Life on a Budget

On our local news tonight there was a story on how a family was eating McDonalds and junk food because that was all they thought they could afford in these hard economic times. They claimed healthy food such as fresh fruits and vegetables are too expensive. I couldn’t figure out the rationale when I was listening to the story so I thought about it for awhile but it still didn’t add up to me. I understand that fresh fruits and vegetables can be on the expensive side but I don’t see how it’s more expensive than a $1.00 small bag of chips or a $6.00 fast food meal. Especially when you weigh in the effects and costs of obesity and diabetes - especially in young children.

So I thought I would take a closer look and give some tips on how to still fit fruits and vegetables into your diet while trying to save money.

1. Buy canned vegetables

Canned veggies range from about $0.50 for a small can to about $1.00 or less for the larger cans. You can choose from a good selection too - corn, green beans, beets, peas, mixed vegetables and more. Look for the generic brand to save even more. Another positive to canned is it’s long shelf life so you are less likely to waste anything that you buy and you can stock up. Canned veggies tend to have a little more salt than fresh or frozen equivalents but regardless, it’s still healthier than any fast food or junk food.

2. Buy frozen fruits and vegetables

A frozen bag of veggies cost around $1.00 - $1.50 and again have a great selection including green beans, corn, peppers, mixed vegetables, peas and more. One bag is enough for a serving for me and my husband for dinner and we always have some left over to add into a leftover lunch. So I would think a bag would be enough for a family of four. Personally, our favorite is the Birds Eye Steamfresh. It’s about $1.50 a bag and the veggies are really fresh and delicious. You can also find a good selection of frozen fruit. Fruit can be on the more expensive side but, liked the canned, frozen items will last longer than fresh so you are less likely to waste anything you buy.

3. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables

Fresh food does tend to be more expensive but that doesn’t mean all fresh fruits and vegetables are expensive. A 1lb. bag of carrots is about $0.99. That would make a bunch of snacks to bring to work or to add to your child’s lunch. A bag of potatoes is about $2.99 and is a great way to make homemade french fries as a side to your dinner. A bag of onions is about $1.99 and, for us, will take us at least a week or two to use. A head of iceberg lettuce is about $.99 and is enough for a bunch of side salads with your meals. Again, fresh fruit tends to be a little more expensive so try to get what is in season and on sale. Bananas are usually a good cheaper option.

4. Grow your own vegetables

Start a garden and grow what you like for a fraction of the cost. I realize growing your own vegetables isn’t going to help you right now, but it is a great way to save money going forward. Many vegetables can be canned and therefore available through the winter months.

How much money can you save?

Well, this post wasn’t exactly about how much money you can save but I do hope I at least showed that fruits and vegetables can still remain in your diet even if you are living on a budget. Try to shop the sales and don’t forget to use coupons to make fruits and veggies even more affordable.