by Joan Collins

Created on: May 22, 2009   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

The costs of food are on the rise as jobs are being lost and incomes are disappearing. It is still important to find healthy ways to eat, regardless of your budget. As your diet goes, so goes your health. If you can't afford premium food, you certainly can't afford to be sick!

The most prevalent health problem in America is diet. Many illness can be completely avoided if more care is taken when planning meals. The problem is compounded with the downturn of the economy. People don't think they can afford to eat more healthfully. With care and planning, the problem of eating healthy can be solved.

First, put away the preconceptions that fruits and vegetables are too expensive. If you shop right, there are very few healthy foods that you cannot afford. Remember that fresh and frozen are the best choices.

Shop the loss leaders at the grocery store. Stock up when prices are low while avoiding the higher priced items located near the sale items. Buy meat and cut it into sections. Freeze it in meal-sized packages. Do the same thing with fruits like blueberries and strawberries. Wash and dry them. Package them and freeze them. You can do the same thing with vegetables.

Be sure, while shopping, to read the labels on the loss leaders. Being cheap isn't good enough. It needs to be healthy too. Check for low sodium, low fat and no corn syrup-type foods.

Save money and eat healthy by wasting nothing. If your vegetables are starting to go bad, make a stew. If your fruit is about to turn, make breakfast shakes. Freeze bananas until you have time to make bread. Food made from wholesome fruits and vegetables are healthy for you.

Buy at farmer's market; buy from roadside stalls. Check out the local flea market. This allows you to buy in season. This is the time the fruits and vegetables are the least expensive. Quickly freeze foods for use when the prices are high again.

Check out the dollar store food section. I have purchased salmon for one dollar a package. Frozen vegetables, a healthy vegetable choice, are available for purchase in the freezer section. The variety changes often so check back and see what is available about every two weeks. Another type of store is a salvage-type store. These stores offer canned goods that have dented cans at reduced rates.. They often offer lower priced vegetables too.

Regardless of your budget, cook from scratch if you want to eat a healthy diet. Avoid extra additives, high sodium levels, and hidden sugars. It doesn't really take that much time to fix things at home if you plan ahead. You can even make up mixes for things you want to cook during the week and save time as well as money. Make your own broth by freezing left over vegetable water or left-over soup (puree first).

The old saying, "If you fail to plan you plan to fail" is true in trying to eat in a healthy manner on a budget. Plan meals ahead of time. Using the sales fliers can help you save money. Plan your shopping trips so you can find the healthiest food for the least expensive prices. Plan way ahead and plant a garden, even if you live in an apartment with a patio. Fresh homegrown food is the least expensive, healthiest food you can eat. If you don't have a garden plot, use containers and supplement your shopping.

Create a menu that your family likes and you know to be healthy. Then follow these ideas and make it happen on your budget. The health of you and yours will be worth the effort!

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