Today everyone’s budgets are tight! Just because your budget it tight doesn’t mean you can’t eat healthy. Fruits and vegetables are typically more expensive than a box of mac and cheese, but it is important to still maintain your health in these tough times.

Here are a few tips in eating healthy on a tight budget:

-          Cut coupons from your Sunday newspaper

-          Buy fruits and vegetables at your local farmer’s market. They are cheaper and the money goes directly to the seller vs. the middleman when you buy it at the grocery store. Also majority of farmer’s market products are organic.

-          Next time you are out do some price checking. Buying in bulk doesn’t necessarily mean it is cheaper. I have compared prices with Costco and Target and I find that Target is generally cheaper (especially when I use the coupons I cut from the Sunday newspaper).

-          Bring your lunch to work/school. It is healthier, you know where you food came from and can save you up to $25 a week!

-          If you go out to eat, order water instead of soda. Water will help you metabolize food faster and carry nutrients to your cells.

-          Send an email to Amy’s Kitchen (http://www.amyskitchen.com/lemonslice/dear_amy/send_letter.php )stating you would like some coupons. You will get an email requesting your address to where they can send the coupons. (I just got mine yesterday!!)

-          Carry a snack with you if you are on the road a lot (bora bora bars, lara bars, nuts, peanut butter and jelly, raisins all travel well)—this works well too if you have kids.

-          Always carry a bottle of water with you. Better to stay hydrated throughout the day and it will help you to stay full and not over eat.

-          Look at your local grocery paper weekly for what is on sale. Try to buy products that are on sale as often as you can. This can save you a lot in the long run.

Healthier foods (whole wheat bread, fruits, vegetables) may be more expensive, but they will keep you fuller longer.  Eating healthy and saving money might require a bit of foot work, but it is worth it and your wallet will thank you!

Lastly, a friend recommend this site to me and I thought I would pass it along. The site is called Tip Jar: http://moderator.appspot.com/#16/e=3cfc

I don’t know about you, but I sure don’t always have time to cook a healthy meal every single night! About a year ago I discovered frozen meals made by Amy’s Kitchen. Get this… they are frozen meals that are organic, healthy, have natural ingredients, are not processed and most cook in 5 minutes or less.  What more could you ask for right?

Amy’s Kitchen has a variety of meals to choose from such as pizza, soups, brown rice bowls, pastas and apple pie. One thing I like about Amy’s Kitchen meals is that they tailor some of their foods for people who are lactose intolerant (such as myself) and offer pizzas, burritos and enchiladas that don’t have cheese. I might also mention all the products are vegetarian, but don’t let that scare you.   There are plenty of meals I haven’t had such as the baked ziti, the toaster pops, the lasagna or the veggie burgers, but I can honestly say that I haven’t had a bad meal yet.

I think for those who are living the busy life and don’t have the time to necessarily cook every night and are looking for something healthy and easy I think an Amy’s Kitchen meal might just be what you are looking for.

Where to buy? I have found them at WholeFoods, Henry’s, Vons (aka Safeway) and believe it or not Target (although Target has a very limited selection).  Amy’s Kitchen meals also typically cost more than your average frozen meal, but hey… wouldn’t you rather spend an extra buck or two on something that isn’t processed and that is healthy rather than a medical bill down the line because you ate too many processed foods and your arteries were clogged?

On a side note I saw Amy’s Kitchen burritos featured on How it’s Made and I was so fascinated and so excited to see a product created with real ingredients!