How You Can Eat Healthy And Save Money

American paydays have remained flat-line for a while now, even as costs continue to rise. Food costs have been particularly volatile of late, due to global warming, crop shortages and many additional factors. There are things you can do to lower those costs, however.

Cutting food to start with

Cook and eat at home as often as you possibly can. Whatever you make will cost less than it would if you went out for it, and most likely it will be more nutritious. Additionally you have the advantage of knowing precisely what went into your meal.

If you do not think you have time to cook, get a slow cooker. Throw some meat and vegetables in it in the morning and come home to a scrumptious stew.

Cost of some great beef

I'm not suggesting going vegan. That could be costly too -- not to mention complicated -- getting just the right balance of grains and legumes to make healthy proteins. But beef is costly, and most Americans most likely can afford to eat less of it anyway for heart health. A vegetarian meal a few times a week could help your pocketbook. Or how about making a stew rather than eating a steak and make the meat go farther?

Say no to organic

By avoiding organic food, you will save a lot of cash. Some people think that organic food is the only way to go because it is really healthy, but there's actually no evidence to support organic food being any healthier than any food. On top of that, it is always a lot more expensive than commercially grown food. Consider frozen vegetables; they will last longer and have more nutrition occasionally.

Water to drink

It's all your body wants to stay hydrated, and it's free. If you do not trust the tap water where you live, consider a water filter instead of bottled water. It is usually just filtered tap water anyway. Soda pop and other sugary drinks are expensive and are an easy way to pack on unneeded calories.

Those looking to save money on alcohol should only drink it socially and never drink it at home. That is another way to reduce back.

Save with no prepackaged foods

There are many people who like prepackaged foods, but they are pretty expensive and not very healthy. Just make food at home from scratch.

Plan menus, make shopping lists

You can save a ton of money by planning your meals for the week rather than just guessing each day. You might like to plan two weeks at a time in order to go with your payday. Look in the pantry at what you already have, and go shopping for the rest. Always use a list whenever you are shopping and stick to it. If it is not on the list, you cannot get it.

If you want to cut back expenses more, you can go to a Costco or Sam's Club.

Do not go out at lunch

It is healthier to make a lunch at home instead of going out, so make sure you do that whenever possible.

Think to the future

Plant a garden and find others who do the same. After your harvest, you can swap produce with your new friends and start saving even more cash.