I have so many exciting things to share, it was hard to decide what to write first. For now, I wanted to finish yesterday’s post on eating healthy for less.

4) Have a budget and set aside a portion for fresh produce. Decide what you can get canned or frozen and what you must have fresh. When possible, try to use your local farmers market for the fresh portion of the budget. I know the word budget usually makes people cringe, but in order to save money and be healthy you have to have a plan. You have to have a general idea of how much you want to spend, and how much you generally spend on the required staple items. Also, it is important to know your local growing season cycle. Fresh produce is usually cheaper at its peak season. I found an interesting interactive map here

5) Use recipes that stretch the meat. For example, here is how I stretch a pound of ground beef. I brown the entire pound and then put half of it in the fridge for chili. Then, I use the second half to make tacos. (which can be healthy if you use low fat ground beef, add lots of veggie toppings, and use whole wheat tortillas). The next night I make chili, and have found that by adding a lot of beans and tomatoes we can eat off of a pot of chili at least two meals sometimes three. This means getting creative with leftovers by making chili-mac or nachos. That totals 3-4 main dishes from one pound of ground beef.

I am also mastering the one chicken breast meals (keep in mind I am only cooking for 2). The typical fresh chicken breast you buy at the store is usually much larger than the recommended 3oz portion, thus you are not depriving your family by reducing portions and cost. A few of my one chicken breast recipes include: pulled BBQ chicken in the crock pot and homemade BBQ chicken pizza.

Meat is one of the most expensive parts of the budget, so I am continually trying to find creative ways to use less of it. When using less meat in your main dish, try to use side dishes that contain other protein rich foods (such as cheese, beans, yogurt, broccoli, humus, and whole grains, just to name a few).