Healthy Eating and Spending

If you haven't watched Food Inc. I would highly recommend it.  After watching the documentary, I began to make some big changes in my diet and my shopping habits.  I'm now shopping for more organic produce and dairy and skipping most of the middle aisles in the store with the boxed meals and snacks that are full of carbohydrates and contain too much soy for my diet as well.   Since buying organic meat can be ridiculously expensive, I have found ways to compromise and feel good about what I am eating.    The following are a few money saving ideas and I would love to hear any ideas you might have as well!

1)  Shop for local produce.  Local produce stands can be a great place to find good deals on quality produce.  While your local produce stand might not be certified organic, the local home grown produce will have been grown more organically than the regular produce at the store.   For locals, Katy Fresh Produce Market is a great place to buy fresh produce for great prices. 

2)  Take advantage of meat counter services.  I recently saved quite a bit on my grocery bill by having the butcher grind a package of brisket into hamburger for me.  The brisket was on sale for $1.99 per pound and hamburger was $3.00 per pound.  The end product was some fairly lean hamburger for a steal!

3)  Save on organic dairy by couponing and buying on sale.  Every grocery store has a clearance section for all the dairy products.  I have found gallons of organic milk  with  a week or more before expiration on sale for 50% off.  I usually buy it all and freeze what I can't use right away.  Once it thaws you can't tell it was ever frozen.  Making your own yogurt with the extra milk is an even greater savings!  We love yogurt and can go through quite a bit in a few weeks time.  We have saved quite a bit by making our own organic yogurt.  It is simple to make and can cost $5 or less for a gallon.  Many times you can find organic dairy coupons on company websites or in your grocery stores which will create greater savings.

4)   Make your own frozen dinners ahead.  You can make your own frozen dinners ahead of time with recipes you like and great ingredients.  Either make more of all  of your favorite recipes and freeze the extra or have a "freezer day"  and stock your freezer with healthy and affordable meals.  Check out this link for more freezer meal recipes.  http://www.freezermealsrecipes.com/