| 1. Plan meals a week in advance. It's not easy, but | | | | of fruits and vegetables maintain more of their |
| it will be well worth it. When I forget to take | | | | nutritional value than canned or frozen vegetables |
| something out of the freezer in the morning, | | | | and fruits. The place to find good quality fare is |
| dinner turns into a fast food free-for-all. This kind | | | | your local Farmer's Market. The prices are |
| of unhealthy eating can quickly become a habit. | | | | reasonable and they offer a better selection than |
| On Sunday, decide on the weekly meals with | | | | the grocery store. Fresh green beans and leafy |
| your family. I have a magnetic board on my | | | | greens can be cleaned and frozen at home for |
| refrigerator where I write the daily menu. Take all | | | | future meals. |
| of the meats out and allow them to thaw in the | | | | 4. Buy in bulk. Grocery store chains now provide |
| refrigerator. This step eliminates the need to | | | | at least one aisle dedicated to bulk food items. |
| figure out what to eat for dinner each morning. If | | | | This is helpful for those who want to buy in bulk |
| you are too busy to cook a full meal every night, | | | | but don't want the cost of a warehouse |
| prepare the side dishes all at once for the week. | | | | membership. The price per ounce decreases |
| There are menu planning services online that do | | | | when you buy in bulk. Warehouse shopping clubs |
| your meal planning for you. You get a week's | | | | like Sam's Club and Costco offer everything from |
| worth of recipes and a corresponding grocery | | | | luncheon meats to fruit juices to snacks in bigger |
| shopping list in your email. All you have to do is | | | | sizes. For homes with children, buying large |
| click and print - and head to the store. Eating | | | | quantities will save costly trips to the grocery |
| healthier just got a lot easier. Plus, planning your | | | | store in between the normal shopping times. |
| meals saves you from those last minute trips to | | | | 5. Leftovers, anyone? If last night's dinner was |
| the fast food joints, which definitely add up in | | | | tasty, try it again for lunch. Before fast food and |
| cost. | | | | vending machines, people carried their lunches in |
| 2. Clip coupons from the newspaper. Every | | | | brown paper bags. Now, busy lifestyles foster bad |
| Sunday when my husband buys the newspaper, I | | | | diet choices that ruin our bodies and our budgets. |
| search out the coupons. Clipping coupons is a | | | | After dinner, divide up the leftovers into |
| great way to control the amount of money spent | | | | containers so that they can be easily grabbed in |
| on food. When you want to try that new cereal | | | | the morning and carried to work. Your lunch will |
| or energy bar, the Sunday paper will usually have | | | | be delicious and there'll be no need to pay for a |
| a coupon for it. On certain days of the week, | | | | burger or a honey bun from that vending |
| certain grocery stores offer double and/or triple | | | | machine. |
| coupon days. That fifty cent coupon for a box of | | | | Healthy eating on a budget is possible but it takes |
| cereal would then be worth $1.50. Coupons are an | | | | the cooperation of the entire family to make it |
| untapped resource of savings because many | | | | work. Sit down with each family member to |
| people refuse to take the time to cut them out. | | | | discuss these and other simple tips to get the |
| 3. Visit the local Farmer's Market. Fresh varieties | | | | most from your food dollars. |