you find a good deal on hamburger or sausage buy it! Really, if you buy a big package of hamburger you can get twice as many uses out of it as you think. Say I am going to make spaghetti. I bought a 3 lb pkg. of hamburger. I take Ò½ lb hamburger and fry it and then at the same time it is frying I take 1 lb. hamburger and make meatballs (throw some in the oven to cook for the spaghetti) and the rest in a freezer bag. Those will make great Swedish Meatballs later in the week. The rest of the hamburger I mix into a meatloaf and put it in a meatloaf pan. Cover well and put it in the freezer for later on in the week. This is 3 Meals on 1 pkg. of hamburger. If you buy in bigger pkgs., you will tend to get a bigger discount!
?4. If you live in a coastal area or an area where fish are around, make this a main part of your diet. Make a day of it with the kids and take them fishing! Watch their faces glow as they tell for the 100th time how they caught the fish you are all eating. Priceless!
7. Peanut butter is great for those on a budgetas it"s popular with almost everyone. You can use it for sandwiches , on crackers, in the homemade cookies you made with the kids.
8. Fill up with foods that have a highcontent of water. Watermelon, salads, and even sugar free gelatin are good examples and most of these are high on the kids lists of FOODS I LIKEò€¦.
Eating healthy is important and it doesnò€™t have to be something hard or expensive. You can eat healthy for just a few bucks, which makes it perfect for those on a budget.