Create Healthy Family Meals And Snacks On A Budget?

Answer 1

Families living on a budget is a common scenario. Many parents work full time and take care of children and the budget only stretches so far. Although healthy foods can be expensive, with preparation and a budget-conscious mindset, parents can provide their children with healthy, un-prepackaged meals and snacks that will give their children vital nutrients and essential vitamins while growing.

Yogurts, fresh salads, fresh fruit such as bananas, apples, Oranges, and nectarines are healthy foods that kids enjoy. However, these foods can also be some of the most expensive items sold at a grocery store. Fresh dairy and produce typically tend to cost more than prepackaged foods that are loaded with heavy starches and saturated fats. When parents use coupons to purchase items such as shampoo, name brand meats, toothpaste, toilet paper, and health care items, they save enough money using the coupons to be able to afford more fresh produce.

Packaging snacks such as grapes and nuts into refrigerator storage bags can give children healthy snacks when they arrive home from school. These snacks, when measured out by the cup or half cup, can provide quality, healthy snacks without children overindulging and without parents needing to constantly replace the items on a daily basis. Many times, children eat past the mark of filling their hunger simply because the food is available. When parents save money using coupons on other groceries and health care items, they can afford to purchase fresh groceries and then ration the produce and snacks into healthy proportions to keep their children satisfied and sustained.

Online coupons can be printed for additional savings to supplement the coupons that are clipped from local newspapers. Parents can also sign up for email lists of their local grocery stores so they can be alerted when the store is running specials on food. This will help to promote a larger grocery shopping trip on a limited budget.