Just about everyone wants to eat better, but budgetary
constraints sometimes make healthy eating a difficult goal. It
is important, however, to buy the healthiest food you can
afford, whether you are cooking only for yourself or for a
growing family.
One fun and easy way to cook healthy food while still saving
money is to grow your own herbs and spices. Unlike a vegetable
garden, that can take up lots of space and involve a lot of
work, a simple herb garden can be easily grown in a windowsill
or similar small space. There are kits available for just a few
dollars that contain the seeds, pots and other items needed to
start an herb garden, or you can save even more money by buying
the seeds and planters yourself.
Cooking with herbs and spices is a great way to enjoy healthy
cooking on a budget. Spices and herbs are a great way to flavor
dishes without the need for heavy sauces, butter or other high
fat preparations. Growing your own herbs give the grower a great
deal of control over those herbs. This is important, since many
prepared herbs and spices contain large amounts of sodium.
Another excellent way to save money while still eating a healthy
diet is to buy fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in
season in your local area. Buying locally grown produce is often
the best way to guarantee freshness and quality, and in season
produce is generally less expensive since it does not need to be
shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles.
Watching the sales at the local grocery stores is important to
everyone, but it is particularly important to those who are
trying to eat right on a limited budget. Using grocery store
sales to stock up on such important staples as whole grain
cereals, breads and whole wheat flour is a great way to make
even the most limited food budget stretch a bit further.
Using coupons is another great way to make a food budget
stretch. Cutting coupons is a great way to save money on
products you already buy, as is signing up for various frequent
buyer programs and other money savings opportunities.
In addition to manufacturers coupons, many grocery store chains
offer customer loyalty cards which allow their customers to save
money on products they buy regularly. These grocery store
loyalty programs often print coupons for products customers have
bought in the past, and they can be great ways to save
significant amounts of money. Since most of these programs are
free, there is really no downside to their use.
Stocking up on meats, seafood and poultry during store sales is
another great way to save significant amounts of money. Buying a
second hand chest freezer may be a good investment, particularly
for those people with large families to feed. Having a large
freezer space allows customers to take advantage of grocery
store sales and stock up on chicken, beef, lamb, fish and pork
when they are on sale.
Careful meal planning is another great way to save money while
still providing healthy meals for yourself and your family.
Planning meals well ahead of time allows you to take advantage
of what is already in your freezer in order to create delicious,
nutritious meals without spending any additional money.
One great thing about most fruits, vegetables and beans is their
low cost. Another great feature of these staples is their high
nutritional value. Combining these two important features is a
great way to make your budget stretch while providing your
family with nutritious, healthy foods.
For instance, why not make that expensive skirt steak go further
by interspersing chunks of expensive beef with chunks of
inexpensive pineapples or green peppers. Not only will you get
twice as much food for your money, but you will enjoy a
healthier meal as well.
No matter what strategies you choose to make your food budget
stretch when cooking healthy meals, we think you will find that
cooking healthy is worth any sacrifice it may require. Healthy
cooking will pay big dividends in increased health and fitness,
as well as increased energy levels.
About the author:
Tony Robinson is a webmaster, international author and fitness
guru. Come check out his website at
http://www.1stbetterhealth.com
