21
Jul
Jul
Here are some great tips from the American Diabetes Association for eating healthy on a budget! Have you tried any of these?
- Limit impulse purchases. Go to the store with a shopping list and stick to it!
- Buy in season. Blueberries are a cheap treat in the summer but practically an investment once it’s fall. Consider growing some of your own produce as well.
- Use coupons. Sign up for your supermarket’s shopper discount card too.
- Purchase sale items in bulk. Use the same main ingredient and dress it up differently. Turn ground been into chili, burritos and a topping for baked potatoes. Plus, freeze some beef for the weeks to come.
- Buy generic. Follow this rule except when you know a certain brand is of higher quality. A major national brand of sliced Swiss cheese recently sold for $4.49 per half pound versus $3.49 for the store brand.
- Think whole foods. The more processed foods you buy, the higher the price. Even a banana in pricey New York City only costs a quarter whereas a small candy bar costs at least 75 cents.
- Do it from scratch. You pay more for convenience. Grate your own cheese and shred your own lettuce.
- Shift those portion sizes. Use pricey meats as an accent, not the main event. For instance, skip the pork chops and cook up a pork stir-fry.
- Load up on the beans. Meat is expensive. A pound of 85% lean ground beef costs $3.29. A 1 pound can of black beans? A mere 50 cents!
- Shop at wholesale food stores. Some examples include Sam’s Club or Wal-Mart Superstores. Make sure your know prices, though, to guarantee savings.
“Diabetes Meals on $7 a day- or Less!” Available on www.diabetes.org.
Category : News
- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
Diabetes or not, these are good tips for all of us trying to “make our money behave”. That phrase has been a resounding one in my whole family for 40 years. One time while our mother was hospitalized we had some extra help in the house. One night we kids were fed Lima beans that had been scorched. When we complained, the woman who had cooked them for us said, “Children, you might as learn right now how to make your money behave.” All of my family will attest, I try, but am not usually successful, but I keep trying!
My favorite on the list is Do it from Scratch. So very true! How much does a loaf of bread cost?? One dollar’s worth of ingredients and you have two homemade loaves. Another great consideration to less prepared by others and more prepared by me is the germ factor. Following a bone marrow transplant I was forbidden for 6 months to have anything from a deli counter, salad bar or pre-sliced, diced or chopped in bags. I had extenuating circumstances, but every time food is touched on any level increases the chance for bacteria. Even nuts, sure who wants to chop nuts? But nuts get rancid much faster when not whole.
And I love the bean suggestion. I made beef/black bean burritos last night, after I got mine loaded up with everything else I never even tasted the beef. Speaking of beans, my daughter was telling me she had recently had chips made form lentils and some from garbanzo beans as well and that she loved them, I can not find them anywhere, has anyone seen any?
Thanks Kathe, I do not know which crackers you are speaking about, I do know some usual crackers that you might not be aware of called, Mary’s Gone Crackers. Here is the link: http://www.marysgonecrackers.com/ns/intro.php. Anyone else have favorite crackers?