Low Fat Cooking on a Budget

The cost of food is continually on the rise, not to mention the added expense of finding the leaner cuts of meat or the specialty “diet” foods.  You don’t have to spend twice as much of your hard earned dollar to eat healthfully.   There are several techniques to making healthier food choices without putting unnecessary dollars in the merchant’s pocket.

•Plan your meals:  Create a weekly menu.  Then make a shopping list and check your pantry and refrigerator against the list.  Mark off anything on your list that you already have on hand.  This will save you the added expense of purchasing something that is already occupying your food pantry.

•Keep it clean and organized:  Cleaning out your pantry, fridge or anywhere you store food on a regular basis is essential to knowing what you have on hand and what you are running low on.  Throw away items that have passed their expiration date or smell or look rancid.  Keep these areas organized and put the items that are nearing their expiration date toward the front.  This will make them easier to see and to reach and will cut down on unnecessary waste.

•Stick to your shopping list:  If it’s not on the list, don’t buy it.   The majority of unnecessary expense is impulse buying.  If it isn’t on your list, chances are you don’t need it.  Sticking to your list will also keep you from sabotaging your diet with that needless bag of cookies.

•Clip coupons and watch for sales:  You can shave several dollars off your grocery bill by checking sales adds and clipping coupons.  Place your coupons in your purse immediately after clipping them to they don’t get left behind when you head to the store.  Don’t purchase something you don’t need just because it’s a good price and you have a coupon; and don’t waste your valuable time cutting out coupons you won’t use.

•Go meatless:  Prepare vegetarian or meatless dishes one or two nights a week.  It will save you money as well as fat.  To still get your protein, however, serve red beans or fish in place of the meat.

•Buy in bulk:  Buy your lean ground beef and boneless, skinless chicken breast in large variety pack and divide them up by the pound or the chicken breast.  You can use what you need per meal and you have saved a ton of money.

You work hard for your money.  You certainly don’t want to throw it away trying to eat right.  With just a few simple steps you should be able to save money and be on your way to a healthier, slimmer you.