Healthy Eating On A Budget

It is possible to eat a healthy, balanced diet without breaking the bank! Here are some suggestions:

-Eliminate junk food. You may have to do your grocery shopping alone, since children (and sometimes spouses!) are often the ones who request the junk foods. A trip to my local supermarket showed these prices for typical junk foods and beverages:

-Case of name brand soft drinks ? $5.99
-20 ounce bag of potato chips - $4.19
-Box of snack cakes - $1.99
-Package of 8 toaster-tarts $2.39 (each one contains 20 grams of sugar)
-Package of chocolate chip cookies - $3.59
-Half-gallon of ice cream - $3.99
-Box of pre-sweetened cereal - $3.19
-8 juice boxes - $2.94 (each contains 26 grams of sugar)
-1 box of 12 glazed doughnuts - $3.99

The total amount for the above items was $ 32.26

Replace the items above with:

-Water or skim milk instead of soft drinks. (You can still enjoy your favorite beverage when you go out to a sporting event, movie, etc. Just stick with the smallest size to save money AND calories! ) Children AND adults need milk or milk products every day. Milk also helps fill you up and provides needed calcium for strong bones and healthy teeth.

-Buy whole fruit instead of potato chips, cookies, doughnuts or snack cakes. One large banana equals 2 servings; 1 pound of grapes equals several servings; other fruit should be purchased in season in your area. Apples are less expensive in the fall. If you live in the south, oranges, lemons and grapefruit may be plentiful in your area, so use lots of them. Melons are usually less expensive in the summer months.

-Limit fruit juice to ? cup per day. Instead of juice boxes or bottles, look for natural juice in half gallon cartons or bottles. If your kids want to drink their juice from individual serving bottles, buy your own plastic bottles and straws at the dollar store and wash them out at night.

-Buy fruits in quantity when they are in season and freeze extras. When strawberries and blueberries are plentiful in my area, I always buy several pounds and freeze in plastic zipper bags. Wash the fruit well; remove any spoiled pieces, dry thoroughly on paper towels, and freeze. Be sure to squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible to prevent freezer burn. You can also purchase frozen fruits out-of-season. Just check the labels to make sure they were not dowsed in sugar prior to freezing.

-Look for pick-your-own farms that allow you to pick your own fruit for less. Take the whole family and enjoy some fresh air and exercise!

-Eat yogurt instead of ice cream for snacks. I know that Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart and Kroger superstores frequently have low prices for yogurt. Stock up with enough to last several days. To save even more, buy large cartons of plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit.

-Skip the pre-sweetened cereal and replace with oatmeal or other hot cereal. A large box of 1-minute oatmeal contains 30 servings and costs $ 1.99 for the generic kind (oatmeal is oatmeal!). Each serving contains 4 grams of fiber. Add fresh/frozen fruit or a teaspoon of natural jelly (100% fruit) for sweetener.

-Buy fresh vegetables in season, grow your own (tomatoes can be grown in pots on the patio if you don't have a yard or garden), or purchase frozen vegetables. Vegetables are frozen at the peak of ripeness and contain as many vitamins and minerals as fresh. Instead of using rich sauces, steam your veggies and season with fresh herbs-which you can also grow easily in pots on your window sill or patio. Stock up on frozen vegetables when your grocery has a sale.

-Meats and beans are good sources of protein. Lean meats are more expensive than meats with lots of fat, but still substantially less expensive than paying high medical bills incurred from consuming a high fat, less nutritive diet. Here are other ways to save on protein foods:

-Watch your portion sizes. Even an adult male, 35 years old who exercises more than 1 hour a day (in addition to regular routine) only needs 7 ounces of meat or beans a day spread over 3 meals. Cook only enough of those foods to give everyone the recommended amount. For a family of 5, 1 pound of ground chuck would be enough to give Dad 4 ounces, Mom 3 ounces, a 10 year old boy and 8 year old twin girls 3 ounces each. Those are the serving sizes recommended by the new USDA guidelines. (A 3-ounce portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.)

-Skip the bacon. Bacon is expensive, very high in fat, and offers little or no nutritional value.

-Use beans frequently as a meat substitute. There are many varieties, they can be prepared in a crock-pot so that dinner is ready when you get home, and they contain lots of fiber to improve regularity. The USDA recommends eating beans 4 times per week. If you have a problem with gas after eating beans, try washing them, covering with water, bringing water to a boil, then draining off water and refilling pot. You can also use Beano-a natural plant enzyme-if you have problems with gas.

-If you live in a coastal area or an area near fresh-water lakes where fish is plentiful, make that a staple in your diet.

-Purchase chicken or turkey on sale and freeze. Again, be aware of healthful portion sizes. Some chicken breasts are large enough for 2-3 servings. Don't cook more than you need.

-Peanut butter is inexpensive and popular with almost everyone. Use it for sandwiches instead of hot dogs or lunch meat, and buy natural peanut butter if it is available in your area. It does need to be refrigerated, since the oil rises to the top at room temperature, but it does not contain the unhealthy partially-hydrogenated fats that are in other peanut butters.

-Fill up with foods that have a high water content. Salad greens, watermelon, and sugar free gelatin are some good examples. Serve a green salad at the beginning of each dinner, topped with a small amount of low-calorie dressing, vinegar and oil, or a squeeze of lemon juice.

-Whole wheat bread is normally more expensive than white bread, but since white bread usually has little, if any fiber or nutritional value, it is worth the extra money. If you have a bakery outlet nearby, stock up on day-old bread and freeze. I live near a Wonder Bread outlet store, and a loaf of whole wheat bread costs $ .99. If your family doesn't like the course texture of most whole wheat breads, try different brands until you find one you find acceptable. Make sure they label says 100% whole grain and lists the first ingredient as whole wheat flour.

-If you live in a small town or rural area and do not have a large supermarket or discount grocery nearby, consider making a trip once a month to a larger town to stock up on lower-priced non-perishable foods.

Here's to your health!

Bev Grey is author of "The Project", and founder and president of Grandma's Healthy Kids Club, an in-home program to help children lose weight safely or just improve their eating and exercise habits.

Visit the website at http://www.grandmashealthykidsclub.com to learn more about the program and see a sample children's newsletter.

---

When do You Need a Financial Management Company on Your Side?

We live in a crazy world. Someone ought to sell tickets. It seems that people, especially those in the US, are always clamoring for products and services that they don't need and ignoring... Read More

How To Free-Up 10% to 15% of Your Income

Would you be interested in freeing up 10% to 15% of your current income? Just imagine what you could do with this money. You could pay down your debts, increase your savings, or... Read More

Budgeting is Essential for a Single Mothers Success

Today many women are struggling with debt and it's even harder if you are a single mother trying to support your family. According to the Census Bureau single mothers far outweigh single fathers.... Read More

Save Your Money, Dont Give to Charity Scammers

**If it's Spam, it's a Scam!- If it sounds too good, if it shows up in your bulk folder or your spam folder - don't touch it, just delete it**Check out the charity-... Read More

Photo Checks ? A Great Alternative in Checking

It's the little things in life that make it interesting. Everyday life can be so boring at times. To make the ordinary extraordinary takes time to explore and to discover. Fortunately, there are... Read More

10 Money-Saving Tips

1. If you have your haircut every 3 weeks, try going 4 or 5 weeks in between haircuts. If you pay $10 for a haircut, you could save $70 a year by having... Read More

College Expenses: Seven Ways to Save on an Education

Many people graduate from college owing thousands of dollars in student loans. It isn't uncommon for students to graduate owing $30,000 to $40,000. For people that get married shortly after graduation that means... Read More

Are You Ready To Be Fired?

Your boss has just informed you that your department is being reduced by two and you are fired. After he leaves, what are you going to do? This is not about finding a... Read More

Money Saving Tips. Maximize Savings on Everyday Items!

Frugal living is more than a lifestyle. It's a passion. Call Me Crazy! I love It!Why, who wouldn't love getting paid to buy products that they use everyday?Here's how I do it.I purchase... Read More

Understanding and Controlling Your Finances

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to have complete control over your finances?If you are like most normal people, you have a job. You go to your... Read More

Personal Finance ? Why You Should Compare, not Despair

Sorting out your personal finances can be a tricky and exasperating time. Whether you are looking to obtain money through a loan, protect your finances with life insurance, medical, travel or car insurance,... Read More

Save Money Off Your Home Utility Bills

Many don't realize that our basic utility bills provide the perfect money saving opportunity for practically every household!Especially with today's energy crisis so prevalent throughout many of the states, you've probably heard this... Read More

Why We Are Never Satisfied with What We Have

I have to admit, I do it too. I complain. Seek better. Complain again. Ridiculous cycle. It's more of a condition really. A humanity disease, I think we are born with it. It... Read More

10 Tips to Make Sure Your Financial Budget Will Succeed

You've analyzed your past expenses, put them into spreadsheets, loaded Quicken with all of your data and come up with a budget. Now what? The tough part! You actually have to stick to... Read More

What Happens if You Die Without Making a Will

If you die without making a Will in the UK, the state will decide who gets what and how much, so those who you would want to benefit may get far less than... Read More

Personal Checks ? Extreme Benefits

Millions of people have a checking account and many people have two of three. They have the choice of choosing a variety of check designs to compliment the checking account. The styles range... Read More

Budgeting -- The Critical Flaw That Causes Most Budgets to Fail

Budgeting. It's a word we're all familiar with. Everyone knows what a budget is, right? Yet how many of us actually make and stick to a solid monthly budget? The truth is that... Read More

Learning the Basics of Handling Money

With prices increasing all the time, saving money can be harder and harder to do. Here are some solutions for saving a little so that you can still meet your needs and still... Read More

The Joys of Address Labels

Address labels are many things to many different people. If you are a huge fan of address labels, you aren't alone. If you are not a fan, you simply haven't yet realized the... Read More

Government Grants - Beware of Scams

As the saying goes: "Buyer Beware". If you see ads claiming you qualify to receive a "free grant" for education, to start a home business or to payoff unpaid bills, be wary. Scam... Read More

Know Thy Finances

The first step to financial success lies in knowing your financial situation at any given time. There is an anecdote attributed to John D. Rockefeller--that as a child he was given a monthly... Read More

A Quck Lesson in Saving Money

Did you have a piggy bank when you were a child? I did. Mine sat empty for a long time until my mother convinced me that I should really start putting my pennies... Read More

5 Steps to Healthy Spending Habits

Next to our physical health most of us are primarily concerned with our financial health, and with good reason. Although our intentions are usually great our follow-through and discipline generally isn't. Mere mention... Read More

Single Mother and Learning how to Save

Saving may seem easier if you were saving for a new car, or a vacation however when it comes to saving in general it may prove to be more challenging because you may... Read More

Knowing Me, Knowing You: Why ID Protection Plans Are Flawed For Fraud

ID theft is a major consumer concern, though there is apparently much confusion about proactive protection initiatives and apparently safe and unsafe spending behaviour. For example, many consumers remain reluctant about shopping online,... Read More

Help With My Annuity

The cries are heard from the distance, "I need help with my annuities." Nothing has changed...just a lonely senior who can't trust anybody with her annuity because every time she asks for advice,... Read More

Vesting and Your 401(k)

Do you have a 401(k) retirement account? Are you vested yet? Before you move on to your next job, it is critical for you to find out if you are fully vested in... Read More

Creating A Household Budget

Creating a budget can be a very difficult task. Although we as consumers know that we need to pay our bills, buy our necessities, and put money away for savings, we don't really... Read More

Financial Readiness: Preparing for BRAC (Base Realignment And Closing)

The recommendations for military base closings have been released and the news is not good. If the recommendations are accepted, you will lose your job. So what do you do? Hope for the... Read More