Eat well in tight times

Do you have to give up eating well because your budget has been reduced?  No.  According to Catharine H.Powers R.D. of the Nutrient-Rich Foods Coalition, "If you do it right, it's cheaper than what you're doing now."  Catharine goes on to say, "if you wait until 6 p.m.to decide what to eat for dinner you won't have all the ingredients." 

You don' t need to eat meat every day.  If you're family won't go meatless, reduce portions to 3 ounces and the meat will last for more than one meal. 

Want to add nutritional value to convenience foods?  Add frozen mixed vegetables to noodles or mix grated reduced-fat cheddar cheese into macaroni and cheese from a box.

Smart Switches

Switch from   Individual packets of sweetened oatmeal
To                  Quick-cooking oats

Switch from    Hamburger and pasta seasoning mix
To                   Whole-grain pasta, dried herbs

Switch from     Instant rice
To                    Brown rice or quick-cooking brown rice

These are a few of the switches Catharine recommended.

You can do switches in smart ways without overwhelming yourself or your family.  One is make one  or two of the above changes in a month and continue to do this on a monthly basis.  Or just do it without telling your family.  They probably won't even notice if you are the primary cook in the house.  Most importantly food will taste better and it is better for everyone.