How To Enjoy Healthy Nutritious Food For Less
If you have a tight budget, you will surely want to do everything you can to avoid expensive trips to the doctor's office. One of the best ways to safeguard your health is to eat well; however, sometimes it seems healthy eating is out of reach. Luckily, there are ways to economize at the market, and happily, healthy foods are often less expensive. Read on to learn how to set a fine table in a smart and thrifty manner.
Plant a garden! If you have a lawn, think about how much money you are spending to water and care for it. Wouldn't it be better to spend that same money to grow food? You don't have to turn your whole lawn into a vegetable garden. It doesn't take a lot of space to grow some of the more popular veggies, such as tomatoes, zucchini, squash, beans and peas. Using your resources wisely to grow food will save you money at the market. Additionally, gardening is a healthy activity that calms the nerves, provides gentle exercise and pleasant time outdoors.
If you only have a patio or balcony, you can do container gardening, soil bag gardening or vertical gardening with wooden pallets. You would be surprised at how much food you can grow in a fairly small space. Be sure to plant herbs in pots or in your garden. Fresh herbs are much better than dried, and far less expensive.
Learn a variety of preservation techniques such as freezing, canning and drying to save extra produce and herbs. By learning these simple techniques yourself, you can have a far higher quality of preserved fruits and vegetables for your family all year round and a far lower cost than commercially produced canned, frozen or dried produce and herbs.
Buy non-perishable and staple products such as flour, rice, beans and other dried goods in bulk to get the best prices. Be certain that you have good storage containers to keep your products fresh and safe from weevils and moisture. Learn how to organize your kitchen in such a way as to keep your staple products safely for long term storage.
Reduce or eliminate meat in your diet. Meat is very costly in terms of money and wear and tear on the planet. By choosing lower cost, healthier alternatives, your savings will be two-fold. You will save money at the grocery store and the doctor's office! Substitute beans, legumes, tofu, eggs and dairy products for meat at least a couple of times a week to save money.
Keep a jar or envelope of kitchen money tucked away so that you will be able to take advantage of good deals on food products you use frequently. If you see an advertisement for a sale on a product your family loves, stock up.
Clip coupons for food products your family enjoys. Be careful not to use coupons for items you don't normally purchase or that you can purchase less expensively in a lesser name brand even without the coupon. Choose coupons wisely to make the best use of them.
When you grow and preserve your own fruits, veggies and herbs, buy in bulk, clip coupons and shop sales smartly, you can save a great deal of money on food. The added benefits of better health and a feeling of independence and resourcefulness will serve you well in these challenging times.
