Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a lovely Easter weekend. Now that you have finished shoveling down chocolate eggs and bunnies (which may not be yet, because I still have an entire bag of candy), I bet you're thinking...wait, it's actually nice out now! Where is my summer body??! If you're like me and like to follow health blogs, you'll notice lots of people spending hundreds of dollars on expensive organic food, flax seeds, chia seeds, protein powder, etc. Since I live on a tight budget AND still manage to eat healthy, I thought I would share my tips!
1. Buy frozen vegetables
My freezer is usually stocked with frozen vegetable mixes that you can steam in 4-5 min in the microwave. There are so many different kinds and they cost anywhere from $1-2. Dress these veggies up with parmesan cheese, spices, balsamic vinaigrette, or whatever fancies your tastebuds.
P.S. The BEST vegetables I have found to eat is edamame- it has TONS of protein and keeps me full for a long time. I also am a huge fan of the asian medley by Steamfresh.
2. Make oatmeal your friend
I used to HATE oatmeal. I never used to understand how people managed to swallow the mushy stuff. However, once I tried it when I was a bit older, I found I loved it! A box of oatmeal is $2.50 at Walmart and it will last me a week and half. It helps me stay full during the morning, revs up my metabolism, and has lots of fiber!
My favorite is the banana bread with 7g protein and 8g of fiber,
3. Add lemon to your water
I used to spend so much money on crystal light packets, fuze drinks, snapple diet tea, gatorade...you name it. I hate water. Instead, i've learned adding a few lemon slices to my water really spices things up (and makes me feel like i'm at the spa). I've seen people add frozen berries which looks lovely, however, lemons are definitely cheap and also aid in fat burn and digestion. It's a win-win!
4. Make a crock pot meal
If you don't have a crock pot, you should probably invest in one. They are only around $30 and can save you a ton of money and time when you make meals. Make a slow cooker recipe on Sunday or Monday during the beginning of the week and you can eat it all week long! The cheapest kinds would be a salsa chicken, a tortilla soup like this one, or anything that involves lots of flavor without too many ingredients. If you get bored with your meal, switch it up by adding extra toppings, throw it on top of your frozen vegetables, or make it into tacos!
5. Groupon
Justin and I tend to use Groupon pretty often because it can save you so much money when dining out. We also tend to split entrees when at restaurants. As you know, most places give you like 3-4 serving sizes per meal. Use that to your advantage and split it with someone else who likes the same food as you! If you do dine out, try and keep it healthy! Grilled over fried and keep the dressing on the side =).
6. Buy 1-2 snacks per grocery trip
I am a huge fan of snacking, but it can get pricey! A bag of chips and pretzels can be $4-5 and add up on your grocery bill. I know it's tempting, but if you think about it, do you really need a ton of snack items sitting in your cupboard half-open getting stale? Choose one processed snack and one fresh snack per week (Mine would be carrots and popcorn). You won't be tempted to overeat with all of the choices you have to pick from and you will definitely save some $$.
7. Use coconut oil
This isn't food related, but it will save you money and make your skin glow at the same time. I used to buy face lotion and it would run out so quickly. Also, has anyone else noticed how expensive lotion has become? It's like $10 for a tiny little bottle! Half of that is probably filled with water which evaporates from your skin anyway. Instead, I buy coconut oil which hydrates my skin through the entire night. You only have to use a pea-sized amount...maybe even smaller. One $7 jar will probably last for over a year. Crazy!
I live by these tips every day and it's been making the expensive Chicago living a bit less stressful and I can still treat my body well. If you think of any good tips yourself, pass them my way! I love talking healthy eating and money-saving tricks.
Have a fabulous week! xo Jill
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