20 Cheap and Healthy Foods

 I read an interesting article on msn fitbe. I thought I would share it with you guys.

20 Cheap and Healthy Foods

Southwest cheap eats

Buying dried rice and beans at the grocery store is a very cheap way to get a lot of food. These take a little bit of prep time as you have to boil them but the cost savings is worth it. One very tasty low price meal is Black Beans, Rice (I use brown), and corn. When Corn is not in season you can buy frozen corn for a dollar or two a bag. Canned corn is also affordable but has more sodium and tastes less fresh.

When your beans and rice are done boiling, strain them and add in some cooked frozen corn.  This meal goes great with fresh veggies, cheese, hot sauce, and sour cream depending on your budget.  It is a good way to get protein in your diet when you can't afford fresh meats.

On a budget I will do black beans, corn, rice, a chopped tomato, and some tapatio. When properly portioned this can be less than a dollar a meal.  When I have a little extra I will use cilantro, lime, salsa, sour cream, cheese, salsa, and may be some lettuce.

Rice and beans are a good way to make a meal more filling and more cost effective. :)

Poporn! Low calorie AND low Cost!

About to pop in a movie with the boyfriend? Looking for a cheap snack for the kids? Need to budget a bit tighter this month and don't want to spend all your money on cookies, candies, and chips? What about POPCORN?

Popcorn doesn't have to be that buttery salty gooy microwave popcorn you buy (although it can be if you like that). There are many cost effective ways to get light fluffy air popped popcorn which you can add toppings to yourself if you choose. Or munch on plain for a low calorie and low cost snack!

You can buy air popping microwave bowls at stores such as Target and Walmart for a low price. All you add are the seeds and watch it pop in the microwave! No need to buy an air popper, no need to have all the salt and butter (unless you like it).

I own a  Nordic Wear popcorn popper bowl which you can buy on Amazon for 8.89. It has worked for me many years without problems. All you do is add the seeds and microwave! The best part about this is that popcorn kernels are insanely cheap. A two dollar bag of popcorn seeds can last you a very very long time. This makes each serving of this snack mere pennies! You can snack to your hearts content without feeling too bad about price or even calories. 31 calories a cup!!! 




Next time you are budgeting your food costs if you are looking for a fun low calorie snack alternative look no further. :)

First Post

Hello!

My goal with this blog is to help others find low cost meal alternatives in this economy. Groceries can be a major household expense and by doing a little extra planning before heading to the store a person can save themselves hundreds.

My theory is that buy finding low cost meals to eat some days will free up money to have a really nice meal once and a while too, or may be help free up some spending cash.

Make sure when planning your meal you follow the basic food pyramid and include something from each food group whenever possible. Fruits and veggies are good for you!