Ways to Serve Nutritious Meals without Spending a Small Fortune
Serving your family a wholesome meal does not have to mean spending a fortune on
fresh fruits and vegetables and expensive cuts of meat. Nutritious foods are available at a
reasonable price per serving if you can minimize waste, get creative with ingredients and
shop wisely. Below are 8 tips to doing so.
Tip #1- Purchase frozen fruits instead of fresh during the winter months when
many favorites are out of season. Simply thaw them and make a mixed fruit
salad, add them to fruit smoothies, mix them in with low fat yogurt or use them in
muffins or breads.
Tip #2- Freeze fresh fruit such as strawberries when they are in season to use later
on. Strawberries can be frozen up to 6 months and maintain good quality once
thawed.
Tip #3- Choose frozen vegetables when you can as they contain the same nutrient
content as fresh vegetables without the risk of going bad before you able to
consume them.
Tip #4- Dried beans and legumes such as black beans, lentils and black eyed peas
are all great sources of protein and fiber and are very filling. Find recipes using
these foods and serve along side another protein source with vegetables or as the
main course in a soup for example.
Tip #5- Shop for protein such as boneless skinless chicken breasts and lean cuts
of red meat in bulk, freeze each piece individually and pull out as needed. This is
more cost effective and they are always on hand, saving trips to the grocery store.
Tip #6- Use caution when spending on organics. Keep in mind that organic
products have the same amount of nutrients as non-organic products; so don’t feel
pressure to purchase these more expensive items for nutritional content purposes.
Tip #7- Make a shopping list and stick to it. Plan out your meals and what is
needed from the grocery before going. Shoppers spend more when they peruse
the grocery store with little or no agenda. Also, if you are in the habit of stopping
by the store daily instead of larger weekly trips, you do more impulse buying and
thus spend more money.
Tip #8- Utilize your leftovers. Vegetables leftover from the day before can be reheated
or cooked and thrown into a stir-fry dish with some diced chicken or beef
or they can be used in a quesadilla or even turned in a frittata which is made with
eggs. Look for simple recipes in newspapers, magazines, or on the web and keep
handy. Recipes do not have to be followed exactly, but can be used to generate
your own ideas based on what you have on hand.
