How to Plan Healthy Meals on a Budget
In today’s world of ready-made meals, fast food, frozen materials along with delivery at your door step, the concept of healthy food does not seem to be a part of our diet anymore. It is really hard to know how to plan healthy meals for your loved ones, especially on a budget. You can start to adopt healthy eating habits in order to avoid common health issue like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, childhood obesity etc.
Planning healthy meals on a budget might look difficult task but actually it is not difficult at all. With a little effort and some unique planning, you can plan healthy meals without breaking your family’s bank.
Instructions
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1
Determine week’s Budget
Arrange a family get-together and determine the week’s budget. Find out about your week’s budget, keeping the number of your family members in mind, and divide it into seven days.
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2
Talk to your family members
Talk to your family members and let them know that it would not be possible anymore to provide them with their favorite food every day. They have to compromise and have to replace some of their much loved food items with healthy but economical ones.
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3
Plan, Plan and Plan
Well said by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” So, make proper planning before proceeding. Make sure to sketch weekly menus for your family, including the breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can consider such food items that are not only inexpensive but filling as well. Whole grains, beans, vegetables, lean proteins, dairy products, fruits, salads and rice are some of the best options. Meat items are not only expensive but rich in fat, calories and cholesterol as well. You can replace meat with beans.
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4
Purchase products in Bulk
Food items are cheaper when your purchase them in bulk. Rather than visiting the market every day or week, it is better to buy the whole month’s products in once. However, buy fruits, vegetables and dairy products on daily basis.
Note: Make proper arrangement for the storage of the food items in bulk.
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5
Take advantage of the grocery coupons
Cut the coupons from various supermarkets’ circular, daily newspapers or print them from various online websites and use them on your visit to a super market. Coupons help you to save major portion of your diet budget.
Note: for those who do not have an idea, coupons are basically vouchers giving the right to the holder to a discount off on various products.
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6
Preserve vegetables and fruits
If you find it expensive and tough to visit the market everyday and buy fruits and vegetables, buy them once and preserve for the whole week. Chop up the celery, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, carrots, onions and seal them through. Freeze the chopped vegetables and use them when needed. This activity saves your time and money.
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7
Avoid junk food items
Reduce the amount of junk food in your weekly budget. They are not only expensive but not good for your health as well.
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8
Stick to your weekly budget
You cannot get the desired outputs until you do stick to your weekly budget. Follow it properly in order to make sure that you do not exceed your designated budget.
