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Eating Fit On A Budget

Simple Changes for Eating Fit On A Budget

You've been meaning to improve your eating habits and get more exercise for a while now but you don't think you can afford it.
Mounting food costs are frustrating you and you don't know if you can really make a change and stick to it.
There's not enough time to plan ahead and look at those nutrition guides before you put the food you get into the cart.
My family is big; I cannot possible try to feed them a healthy meal!

These are all excuses that have gone through our minds at one time or another to avoid the issue but the reality is that yes, even on a budget and with limited time it is possible to buy and prepare healthy meals for yourself and your family.

The Real Problem...
The two things that are really getting in your way are stress and laziness. As much as we like to think otherwise, it really doesn't take a lot of effort to make small little changes in our diet that can benefit both our budget and our health. Add the jittery mind of a person under stress to this concept and you are making it a lot more complex than it really is.

Here Are A Few Easy Changes You Can Make:

Drop that Soda:
If you are eating on a budget there is absolutely no reason you should be consuming more than a soda or two a day. In fact let's try and drop that to a soda or two a week! Soda contains excessive amounts of sugar, does little to nothing to decrease thirst (in fact it can increase thirst and the risk of dehydration) and increases blood pressure. Not to mention the continuously rising cost to get it! Replace your quota of pop with drink fruit juice, milk or water all of which are much healthier and cheaper than the average 12 pack.
Bake That Potato or Replace it
If you are going to have potatoes (which while containing high amounts of beneficial potassium also contain large amounts of starches) eat them baked, not fried and not slathered in oil at a factory ( all French fries and other frozen potato products are high in fats; both saturated and trans). A better option for a similar taste is the sweet potato which is packed with all sorts of vitamins.
Can't Afford Beef?
A great alternative to hamburger is lean ground turkey, which is half the price (you can get a1 lb. roll for about $1-2), contains less fat and can easily be spread out by throwing a pound in a pot of cooked and flavored rice or pasta.
Rice, the Great Provider
Rice is one of the simplest to prepare and is the cheapest and most healthful carbohydrate rich food you can find in any supermarket. It also comes in dozens of varieties and flavors giving you the option of using it several times a week without finding it boring.
Give Peas a Chance
There is no excuse for not having a vegetable with every meal. They are cheap and you can get them frozen for the same price as canned. There's a variety of vegetables you can try and they are available all year round. You can also save money and vitamins by buying them fresh at your local farmers market and there's a good chance they'll taste better too!
Chicken is Good With Everything
No, seriously; it is. Chicken's milder flavor makes it possible to combine it with most any side dish. If you get a bag of frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts you are saving at least a few dollars vs. the cost of the same amount of beef steaks. This is also true of lean pork steak.

Who said it was difficult to eat fit on a budget? As you can see; it isn't!