by Lucinda Davis

Created on: October 12, 2010

Too many times people make the excuse "I can't afford to eat healthy, that's why I'm overweight". With some effort you can afford to eat healthy while being on a strict budget. You don't have to live on pasta and cheap fast food.

If you search the grocery store for marked down items you can find things like I did the other day. One package of imitation crab meat for $1.59 for an entire pound. This package contains five servings and no fat. At only ninety calories per serving you can eat half the package for lunch, which is more than enough. Combine that with an apple or grapefruit and a vegetable makes a well rounded healthy meal. If you actually divide the imitation crab meat into five servings that will feed you lunch for a week. That's cheaper than those cups of noodles and much better for you.

Even if you purchased the imitation crab meat at it's regular price you'd still only pay about $3.00 for the same five servings. It seems in our fast paced society we think it's easier to grab a boxed meal that costs $3.00 and has 350 to 400 calories or even more.

It's all a matter of planning ahead and smart shopping. It will take some time to establish a healthy meal plan but once you've done this it will be a breeze to shop for the same items each week. You could even start mixing it up with new recipes as you go.

You can prepare meals ahead of time and freeze them. The meals you prepare will be much healthier for you than the ones you purchase for $3.00 each. You will save a lot of money making and freezing your own meals.

You could purchase some chicken breast on sale, add some light mayo, seedless grapes, celery, and apples to make a very tasty and healthy chicken salad. It's always cheaper to make your own bulk recipes rather than purchasing from restaurants or buying the expensive premade packages.

Look up some healthy recipes online and learn to cook healthy. If you like fishing then you can combine your hobby with your meal plan. Fish is one of the healthiest foods you will find. Adding it to your meal plan will cut down your waistline and catching it yourself or finding it on sale will cut down your budget.

Always remember to check for sales and coupons before and during your shopping excursion. Find ways to exercise around the home rather than spending money on classes or memberships. Walk your dog, do your own yard work, and housework.

Start a garden in your backyard and grow your own vegetables. Blueberries contain plenty of antioxidants and picking your own will save you money too. Try to think outside the box and don't follow the mainstream. You can find mushrooms in the woods, just be sure you know which ones are safe to eat. Give up that mindset that you "can't afford to eat healthy" because you quite simply can.

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