Saturday August 6, 2011 | 5:39 PM
Eating Clean on a budget is actually not as difficult as you'd think.
Some tips, in addition to the basics:
- Make large batches of inexpensive meals - stews, soups, things like lasagnas and slow cooker foods, etc. Things you can stretch over the course of 4-7 days.
- Consider seeking out complete proteins and legumes as your main protein sources rather than relying on meat as your main protein for your meals. Quinoa, millet, barley, lentils, chickpeas and beans are far less expensive per serving than beef, chicken or fish and keep longer than meat.
- Don't purchase pre-cut, pre-packaged anything. You can save tons of money if you buy a whole chicken and cut it yourself versus buying pre-cut, pre-packaged chicken breasts. Pre-washed, bagged lettuce costs far more than the bagged and washed. If something's convenient, it's typically far more expensive.
- Forego organic for a while. Unfortunately, in this country, organic produce and meat is much more expensive than the produce and meat that is not.
- With things like yogurt and cottage cheese buy the large containers rather than the individual serving sizes. Much cheaper.
- Consider making your own snacks, sauces and sides rather than purchasing things like granola bars, trail mix, nut butter, spaghetti sauce, bbq sauce, etc.