Cooking on a Budget - Eating Healthy While Saving Money

The first thing that typically gets overlooked when we are cash strapped is good, healthy eating. Let's face it - nutritious food costs a lot of money. Good cuts of meat, fresh antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, fresh fish and whole grain cereals and breads will wipe out your monthly food budget in the first few days. Hmmm... what do we eat the rest of the month? During the depression-era, recipes that used no eggs and other proteins were popular. But to be honest, I don't need an egg-free cake option - I need a meal! I also don't want to fall into a carbohydrate coma, but there are ways to take some of those cheaper starch options and make them more healthy and yummy.

Let's look at our basic need, and the one food group that is usually the most expensive: protein. There is a tendency to head straight for the peanut butter and tuna fish here, but one of the greatest assets I have discovered is the frozen bag of white meat, boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins or breasts. There are various brands available, check to see if there are added hormones or any other no-nos. I have done well with both Foster Farms and Safeway brand (also Vons). With these chicken pieces you are getting a low-fat, heart healthy option that can be used in many different ways. A bag of this chicken comes in anywhere from 4 to 8 pound sizes, and I usually pay between 8 - 10 dollars a bag. Recently, I have been able to get a 6 pound bag of the Safeway brand breasts on member sale for only $6.46! I used this chicken for a family of 3 in four different recipes. Do the math, and that dollar cheeseburger is a waste of calories and money. Here are a couple quick ideas for your chicken:

Fresh Chicken Noodle Soup - Use a broth base (canned, cube or package) in the quantity desired. Boil some fresh vegetables such as carrots, onions and celery for about 20 minutes. Add chopped defrosted and seasoned (use salt, pepper, garlic powder or Mrs. Dash) chopped chicken pieces and boil for another 20 - 25 minutes until chicken is cooked through and not pink. If desired to make a more filling meal, add rotelli or egg noodles that you have cooked already. There are a ton of variations on this theme - experiment with different spices and vegetables! I also like this with peas, mushrooms and a little white wine. You can also add rice instead of noodles.

Baked Chicken - For this you can use whole chicken pieces. Arrange them in a baking pan and season. Salt, pepper and garlic are typical choices, but you can use poultry seasoning, Mrs. Dash to avoid salt, and so on. For some kick - try cayenne pepper. Drizzle with a bit (about a tablespoon) of vegetable or olive oil - not too much! Bake uncovered at 350 - 375 degrees for about 20 -25 minutes, turning over and seasoning again about half-way through. Check for doneness by cutting in thickest part. Chicken is done when there is absolutely no pink left. Once this chicken is cooked you can do so much with it - chicken burritoes and tacos, serve whole with rice and vegetables, put in a container and cool and then add to salad. Be creative! I used garlic, cayenne and a dash of salt, and when the chicken had about 3 minutes to go, I added some thin slices of pepper jack cheese on top - it was a hit!

Another food group that we skip is our fresh fruits and veggies. I struggle with this, because while some options are reasonably priced, others can be very expensive and I get tired of the same old apples and celery all the time. But if you only purchase canned fruits and vegetables, you are doing yourself and your family a disservice in taste and nutrition. One way to cope with this is to really look for the sale items. But another way is to honestly assess what you and your family eat. Sometimes when we buy fresh (this is my biggest challenge) we overestimate how long that item is going to last in our refrigerator. Who among us has not been greeted by the rotting produce crisper bin? I've seen zombie movies less disgusting. Be realistic with yourself, if you know you're too lazy or busy to clean that head of Romaine, buy the bag lettuce even though it's more expensive. Because what is really more expensive - rotting lettuce you never eat and throw away, or two nights worth of healthy greens that you and your family consume? Hey - add the baked chicken, and you have a meal! Also, there is much more fiber in a fresh apple than an overly processed serving of applesauce, and they are about the same price. Be aware of these issues when deciding on fresh or canned.

Finally, whole grain items are always more expensive than the wonder bread variety of breads, cereals and crackers. Here is where dollar stores come in handy. I don't know what your experience has been, but it sometimes seems like I could afford lobster tail easier than a brand name box of crackers and cereal. At dollar stores you can usually find whole grain crackers, or at least whole wheat crackers for only a dollar a box. If you read my tips on dollar store shopping, then you know to check on quantities and stale dates. Most grocery stores also offer their budget brand of bread these days, just go for the whole wheat variety. Also check for sales on whole grain and multi-grain breads.

Remember, when buying fresh food be sure to know your audience. If your family hates broccoli, but will eat it when it's in a creamy, cheesy soup - that's not a good option. That broccoli will just end up joining its buddy the rotten romaine in the garbage heap. How about a yam with some heart-healthy spread instead? Filling and very nutritious. If you are doing the baked chicken on greens and you know dad will never be satisfied with just that, add some filling and fiber-rich mutligrain slices of bread and heart-healthy spread. Keep the basics on hand and don't be afraid to be creative. For more recipe ideas, check the internet. But most importantly, stay healthy while you are cutting down on spending.