There's no need to sacrifice good nutrition when you're living on a budget. Instead of spending money on expensive convenience foods like breakfast cereals, junk food, prepared meals and frozen dinners, change your focus to unprocessed, whole foods that you prepare yourself. With some creativity and advance planning, you can enjoy inexpensive and healthy meals.
Beans, Peas and Lentils
Beans, peas and lentils are inexpensive and high in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Use red kidney beans in place of meat to make vegetarian chili. Add chickpeas to a green salad or make hummus. Serve black beans with brown rice or use them in Mexican dishes, such as burritos. Lentils are a healthy and inexpensive legume to use in Indian dishes, in soups and stews and as a side dish.
Make Meat Go Further
Stretch your meat budget. To save money, buy meat and poultry in less expensive large trays, divide into smaller portions and freeze. Replace half of the meat or poultry in casserole, stew and soup recipes with beans, frozen vegetables and whole grains or pasta. Limit your meat portion to 3 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards, and fill up on whole grains and vegetables.
Whole Grains
Fiber-rich whole grains, such as oats, barley and brown rice, are inexpensive and healthy. At about 18 cents per serving, oats are a low-cost alternative to expensive ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. Chewy, nutritious pearled barley costs about 12 cents per serving, and brown rice is a nutritious bargain at approximately 10 cents per serving. Buy whole grains in bulk to cut costs even more.
Fruits and Vegetables
Save money on fruits and vegetables by purchasing them in-season or buying them frozen -- they're just as healthy as fresh. Canned tomatoes are an inexpensive, healthy choice ideal for stews, casseroles, chili and pasta dishes. Fresh apples, bananas, oranges and pears are not costly, and are nutritious as snacks and in green and fruit salads. Carrots are inexpensive and are a healthy addition to soups, stews and salads, and make a tasty side dish or snack.
Member Comments