Healthy Eating on a Shoestring

Take one shopping cart, fill with pre-packaged snacks, frozen fries, frozen pizzas, cans of soft drinks, frozen corn dogs, bags of potato chips, packets of cookies, boxes of sugary cereal, and cartons of chocolate milk. Not only have you got yourself a recipe for a heart attack from the food - the shock of your grocery bill might do just as much damage!

On the other hand, if you fill that cart with fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, basic grains like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, couscous and rolled oats, some lean cuts of meat, some legumes, beans, milk, lowfat cheese, whole-grain bread, and the occasional chocolate bar, your heart, health, and wallet will be a lot happier.

“There is a big misconception that eating healthy—including lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, and low-fat dairy products—is beyond people's budgets,” says registered dietitian Dawn Blatner, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

“If you price out the cost of eating for one day, it is truly less expensive than most people probably think it is. For a 2,000-calorie meal plan, it costs approximately $6.69 per day. If you're a vegetarian, it is slightly less at approximately $6.33.

“As long as you aren't eating more than the recommended serving amount, your cost per day to eat healthfully should be no more than $7.”

At less than the cost of a latte and a piece of chocolate cake, or a frozen pizza, fries and soda, $7 a day for your health is worth considering.

As well as being more expensive, unhealthy eating comes at a high price for your body.

Many processed foods, such as frozen meals and take-out foods, contain high levels of fat, sodium, preservatives and additives - all designed to make the food last longer on the shelf, look better, or be cheaper to produce. Unfortunately these '"extras'' are often added at the expense of the vitamins, minerals and fiber that your body really needs to be healthy.

When you're trying to control your weight, eating foods that are nutritionally dense is important for keeping your calorie intake down and helping you feel fuller for longer. If you're skipping fresh fruits and vegetables for frozen pizzas and cookies, your waistline is not going to be happy and you'll also increase your risk of serious diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

Wondering what you can do about this? Take a look at our suggestions and see the dollars you can save and the health benefits you can gain by making a few different choices next time you're at the grocery store. Note that savings are estimates only:

Just by swapping a few unhealthy foods for more nutritious options you can save over $30 a week on a grocery list like the one above. Then comes the best part - if you don't need to save it, you can spend it on something else! A massage, new bath products, a CD, a book, new clothes, a magazine, a trip to the movies?

Of course, the real rewards will be the improvements you see in your health, energy levels and your weight!

Making simple food swaps at the supermarket can really trim down your budget. Here are a few other tried-and-tested ways to get more value from your next shopping trip.

• Be prepared. Planning your meals and buying the food you need in advance can stop you from resorting to less healthy options when it's dinner time and you're starving. Keeping a few pantry staples on hand, like canned tomatoes, rice, canned tuna, frozen vegetables and canned beans, also means that you won't be caught short if the fridge is on the empty side. With a few basic ingredients you can whip up a budget-friendly, low-calorie meal in no time.
  
  
• Shop from a list. Make a shopping list and then stick to it! Planning what you need to buy stops impulse purchases, like that tub of ice cream that's on special. Don't forget to include healthy foods for lunches and snacks on your shopping list. Just by packing your own lunch and kicking your morning latte-and-muffin habit, you could save yourself upwards of $2000 a year!
  
  
• Stick to the outside of the supermarket. In most supermarkets you'll find the basics in the outside aisles - milk, vegetables and fruits, meat and bread. The inner aisles usually contain things like candy, chips, snack foods and so on. Get to know your supermarket and stick to the aisles that you actually need. Don't tempt yourself by venturing down the ones you don't.
  
  
• Buy in bulk. Items such as meat, potatoes and carrots are cheaper per pound if you buy a larger quantity. Freeze the extras (if freezable), or split large purchases with friends or family members. Likewise you can make your own single-serving portions of snack foods by dividing up a more economical larger packet as soon as you get home from the supermarket.

• Get a leg-up with legumes. Legumes (beans and lentils) are tasty, versatile and cheap. At only 70-100 calories per 3 oz serving, you can fill up without fattening up. Soaking and cooking dried beans and lentils is the cheapest option, but canned beans are also economical. Just watch the sodium content of some brands.
  
  
• Use those veggies. Halve the amount of meat in recipes and add additional vegetables. More veggies means less saturated fat, and more fiber, antioxidants and vitamins for your body, plus more dollars in your pocket! Stir-frys, meat sauces and lasagne are all good dishes to put this tip to use.
  
  
• Grow your own. Nothing beats the taste of home-grown vegetables and fruits. If you've only got a patio, balcony, or small yard, look for varieties that grow well in pots. If there are fresh fruits and vegetables right there in your garden, you'll have no excuse not to snack on fresh-picked strawberries or carrots!
  
  
• Buy in-season. Buying out-of-season fruits and vegetables often results in an expensive, imported product that can be disappointingly tasteless. Choose recipes that make the most of what's currently in season and enjoy the good taste and cheaper prices. Instead of spending money on chocolate bars, treat yourself to some of the more exotic fruit varieties when they come into season, like mangos, fresh raspberries, kiwi and pineapple.
  
  
• Don't go shopping when you're hungry. A sure-fire way to end up with expensive, high-calorie extras in your cart is to visit the supermarket on an empty stomach. You'll be better able to make sensible decisions if your stomach isn't steering you towards the candy and cookies aisle!
  
  
• Make it from scratch. Preparing a dish yourself rather than buying the pre-made version will usually save you money and can help you stick to your calorie targets. You can use low-calorie cooking methods to make the meal healthier, plus you'll be doing your body a favor by avoiding the preservatives and additives that are often added to keep pre-prepared meals fresh.

Of course, one of the biggest reasons we needlessly spend money on unhealthy foods is because we need "fast" food. The best way to avoid this is to have a few super-fast, and cheap-but-healthy meals on hand that you can resort to when you're short on time.

These five ideas can each be prepared in less than the time it takes to get in your car and drive to the nearest fast-food joint - and they taste better too!

• Swish Fish
  One of the fastest meals around, fish only takes a few minutes to cook and it's packed with heart-helping omega 3's. You can jazz it up by sprinkling with herbs or spices before broiling or barbecuing. While the fish is cooking, prepare a crunchy salad to go with it.
  
  
• Vegorama Pasta
  Put a pot of pasta on to boil. When the pasta has about 3 or 4 minutes remaining to cook, throw some broccoli florets, sliced red bell pepper and frozen peas into the same pasta pot. When everything is cooked, drain the whole pot and divide into serving bowls. Top each serving with canned tuna and a sprinkling of low-fat grated cheese.
  
  
• Speedy Pizza
  Spread a piece of flat bread (turkish bread) or an English muffin with a little tomato paste, and top with your favorite low-calorie toppings. Suggestions include diced bell pepper, tomato, mushrooms, lean ham, sliced olives, fresh basil or oregano. Finish with a sprinkling of grated low-fat cheese, and bake until the cheese is melted and browned. Serve with a leafy, green side salad.
  
  
• Fruity Chicken Salad
  Put together a salad from your favorite vegetables. Top with shredded chicken (skin removed) and pieces of your favorite in-season fruit, such as orange segments, mango slices, crisp apple pieces, or grapes. Sprinkle with a few chopped nuts and drizzle with a little fat-free dressing.
  
  
• Delicioso Pasta
  Cook pasta. Meanwhile saute a chopped onion and crushed garlic. Add canned tomatoes, drained canned red kidney beans, a few sliced black olives and a little chopped chilli or bell pepper. When the sauce has reduced and thickened a little, stir through some shredded fresh basil. Top pasta with sauce, and sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese.

For other economical, fast and healthy recipes, check out  CalorieKing.com's Recipe section. You'll find something to suit every taste, budget and schedule.

Isn't it time you started investing in your health, your budget and your savings?