A Mom's Guide to Healthy Eating on a Budget

In today's world eating healthy is a hard enough challenge. There are fast food chains on every corner, and even the grocery store is little help with sales of bakery treats and cheap convenience foods lining the shelves. Not to mention the endless barrage of kid appealing commercials.

With all the hype, buying healthy for your family can be a challenge. Especially since most American families are on such tight budgets. Convenience foods offer time saving value, and fresh fruit and veggie selections are scandalously pricey compared to their canned counterparts. But there are ways to fight back. As a mom on a budget I'm going to share some of my money saving, healthy eating tricks with you.

Finding Fresh deals

It seems that vegetable prices are always on the rise. You overlook the fresh produce section of your grocery thinking that you can't possibly afford it, or that you'll get a better deal with the canned or frozen variety. But prices actually vary based on season. Most fruits and colorful veggies are "in season" in the summer, meaning that more places are growing them so they are more readily available and therefore will cost less. Look up what veggies are in season and stock up when the price is low.

You can also look in your area for a Farmer's Market. These are small marketplaces where local farmers and distributors sell their produce privately. They are often much less than grocery stores and more often locally grown meaning fewer chemicals and preservatives to get them to you.

Final tip, no matter where you buy, when the price is low, stock up and freeze. It takes a little extra time, but several seasonal vegetables can be safely frozen for months and used later for cooking. Spinach, tomatoes, even strawberries and peaches can be cleaned, sliced and stored. Invest in good quality freezer bags and enjoy them year round. I personally love slicing up as many strawberries as I can afford during the summer and then defrosting them in December for pancakes and other holiday treats.

Healthy Eating in Your Own Neighborhood