Even if you don’t use herbs and some spices for your health care, you can use them to keep your body healthy through a balanced diet.

They make your food taste good but that is not their only virtue.

Fresh herbs and spices are a complement to any diet. They can help keep your internal system functioning at peak performance.

Down Memory Lane

Before there were medicines like we have today, people lived off the land for their healing. Wise women and men in the community used their knowledge of herbs to aid in making medicinal preparations for those who were sick.

It was not uncommon to see a poultice or a salve in a home. The mortar and pestle were common tools of the trade in healing.

Nowadays we have pills and capsules, but they were based on the long ago teaching of herbs. Even if you don’t use herbs and some spices for your health care, you can use them to keep your body healthy through a balanced diet.

You eat them for the taste, but learning about the added health benefits of what you are sprinkling on your dinner is an added bonus.

Do you care about cooking healthy foods for you and your family? Do you worry about their allergies, diabetes, heart condition, or dietary restrictions like gluten-free? If so, you’ll want the finest, purest and superior ingredients… but they’re not easy to find, or afford! Until now… Learn more at Olive Nation – Your Secret Ingredient!

Benefits of Fresh Herbs and Spices

If you ask anyone, the most common “spices” on any table are salt and pepper. Our food could be doing so much better. There is an entire world of tastes, smells and textures just waiting for you. And, fresh herbs and spices are abundant.

Why, just visit any farmer’s market and you can purchase a potted herb: rosemary, marjoram, thyme, oregano, dill, basil, lemon balm – and the list goes on. Just a few simple steps and you can have fresh herbs to use whenever you need them.

Now, what can these herbs and spices do for me, you might ask?

For one, the addition of other herbs and spices to your meals, in lieu of salt, can help keep your blood pressure under control. Too much salt or sodium intake can lead to bloating and high blood pressure in those that are already susceptible.

And, if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, salt is often not on the menu anymore anyway. Other spices can liven up your food and make you less likely to sneak a shake of that salt.

Many herbs have cancer properties, meaning that they can lower your cancer risk or slow down the growth of cancerous tumors. Others can lower triglyceride and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels in the blood which can lead to the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

They also play a role in lowering blood sugar which is great for those who are dealing with a diabetic condition.

Spices are also on the list of healthy foods. You can use dried, but freshly grated spices look and taste much better.

Among their health attributes: inhibiting growth of cancer cells, increasing metabolism, reducing inflammatory response in the body, decrease arthritis pain, stopping nausea and providing essential nutrients to the diet.

If you aren’t taking advantage of fresh herbs and spices, your diet and your health are missing out.

A quick, delicious and healthy meal

Serves between 4 and 6

Ingredients:

2 lbs salmon fillets, cut into serving size pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, finely chopped
2 cups fresh spinach
2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
Any other vegetable you might like to add
1/4 cup oil and vinegar low-fat Italian salad dressing

Do you care about cooking healthy foods for you and your family? Do you worry about their allergies, diabetes, heart condition, or dietary restrictions like gluten-free? If so, you’ll want the finest, purest and superior ingredients… but they’re not easy to find, or afford! Until now… Learn more at Olive Nation – Your Secret Ingredient!

Instructions:

Preheat broiler.

Combine vegetables and dressing in a bowl, toss and set aside.

Arrange salmon pieces, skin side down, on a baking sheet/broiler pan.

Place under the broiler until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. This depends on the thickness of your salmon, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Serve immediately with the vegetable salad.

If you like a little sweeter taste to your potato salad use a lite salad dressing instead of mayonnaise.

This is one of the most mouth-watering potato salad recipes we have found. And to make it even better, it’s EASY!

Ingredients:

8 potatoes, peeled
6 eggs, hard boiled
1 cup lite mayonnaise
1/3 cup chipotle style mustard
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup pimientos, chopped

Do you care about cooking healthy foods for you and your family? Do you worry about their allergies, diabetes, heart condition, or dietary restrictions like gluten-free? If so, you’ll want the finest, purest and superior ingredients… but they’re not easy to find, or afford! Until now… Learn more at Olive Nation – Your Secret Ingredient!

Instructions:

Fill a large saucepan 3/4 full of water. Place over high heat and bring to a rapid boil.

Add the whole potatoes and cook until just beginning to tender. Drain well.

Use a fork and break up the potatoes into small chunks. In a separate bowl, mix together well the mayonnaise and mustard.

Add the chopped eggs, scallions and pimientos and mix well.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Tip: If you like a little sweeter taste to your potato salad use a lite salad dressing instead of mayonnaise.

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values):

Calories 189.3; Total Fat 8.5 g; Saturated Fat 1.4 g; Cholesterol 106.3 mg; Sodium 252.5 mg; Dietary Fiber 1.8 g; Carbohydrate 22.4 g; Protein 5.7 g; Vitamin A 4.4%; Vitamin B-12 4.2%; Vitamin B-6 1.9%; Vitamin C 2.0%; Vitamin D 3.3%; Vitamin E 9.3%; Calcium 1.7%; Iron 2.5%

Here are some ideas for quick and frugal dinners to take advantage of summer’s bounty.

Most of us want to know how to prepare meals that are quick and easy on the budget.

The good news is, that’s particularly easy in the summer.

This is the time of year when produce is abundant and more affordable and the weather is conducive for grilling outdoors.

If you or a neighbor has a garden, produce may be free for the taking.

Here are some ideas for quick and frugal dinners to take advantage of summer’s bounty.

1. Fresh Tomato Penne

(serves 2)

* 8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
* 2 cups chopped, fresh tomatoes
* 1/4 cup each minced, fresh basil and parsley
* 6 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 clove minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

About 2 hours before dinner, combine the tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, salt, and garlic in a bowl. Cover and let it stand at room temperature until dinner.

Cook penne according to the package’s directions. Drain and mix with tomato mixture while still hot. Top each serving with half the mozzarella cheese and toss.

Serve with crusty bread and a side of steamed asparagus or broccoli dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

2. Grilled Tilapia and Vegetables

Tilapia is one of those fish that is both affordable and low on the mercury-containing scale. This recipe is for 4 servings.

Tilapia:

* 4 frozen tilapia fillets
* Juice of 1 lemon
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Mix lemon, olive oil, sea salt, and paprika in a shallow dish. Add frozen fish fillets and stir to coat with marinade.

Cover and thaw in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours, turning fish occasionally.

Remove fish from marinade and grill on well-oiled, foil-covered (with holes punched) charcoal or propane grill over medium-high heat.

Cook for 5 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily. Baste with leftover marinade as fish cooks.

Discard the rest of the marinade when fish is done and serve with lemon wedges.

Vegetables:

* 2 yellow squashes
* 2 green zucchinis
* 1 large, sweet onion
* 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
* Sea salt to taste

At the same time as the fish, place vegetables cut-side-down on the oiled grill.

Baste with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt during cooking.

Grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until desired degree of doneness.

3. Herbed Chicken Breasts with Fresh Corn and Tomato Salsa

(serves 4)

Chicken:

* 4 chicken breast halves, skinless
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* Juice of 1 lemon
* 2 tablespoons minced, fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme, or sage
* 1 clove minced, fresh garlic
* Salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken in olive-oil coated, shallow baking dish. Pour lemon juice over chicken.

Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle top of chicken breast halves with garlic and herbs.

Cover dish and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees and remove cover from chicken. Bake for 5-8 minutes more.

Salsa:

* 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
* 1/2 cup fresh, cooked corn removed from the ear (1 ear of cooked corn will yield approximately 1/2 cup)
* 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
* Juice of 1 lime
* 1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro or parsley
* 1 small jalapeno pepper, minced (more or less according to your heat tolerance)
* Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients and serve with chicken and a side of corn chips.

Try this easy and scrumptious snack recipe!

This is a terrific recipe to serve at a party, as an appetizer or just to have as an incredibly yummy snack!

Ingredients:

1 pound unsalted cashews
1 tablespoon of melted, unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons of curry powder
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of salt
1/4 cup of water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease a baking sheet and spread the cashews out in an even layer.

Place the cashews in the oven and toast them for about ten minutes.

In a small bowl, combine two of the tablespoons of sugar with the curry powder, cumin and salt. Stir well and set the bowl aside.

In a medium sauce pan, add the water, one tablespoon of sugar and the butter. Bring this to a boil and stir constantly.

Add the cashews to the mixture and stir well to ensure they are all coated. Allow this to continue simmering until the water has evaporated, which will take about three minutes.

Once the liquid is gone, add the spice mixture to the cashews. Toss them to evenly coat them.

Return the cashews to the baking sheet and spread them out into an even layer.

Roast the cashews for an additional ten minutes or until they are dry and slightly golden.

Allow to cool before serving

One way to maintain a balanced body is to eat more antioxidant, vitamin and mineral rich herbs.

Herbs are essential in your diet if you want to have a balanced well alkalized system. The human body needs to be at a 7.35 pH to be at its optimal health.

By striving to maintain a balanced pH, you can ward off many diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and obesity. Who knew it was as simple as eating right to stay healthy?

Well, Hippocrates did! He said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

And, guess what, he was right. Today doctors and scientists are more often seeking to change diet, than prescribe a pill or drug to combat disease. How much easier can it get. Just eat, and be healthy!

One way to maintain a balanced body is to eat more antioxidant, vitamin and mineral rich herbs. Another awesome side effect is that they increase your metabolism.

Do you care about cooking healthy foods for you and your family? Do you worry about their allergies, diabetes, heart condition, or dietary restrictions like gluten-free? If so, you’ll want the finest, purest and superior ingredients… but they’re not easy to find, or afford! Until now… Learn more at Olive Nation – Your Secret Ingredient!

Here are five ways to add herbs to your diet

1. Check Your Options — When you’re at a party, it’s hard to turn down all that tempting food, but, if you must eat something, go for the spiciest component, or get into your purse and pull out a packet of red pepper flakes, or curry powder to add to your own plate. This will cause you to eat less, enjoy your food more, and add in some herbal support.

2. Eliminate Salt — Instead of adding salt, add other herbs and spices to your dish. You can sprinkle most herbs and spices directly on your food right at the table, with no cooking needed.

Experiment with curry, cilantro, basil, red pepper, chili powders, and other herbs and spices to see what you prefer. You’ll find that you don’t even miss the salt!

3. Research Your Conditions — For instance, if you have diabetes, did you know that cinnamon has shown in medical studies that it can improve blood-glucose levels? All you need is two teaspoons a day, and within about six weeks you’ll see a marked difference in your need for insulin. Do check with your doctor!

Cinnamon also has been shown to improve cholesterol levels, so do a little research to find out which herbs and spices can assist you with your health issue. Then add them in!

4. Take It Easy — OK, you don’t want to add EVERY herb to EVERY dish. If you use a strong herb, complement it with a milder herb, but don’t go nuts adding say, chili powder and curry. Choose one, then balance it with a milder herb.

Try just adding one thing at a time as you learn what tastes good to your pallet while eliminating other substances that aren’t as good for you such as table salt. Also remember that dried herbs have more flavor than fresh so you’ll use less when you use dried than when you have fresh. Of course, fresh is always best!

5. Grow Your Own –  It’s not hard to grow your own herbs right inside your kitchen. There are many herb growing kits. When they’re ready to harvest you can do so right as you need it, while you’re cooking. Also you can store fresh herbs with the cut in a glass of water in the fridge for a couple of days before using it.

You can also dry them yourself just like you would flowers from your child’s dance. Alternatively you can freeze them. Just take off the stems, wash and dry, and put in an airproof bag. Pop into the freezer. Having herbs on hand will cause you to use them more often.

This recipe is a bit spicy, sweet and all-around yummy! It can also be frozen for later use!

I always think of preparing something different for my family. I wanted to cook or prepare something which my family has not tried before.

My consideration was each member’s taste preference. My husband likes spicy foods. My teenage son loves something sweet and a little spicy.

I wanted something sweet; spicy is alright but not too much. I searched for some appetizer recipes on Google. I also wanted something easy and quick to prepare with simple and easy-to-find ingredients.

I settled on Cranberry salsa with cream cheese dip. I thought this would be good if paired with tortilla chips, whole wheat crackers and pita chips. I could even serve this with vegetable sticks such as carrots or celery for snack time.

By the way, one thing that made me consider making this appetizer is the fact that it can last for quite some time because it can be frozen. All you have to do is to store it in an airtight food storage container and put it in the freezer. It can easily be taken out and thawed for future use.

Here is one fantastic recipe worth trying. This recipe will yield around 2 cups.

CRANBERRY SALSA WITH CREAM CHEESE

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of fresh or frozen cranberries (or ½ of a 12 oz. pack of fresh cranberries)
• ½ slice of medium sized apple (cored and peeled)
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped and seeded (add another one if desired)
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger (grated) or zest of orange
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Cilantro (chopped) for garnishing
• 1 8 oz. pack cream cheese

Directions:

1. Wash and drain cranberries. Remove those that are bruised or soft.
2. Pulse the cranberries and apple together in a food processor until finely chopped.
3. In a medium bowl, combine finely chopped apple and cranberries mixture with sugar, jalapeño and grated ginger (zest of orange). Let it sit for 15 minutes until cranberries are macerated. Add fresh lemon juice and salt to taste.
4. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about 3 to 4 minutes on high.
5. Spoon the cranberry salsa over the softened cream cheese.
6. Sprinkle some cilantro on top.
7. Serve with pita, tortilla, crackers, carrot or celery sticks.

Since this will make a little over 2 cups, you need to have a handy food storage container on hand to store the extra salsa. It would be better to use a glass container to prevent staining and prevent the odor from sticking into the container due to long storage. Freeze. Some say that the flavor gets better over time.

If you add an essential oil to cleaning products you already have, such as vinegar, water, or economically friendly dish soap, you will increase their effectiveness, help protect the environment and leave a nice smell throughout your home.

With the desire to keep our homes clean and safe for our families, along with wanting to protect the environment, more people are turning to essential oils to accomplish both tasks.

But what exactly are essential oils, and how can they be used to clean and disinfect our homes?

Essential oils are concentrated liquids that contain the essence and aroma from the plants from which they are made. Essential oils are used in perfumes, making incense, flavorings, and in cleaning products.

However, it must be noted that one should never use essential oils directly on the skin. They are too concentrated and must be combined with a carrier oil such as olive oil, or mixed with another product.

Essential Oil Use Chart – Common Essential Oils Used In Homemade Cleaning Products

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>> Chamomile Essential Oil – Chamomile essential oil has a scent of fruits and herbs, and is known for its calming, soothing and comforting scent. It blends well with florals, and some citruses, such as lemon.

>> Cinnamon Essential Oil – Cinnamon essential oil, also known as cinnamon leaf essential oil, has a spicy and sweet scent, like cinnamon. It blends well with orange or tangerine, and can also make a room feel like it’s Christmas time.

Generally, cinnamon should not be used alone in a homemade cleaner, but just added for an additional warming touch in small quantities. Of all the oils listed in this essential oil use chart it is definitely the most optional one to use.

>> Eucalyptus Essential Oil – Eucalyptus essential oil has a sharp, fresh smell with a bit of camphor and woody smell mixed in as well. People either love or hate its scent, generally. Eucalyptus is another essential oil that has disinfecting properties. When added with lemon oil and distilled water, it is an effective antibacterial spray that can be used throughout your home.

Eucalyptus oil blends well with pine, rosemary and tea tree oils, and also lavender and lemon essential oils.

>> Geranium Essential Oil – Geranium essential oil is a floral scent, which smells a bit like roses. In fact, it is often blended with rose essential oils to make a romantic floral scent for your cleaning products and laundry supplies. Besides blending well with rose, geranium oil also blends well with lavender, rosemary, lemon, and orange.

>> Grapefruit Essential Oil – Pink grapefruit essential oil is a citrus oil that smells clean, light and a bit sharp, but still fruity. Grapefruit oil blends well with other citrus oils, and also with rosemary and lavender oil.

Many people enjoy the scent of grapefruit in their cleaner because it is also reviving, refreshing and helps to reduce tension, especially in the winter.

>> Lavender Essential Oil – Another essential oil that is good for household cleaning is lavender. Not only does it help clean your house, the aroma is very pleasant and relaxing.

You can make a laundry softener that will rival anything you can purchase at your local store. Carefully combine 32 ounces of white vinegar with 32 ounces of baking soda over a sink (the mixture will bubble). Stir in 64 ounces of distilled or purified water and a half ounce of lavender essential oil. Use one-fourth cup in each per laundry load. Rinse as usual.

If you add a few drops of lavender essential oil to your dishwashing liquid, not only will you add the fragrance, but you’ll also improve the antiseptic quality of the soap. Lavender essential oil has a clean, floral, fresh scent which soothes, calms and relaxes.

Lavender is the most popular floral scent for cleaning supplies, and it is probably also one of the most popular oils on this essential oil use chart for aromatherapy uses too. One of the reasons for this, besides its nice scent, is that lavender blends well with many other essential oils, including citruses and other florals.

>> Lemon Essential Oil – Lemon essential oil has a clean, fresh scent that is often associated with house cleaning. It is perhaps the most common scent of household cleaners, because its scent is often associated with a feeling of freshness and cleanness. It blends well with other citrus and floral essential oils, and also with many other essential oils.

>> Lemongrass Essential Oil - Lemongrass essential oil is a good choice for those that want a outdoorsy smell, but that is not too woodsy. It has a fresh lemony scent, with hints of grass and hay.

Lemongrass oil blends well with most floral and citrus essential oils, and also with rosemary. It should be used in moderation, most usually blended with another oil. It also has some antiseptic and deodorizing properties, which are helpful in homemade cleaners.

>> Lime Essential Oil – Lime essential oil has a clean, fresh scent with a citrusy and fruity smell. Lime oil blends well with other citrus essential oils, and also with lavender, geranium, and rosemary.

>> Orange Essential Oil – Orange essential oil, pressed from the peels of ripe oranges, can be used in a variety of ways in your home. When added to a carrier oil like olive oil, orange essential oil is great for cleaning your wooden cutting board. It has a sweet, fresh fruity scent, which has a refreshing and cheerful fragrance.

Use it as a deodorizer. Put a few drops of the essential oil on a cotton ball and leave it in your cooler after you’ve finished using it for the season. When you open it the following season, you’ll find a fresh orange scent instead of a musty odor.

Orange oil is often added to furniture polish to clean, polish, enhance, and protect wood with out leaving a wax build-up. It blends well with other citrus essential oils, and also with geranium. Orange oil is also a powerful cleaner, so it can be useful in cleaners needed to remove tough stains and grime.

>> Peppermint Essential Oil - Peppermint essential oil is a favorite for many people that make their own cleaning products, because of its refreshing, bright minty smell. It blends well with several other popular essential oils for cleaning, including lavender, eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary. An added use of peppermint oil is as a natural pest deterrent.

>> Pine Essential Oil – Pine essential oil is another very common scent for homemade cleaning products, and has a distinctively pine needle scent. Pine oil has antimicrobial properties, and can also act as a deodorizer. It blends well with eucalyptus, lemon and lavender.

>> Rose Essential Oil – Rose essential oil smells, obviously, like roses and gives any cleaning supply or laundry supply, such as fabric softeners and laundry detergents, a romantic touch. Rose blends well with other floral scents, but be careful because if you add too much it can become overpowering like a very strong perfume.

>> Rosemary Essential Oil – Rosemary essential oil has an herby smell, and is antiseptic in nature so it can be useful for cleaning in your home. It blends well lavender and pine.

>> Spearmint Essential Oil - Spearmint essential oil has a minty, fresh scent. It is used similarly to peppermint oil, and is an alternative minty scent that can be used in your homemade cleaners. It tends not to blend as well with other scents as peppermint though, and therefore I least recommend it among all the oils on this essential oil use chart.

>> Tangerine Essential Oil - Tangerine essential oil (also sometimes known as madarin essential oil) has a delicate sweet, fruity smell, and promotes restfulness, but is also cheering and bright. It blends well with other citrus essential oils, and also lavender and geranium.

>> Tea Tree Essential Oil - Tea tree essential oil is a very useful essential oil for cleaning because of its antiseptic, antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties. This oil is taken from the Melaleuca tree, native to Australia, but found in other areas as well.

Tea Tree oil can be used in a variety of ways:

• Add tea tree oil to water to use as a cleaner, disinfectant, and purifier during cold and flu season.
• Add a few drops to the laundry when washing cloth diapers to help clean and disinfect them.
• Dilute with water to clean and disinfect your floors, toilets, and all areas of your kitchen
• It has a scent that is warm and spicy, but also has a camphor, medicinal undertone. Therefore, I suggest that it be blended with another essential oil for fragrance. Tea tree oil blends well with the other common essential oils for cleaning, such as lavender, pine and eucalyptus.

Of all the oils on this essential oil use chart it is the only one I recommend as one of your three in the starter kit, without any other choices, because it is so important for cleaning recipes.

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>> Vanilla Essential Oil – Vanilla essential oil has a sweet warm scent that smells like vanilla.

Because the smell is such a favorite of many people, for its calming and relaxing qualities, it is also a favorite for homemade cleaning products. It blends well with lavender, rose, and lime.

It is also the only oil on this essential oil use chart which is not a pure essential oil, but instead is mixed with a carrier oil, in this case jojoba. Since it is used only for its scent, that is alright in this situation.

When cleaning your home, there are many products on the market. However, if you add an essential oil to things you already have, such as vinegar, water, or economically friendly dish soap, you will increase their effectiveness, help protect the environment and leave a nice smell throughout your home.

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Reference: http://www.stain-removal-101.com/essential-oil-use-chart.html

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
½ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups celery, thinly sliced
2 cups snow peas or green beans, diagonally cut
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp almonds, toasted and sliced
(To toast almonds, put them in preheated oven at 350°F for 5 minutes until golden brown)

Instructions:

Combine 3 tsp of cornstarch and soy sauce in bowl, add chicken and toss until evenly coated. Set aside.
Pour chicken stock into small bowl and mix in remaining 1 tsp of cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat wok over medium-high heat. Add oil, then chicken strips and stir-fry for about 4 minutes until the chicken is opaque. Remove chicken pieces and set aside.

Add all vegetables to the wok and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add water and cook covered for 2 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and add chicken pieces. Cook for another minute or so, until the vegetables are cooked, but still crisp and not too soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve on a bed of rice with toasted almonds.

If you eat higher quality, high nutrition foods you can save money in both the short run, and the long run.

Everyone wants to save money on grocery shopping and sometimes they skimp on quality, thinking this saves money. But, it doesn’t, not really.

The truth is, eating nutritiously on a budget can be done with proper planning and thought.

In fact, if you eat higher quality, high nutrition foods you can save money in both the short run, and the long run – easing your budget and improving the health of your family.

You’ll save money at the register, but you’ll also save money at the doctor!

Some Terrific Grocery Shopping Tips to Help Your Health & Budget!

Skip Animal Products — I know this seems hard, but the truth is every day more scientific evidence is pointing to the necessity of humans dropping animal products from their diet.

There is no true scientific research that suggests we must eat animal products to be healthy.

This isn’t even about animal rights or animal cruelty; it’s about the wallet, and your health. There is no nutrient that you can get from animal products that can’t be had in the plant world.

Grow Your Own — Even if you only have a small porch or balcony you can grow a lot of your own food from tomatoes, to lettuce, to bell peppers and more.

Even if you want to grow inside you can. Today, with grow lamps you can grow sprouts, herbs and other veggies inside a spare room.

Shop Farmer’s Markets — Food is less expensive when in season, that’s why farmer’s markets are such fabulous places to shop. Often, if you choose to buy in bulk farmers will give you a discount.

Also, pick your own farms are huge savings, plus you get sunshine and a day with the family that saves money rather than spends it.

Learn Preserving Techniques — When growing or buying produce in bulk it’s important to learn how to preserve it. Whether that is learning canning, or freezing, or fermenting, it doesn’t matter as long as you learn how to make your food last longer.

Stop Buying Processed Foods — Most of the “food” in supermarkets is not food at all. Did you know that white sugar is processed in exactly the same way that heroine is processed? High fructose corn syrup is even worse.

Most processed foods are not foods at all, they are drugs. They have no nutritional value, and simply cost money and add nothing to your diet worth keeping.

Drink Water — No one needs to drink either pasteurized juice, cool aid, soda, or any type of sweet beverage, and that includes so called diet choices. The best beverage for everyone is water.

You can use your regular tap water. Nothing is wrong with it.

It can be a good idea to purchase a filter that removes anything that might be in the water, as well as one that “adds minerals” for taste until you and your family get used to drinking water.

You’ll save money, and your family’s health.

Go For Whole Foods — The closer to nature a food is, the better it is for your health, but the better it is for your wallet too.

For instance, replace sugary cereals with a huge canister of long cooking oats. “Long” cooking is really not true. It takes five minutes.

If you have a Vita Mix or another high speed blender you can actually “cook” the oats in the blender while you get ready for work.

Whew! We covered a lot in this post, but I’m looking forward to coming back with more information for you where I’ll talk about setting a realistic grocery budget.

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