One reason many people feel that the golden arches are a viable source of nourishment for themselves and their families is due to its price point. It’s simply unheard of to buy a kiwi, a tofu salad with multigrain bread, or a large carrot juice for the price of a Big Mac.
In lean economic times, saving money on food becomes a top priority for so many people that suddenly forgoing that trip to the organic secion of the market is not only preferable, it’s imperative. We just can’t afford healthy food.
Or can we?
Taking a closer look at produce, it dawns on many of us that we can indeed feed our families in a healthy way but it will take more time, energy, effot and patience than the the cheap fast food quick fixes. Planning meals, buying and storing food so it doesn’t go to waste and cooking ahead for the week (that means lunches and dinners -- even a batch of french toast can be stored and reheated!)
A burger for 99 cents may seem like a deal, but in the long run, paying for medical bills, medication and a myriad of other health issues after a lifetime of getting quickly and cheaply satisfied, may cost you quite a bit more than if you had protected your health with wholesome food during the many long years of your life.
In the medical community, this is known as “preventative care” and it means, simply, take care of yourself now to prevent future health issues.
Cooking up a large amount of brown rice is inexpensive, healthy and diverse! You can cook, use and store brown rice successffully for many days. It can be used and then reused for stir-fry dishes, soups, stuffings, salads and stews.
Another healthy and cheap option is oatmeal. It’s a very low-cost, very high-fiber, wholesome and slow-burning carbohydrate, which means it will really fill you up. Using oatmeal in muffins, cakes, cookies and of course, as a breakfast treat is wholesome, cheap and delicious.
Buying frozen meats and vegetables is another wonderful route to take for affordable healthy food. Frozen food has been a great source of nutrition for many people and since it is frozen quickly, it often retains much of its nutritional value.
Yogurt bought in quarts can last longer than you would expect, and can be added to sauces to stretch them out for more mouths or more meals, and can be used as a thickener, adding a wonderful healthful addition to shakes, salad dressings, pasta sauce and so much more.
Sources:
WebMD. Cheap and Healthy Foods for About $2. Retrieved from the internet on December 5, 2011
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/cheap-healthy-15-nutritious-foods-about-2-dollars
Eating Well. Cheap Eats. Retrieved from the internet on December 5, 2011
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/cheap_eats
Daily Spark. 25 Cheap, Healthy and Delicious Foods. Retrieved from the internet on December 5, 2011
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=25_cheap_healthy_and_delicious_foods
Aimee Boyle is a regular contributor to EmpowHER
Edited by Jody Smith