The Challenge of Eating Cheaper, But Healthier

An article in the LA Times today discusses the concerns that some people have that the rising costs of food will lead people to buy less healthy, higher-fat foods that cost less. They should be concerned. I realized a while back that one of the major reasons that I've always struggled with a weight problem is that eating cheaper foods has always been a big factor of both my diet and my finances. When I was a kid, my mom struggled to feed our family of four while she worked full-time and the result was a diet that featured a lot of packaged and processed foods that were high in fat and calories but cheap and quick to cook. When I was a financially strapped student and even later when I was employed but always trying to live cheaply, I kept up the practice and depended heavily on foods like ramen noodles, frozen dinners and worst of all, fast food (which, of course, isn't cheap at all but is definitely fast).

Now I'm trying again to cut my food budget but I can't afford to gain more weight to do it. The LA Times listed a few ideas and I've added some others. So here are some of the tactics I'm using to save money but still eat healthy:

1. Gardening: I'm going to try to keep at least a few pots of mesclun as well as some spinach and chard growing throughout the winter.
   
2. Cutting way back on meat: I've got one bag of Foster Farms chicken tenders in the freezer. That, along with some canned tuna, beans, and eggs, are going to be my protein sources for the month. That's it.
3. Canned fish: The LA Times suggests using canned salmon as a cheaper alternative to fresh or frozen. Although I love canned tuna, for some reason canned salmon doesn't seem appealing to me. But I'm going to try it. If I can find a way to use it that I like, it will be a great thing to keep on hand.
4. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables: I'm going to buy more of these when they're on sale to keep on hand. While eating fresh is best, eating canned fruits and veggies is still better than eating heavily processed convenience foods--and a lot cheaper than letting fresh produce spoil in my refrigerator.
5. Meal planning: I've never been a meal planner, but I'm trying hard to put together a plan for the entire month of November based on what I already have on hand. This is going to be a real challenge, but I think it can make a big difference.
6. Sales, coupons, and freebies: Careful shopping can make a huge difference. I've been shopping pretty diligently the last few weeks, trying to stock up on things like pasta, pasta sauces, and other staples when the prices are good. I'm also following up on freebie offers that I find on the Internet as a way of getting new foods to try out, or a free treat now and then.

I know the real challenge for me will be to always have something quick, nutritious and yummy on hand. The times when my food budget really goes through the roof are when I get really busy with work and don't feel like shopping and cooking. That's when I hit the fast food joints where the dollars just slip through my fingers and the calories pile on my hips. If I can use these tactics to manage my food budget better, I'll not only save money but lose weight and improve my health as well.

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