When money’s tight can be easy to choose convenient and cheap over healthy and nutritious foods. Factor in the added difficulty of considering lifestyle factors, eating patterns, allergies, and health conditions requiring specific meal plans. Read on to learn more about how it could be easier to stretch the budget may be easier than it seems, and not require sacrificing the family’s nutrition.
Healthy Tip Tuesday is brought to you in partnership with Trinity Health Systems.
What are simple techniques to start?
- Plan what is needed before going to the store by planning meals in advance.
- Shop the sales if needed
- Try different cooking methods roasting, baking, and grilling
- Use a variety of spices and herbs to season foods. Many can be bought with low or no sodium.
Once at the store:
- Consider frozen or canned options for fruits and vegetables. They cost less and last longer.
- Just be sure that when shopping you look for fruit in 100% juice and vegetables with “no salt added” or “low-sodium.
- Go for store-brand products over name brands. According to information from the CDC, this can help save up to 20-30% on each grocery bill.
- Think about purchasing meats in bulk. Is it worth it? Will it all be used?
Lastly, stretching your dollar also means learning to stretch your imagination when using leftovers. One solution is making foods that freeze well in large quantities to be used later. Online recipes for pot pies, casseroles, soups, sauces, and stocks that can be frozen are great for meal prepping for busy evenings.
