Tips for a Healthy and Frugal Summer

Anyone else feeling their budget getting tighter suddenly this summer?

I recently, for family and health reasons, resigned from the wonderful salaried job I'd been blessed with for two years. I loved my work and my coworkers, but needed a change. The change has been worth every penny, however, our monthly budget has definitely taken a hit.


Cooking and eating healthy can be a challenge with a tight budget! Here are my tips to eat healthfully and frugally this summer.

Kitchen-grown rosemary!

• Find cheap, seasonal, local produce: a farmer's market, a local orchard, a community garden, a friend's garden! My church has a community garden overflowing with most any veggie you could want over the course of the summer. They post a sign with the fruits or veggies that are ripe for that week, and anyone is welcome to pick from it for free. I take advantage of this all the time! Recently, I've picked onions that grilled up beautifully with some BBQ chicken! :) Most little towns have small orchards or community gardens like the one in my area. If you live in a bigger city, hunt for local farmer's markets! Choosing to buy in season vegetables and fruits is key to finding good prices.
• Grow your own herbs. Herbs can spice or sweeten up any dish. When you're living on a budget, it feels good to create something that tastes Food-Network worthy out of a few off-brand ingredients and your own herbs! I pretty much live in the dead center of the United States...where summer can't get any hotter...and my herbs flourish! I have two large pots with basil, mint, rosemary, and thyme. I hope to add lavender, cilantro and oregano soon. I water them a two or three days a week. Talk about low-maintenance! 
• Price check at Walmart using the sales ads from Aldi. You can basically get Walmart quality produce at Aldi prices. I recently started doing this and it saved $40 on just fruits and veggies in one grocery trip! The cashier at Walmart even had an Aldi ad on hand, knowing people come through and price check all the time.
• Get creative! My goal for this evening is to make my own recipe for granola bars (updated post coming soon!), using only what I have on hand. I already know I don't have crisp rice cereal, but I'm choosing to find something in my pantry of similar texture and nutritional value to substitute. Check out this neat healthy substitution infographic for Greek yogurt! If this task seems daunting, start small. Out of cooking spray? Run a paper towel over your margarine tub and use as a greaser for cookie sheets or skillets!
• Buy in bulk once a month. This is seriously our biggest money saver. We buy dry goods and produce at the same time, (beginning of the month) and chop and freeze everything we can. I currently have six large containers of washed and chopped produce in my freezer, from broccoli to bananas. You can even freeze dairy products like shredded cheese, milk, or Greek yogurt! My favorites to buy and freeze are berries and spinach. It's so easy to chop and/or blend, then throw them in the freezer for later use (hello, smoothie season!).

My "spinach cubes" -- spinach and a tiny bit of water blended up and thrown in an ice cube tray. Super for easy smoothie making!

• Most importantly, do what's best for your family. These are just a few helpful things we have figured out work for us. Spend some time learning what tricks work best for you! Planning meals a week in advance? Grilling more often? Creative substitution techniques? Using the blender? Couponing?
  

Then, let me know! What can we add to this list to make meal time (and snack time!) a little more healthy and budget friendly?




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