With the price of fuel, and subsequently the price of food, on the rise, we must all take a step back and readjust our budgets. Even if we don't necessarily need to save money, I think we can agree that it's never a bad thing.
Oftentimes it is pricier to eat right. There's no denying that. However, when you look at how much you spend on trivial things -- cable TV, movies, the extras on your cell phone plan, and dare I say junk food -- you may notice you are putting your money down on things that are much less important than your health.
While it is important to focus your money where it's most beneficial, there are ways to trim your grocery bill and still be healthy.
1. Frozen vs. Fresh
When it comes to produce, studies have shown there isn't much nutritional difference between the two. I choose to buy most of my veggies frozen because they have a longer shelf life (meaning less waste), are often easier to prepare and cook, and are cheaper. You can buy 5 bags of broccoli if it's on sale and it won't go rotten!
2. Brown rice
Put a little brown rice underneath anything you serve and you can get away with eating a lot less of the other stuff. Brown rice is one of the good carbs, filling you up with complex carbohydrates and keeping you full longer.
3. Slice your meats
If you slice your meats instead of just serving the whole slab you'll find you are satisfied with much less. I don't know about you, but if I eat 3/4 of a chicken breast or a steak and I'm full I have a hard time letting that little bit go to waste, and it seems too small to save. If you start out with slices, chances are you'll load up less on your plate to begin with. And if you happen to have some brown rice under it, even better! (Two days ago I cooked 2 chicken breasts for my family of 3. I cubed it to serve in different dishes, and we still have chicken left for tonight's dinner, and maybe even for tomorrow's.)
4. Plan ahead
My mom would be so proud of me. Make a list and buy accordingly! So much less food is wasted when you know exactly how you'll use it ahead of time.
5. Buy on sale
When it comes to certain products just pick the cheaper option. Sometimes it really doesn't matter. In my opinion, there is no difference between the store's brand of stewed tomatoes and any other stewed tomato. It all tastes the same in my chili. Same with flour or sugar in my cookies. However, sometimes it does matter to you. Try the cheaper option, which isn't always the store's brand. If you hate it, go back to your usual. I've often found that it doesn't matter to me, or that I even like the cheaper one better. You can save a lot of money by knocking off a few cents here and there.
How do you make sure that being healthy stays a priority in your life?
I've just been talking about some of these same things on my blog too! Great minds... I tell you. I'm still surprised at how much less meat we need than I once thought. I'm getting into the habit of always cutting it up n the kitchen before anyone sees it and if I put a bunch of veggies and brown rice or pasta with it, nobody complains that I just gave them an appropriate serving size of meat instead of the over-sized servings they've grown accustomed to.
ReplyDeleteI've made it a point to buy sweets and junk food very sparingly. It makes an appearance enough so we won't gorge on it, but we've taught our bodies to want healthier options over the past few years. I agree on the frozen veggies, I hate when I buy fresh ones, then forget I have them. Frozen fruit is awesome for smoothies!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try the cutting meat idea, that's something we need to do better around here.