Beat Scary Food Bills! Try These Money Saving Tips

Please welcome guest author, Mia Johnson, to Dietriffic today ~ Melanie

Many people wanting to get healthy or lose weight automatically turn to specialized diet programs to help them achieve their goals.

Unfortunately, most diet programs these days require that customers purchase specific foods, and enroll in classes or attend meetings.

Depending on the program, these classes and meals can cost anywhere from $70 – $140 per week.

But, rather than spending heaps of money to eat a lot of processed foods, you could save a considerable amount by cooking at home, and focusing on some very basic meals.

By 
stocking your kitchen with whole, healthy foods, which you can find at any grocery store, you will soon be able to notice an improvement in your health.

Here are 6 basic kitchen staples


1. Chicken

Leg quarters are cheap and easy to work with. Season and bake them in the oven for a delicious and healthy meal.


2. Potatoes

Potatoes add substance to any meal, and are a very versatile food. You can cook them whole, or just chop and season to match the rest of your meal.

3. Vegetables

If you buy your vegetables frozen, you can save a lot of time. However, buy plain vegetables instead of seasoned blends. Seasoning them yourself will save you money, and cut down on the sodium content.

4. Ground Meats

Even when you buy a better quality ground meat, it isn’t expensive, and they serve as an excellent base for a wide variety of one-skillet meals, such as a stir-fry or spaghetti sauce.

5. Rice

Healthy, light and filling, rice is a vital staple for any kitchen. It is also very simple to cook. Just place one cup of rice and two cups of water into a saucepan, bring it to boil, cover and turn off the burner. Then, let it sit covered for about 20 minutes. You can serve it as a side dish, or mix it into a one-skillet meal.


6. Beans

Dried beans are such an easy option for adding flavor and bulk to meals. Go meat-free for an evening, or try adding some meat for extra flavor, then serve over rice.

Eating Out

Since most of us do not eat at home for every meal, it is important to find ways of staying on budget when we eat out.

One of the easiest ways of doing this, is to check the Internet before you leave home.

Make it your habit to surf for daily deals, looking for restaurant, gym and spa coupons, or special deals.

Another option is to go to the restaurant’s own website to look for coupons and nutritional data. That way you can make the best choice for your pocket and your health.

These simple foods and tricks will help you and your family on your way to healthier eating, and will cost nowhere near as much as paying a diet program to serve you processed foods every day.

Please share your money saving tips with us in the comments below…