Save Money Without Sacrificing Quality - By
Rebecca Pratt, SparkPeople Contributor
"When you’re on a tight budget, the thought of preparing tasty, healthy
meals on a regular basis can seem daunting. Not only is it easy to get
sucked in by grocery merchandising tricks, but it’s also normal for most
of us to fall into a mealtime rut, eating the same foods over and over.
But
you’re in control of your kitchen—and if you cook smart, you can enjoy the first-class meals you deserve.
You can save money and still have quality. If
you’ve been using cost as an excuse to eat junk, you can kiss that
excuse goodbye! With a little organization and creativity, you can have
the proverbial champagne when cooking on a beer budget. To start, here’s
a quick review of basic tips of healthy eating:
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Limit your intake of junk food and alcohol
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Drink lots of water (at least 8 cups a day)
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Limit salty and sugary foods
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Avoid eating many foods that are high in saturated fats
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Make “variety” the watchword of your eating
Next, set aside regular blocks of time for planning meals, making your
grocery list, and shopping—tasks that are most often shortchanged in
food prep. Include healthy snack ideas, as well as main menu items.
Think about the time of day, day of week, and even week in the month
that you shop. Generally, the grocery is the least busy early in the
morning, in the middle of the week, and on any day but the first day or
two of the month (when many people receive pension or paychecks).
Don’t be afraid to surf the internet for recipes that use specific
ingredients (plug the ingredient in as a keyword of your search), since
you can often get good buys on breads, meats, and other items marked for
quick sale before they go bad.
Stock your fridge and cupboards with items that are quick and easy to cook (yet kind to your wallet):
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Beans and lentils, whether canned or dried, make nutritious,
hearty soups, and can be a main course with the addition of fresh
vegetables or rice.
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Brown Rice is a great addition to leftover meat
and veggies. Although brown rice is slightly more expensive than white,
the nutritional payoff is well worth it. Another inexpensive,
easy-to-fix grain, millet, is best when bought fresh. Simply rinse and toast before using it in recipes.
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Pasta, likewise, is quick and easy to prepare, and can be paired with veggies,
meat, or a fresh salad. Have fun adding your own embellishments
(mushrooms, spices, and herbs.) Choose whole-wheat pasta whenever
available.
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Soups can’t be beat for nutrition and convenience, especially
since you can use canned or packet soups as your base, then add your own
veggies and leftover meat. Again, try to experiment, adding your own
herbs and spices.
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Fresh vegetables and fruit
should be bought at least once or twice each week, preferably in
season, to ensure optimal taste and nutrition. You can also rely on
canned/frozen varieties as handy additions to last-minute meals. Veggies
make great stir-fries and vegetable patties, while fruit is good for a
quick nutritious snack.
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Meat and fish can be kept on hand also for last-minute meals—
try the newer tuna and salmon pouches, and shop for inexpensive cuts of
meat that work well in stews and casseroles.
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Condiments add flavor and interest to your dishes. Keep a selection of dried herbs, spices, curry powder, marinades, vinegars, tomato and soy sauces,
along with stock cubes, in your cupboard. Experiment with the new, such
as Japanese miso, an aged salty condiment made from soybeans and
various other ingredients (found in the natural foods section, usually
refrigerated).
Finally, a few more hints that can help you save a little green:
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When cooking a big meal, make extra to freeze, or use later in the
week for lunches or quick suppers. Double recipes, then freeze half.
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Save your vegetable trimmings to make your own vegetable stock. Not
only do you save money, but vegetable stock also makes a nutritious base
for casseroles, soups, and Crockpot cooking.
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Buying in bulk is almost always cheaper; you can freeze perishable
items (such as meat, milk, and even bread) in smaller portions to use as
needed. It’s always a good idea to buy non-perishable items in bulk
(canned foods, dried beans and grains, etc.).
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Use less expensive cuts of meat for casseroles that you slow cook; add extra vegetables and beans to make the meal go further.
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Capitalize on one-pot dishes, which generally save prep time, money, and dishwashing, and often make great leftovers.
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Look high and low (literally) to find the less expensive generic or
store brands on grocery shelves, often very similar to higher-priced
brand names though packaged under different labels. Stores deliberately
place the highest-priced brand-name items at eye level, but if you
compare the cost per unit, you’ll be able to figure out the most
cost-effective purchase. You can even try your own taste tests— blind,
of course— to see where you can save money without sacrificing flavor.
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Take advantage of specials on staples—broth, soups, pasta, rice,
canned veggies, even bread and meat. Many of these items have a long
shelf life or can be frozen for short periods of time.
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Limit your dining out, especially when it comes to fast food, since
you’ll find yourself spending unnecessarily on items that are high in
fat, salt, and calories, which short-change you in the nutrition
department.
There’s no magic formula to cooking on a budget. Like anything else
worthwhile in life, it takes a little planning, creativity, and work.
But if you think of the rewards—better health and more money—you’ll find
it’s worth the effort. No doubt you’ll still have days when you fall
back on that quick-fix packaged food or the local burger drive-thru. But
if you look at cooking as an adventure, you’ll also have days when you
find yourself pleased at what you’ve accomplished—as you serve dinner to
rave reviews from family and friends!"
Fonte e imagem:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=511
