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

This blog post was requested by a very good friend of mine. Her new favorite nut is the pistachio nut.

A lot of people don’t eat enough nuts in their diet. Many think they are high in calories and fat, but don’t let that stop you from eating them. They are a great source of healthy fat (mono and poly saturated fat) and a great source of protein.  They are also known to be high in magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.  Potassium is known to regulate muscle contractions, transmission of nerve impulses and assist in maintaining healthy blood presume levels. Potassium can also be found in bananas and oranges.  Pistachios are also a fairly good source for vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is important because it helps brain function and is known to help the body to convert protein into energy. Recommendation for vitamin B6 is 1.6 mg for women and 2 mg for men a day.

The down side to pistachios is that they are super high in sodium. The right amount of sodium can be  healthy especially for those of us who exercise and need to replace the salt that is lost through sweating.  If you don’t work out often or are watching your sodium intake try looking for the pistachios that are unsalted. They still offer all the great health benefits.

I found this website that has some more interesting facts and health benefits about pistachios. I encourage you to check it out:  http://www.pistachiohealth.com

Merry Christmas! I will keep this short so you can get back to opening presents!

5 Healthy Holiday Foods

Yams are high in vitamin C, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese; while being low in saturated fat and sodium

Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron

Nuts are the best plant source of protein not to mention they are rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants like as vitamin E and selenium

Whole Grains (stone ground wheat, oats, brown rice) are a good source of B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, iron and fiber

Homemade Mulled Apple Cider is high in antioxidants, but be careful, you are better off eating an apple than drinking many cups of apple cider since apple cider is concentrated