Until maybe 5mins ago, I didn't even consider making this post. Why am I? One of my friends didn't know a few things that I just told her.
So why keep secrets? I'll share with all of you!
Being on a budget makes you really want to make food last longer.
It really irritates me when I have to toss food, so in order to keep things longer there's a few things I'll do.
Fruits/Veggies:
We go through a lot of veggies. Generally I like to buy fresh but sometimes frozen is better if the veggies aren't in season. I also prefer to buy local.
First of all, here's a list of when fruits/veggies are in season.
Now after reading that, go by whatever month it is and there you have your fresh fruit/veggies list!
Of course, it doesn't have everything and sometimes things aren't sold locally during that time [right now cauliflower is really expensive even though it's in season] so you'll have to really look around.
After buying non-frozen fruit/veggies, how do you keep it from going bad quickly?
What I do is that day [or the next, depending on if I have time] I cut them up and put them in water.
Baby carrots don't stay in their plastic bag, they get rinsed and put in water. Green onions are trimmed, tips cut and in water. Celery as well. And so on.
But say you forgot you had celery [I'm using this as an example because it works best with celery] and it's wilting. Water does work but to make celery get crisp really quick is vinegar.
This trick I learnt from a friend, who use to have celery sticks with her lunch. Of course you can't keep them in water but they get really soft out of water.
She would have them in a sandwich bag, put a little vinegar [best travel way, from fast food restaurants] shake the bag and it would make them crispy! So perfect if you forget about celery in your fridge.
I'm so impressed with myself right now. My fridge is so colourful! Colour is very important if you want to eat healthy.
Here's a few things I got from this website:
1. Eat plenty of "fire-colored" produce (deep yellow to deep red), such as yellow peppers and tomatoes, which contain antioxidants like beta-carotene that fight free radicals.
2. Don't forget purple-hued produce like beets, berries and grapes. These are rich in flavonoids, which protect against cardiovascular disease.
3. Remember to go green. Most green foods contain magnesium, which assists muscle repair and balances hormones.
4. Paint the town brown by eating appropriately cooked red meats, the best source of iron.
5. Don't forget white. The calcium and allicin in dairy products, onions and other light-tinted foods keep bones healthy and immune systems strong.
Please be food conscious. Healthy eating doesn't mean tasteless, it means your plate looks more like a rainbow!
There are some downsides and I am a somewhat picky eater, so here's some other ideas.
I don't do red meat [Matt is a huge red meat eater lol] and haven't since I was 16yrs old. I'm not big on meat in general and no I'm not a vegetarian, although some would consider it because my lack of meat in my palette.
Red meat is important [especially to females] because of the iron content. Of course you'll never get as great iron in comparison to red meat, and I'm not really a fan of asking for an iron shot.
Some foods high in iron are:
1. Dark Chocolate
2. Roasted Pumpkin/Squash Seeds
3. Sesame Butter
4. Sunflower Seeds
5. Dried Apricots
6. Eggs
and of course
7. Spinach
There's always iron pills but those are actually harsh on most people's stomach, so it's not always the best idea.
Another thing is that I'm not huge on milk. It's not like I find it gross, I'm just sensitive to dairy products and if I can avoid too much dairy then I will. I do try to have a glass of milk a day - just to make sure I have enough dairy. Yogurt is expensive!!
Also not a dairy fan or just can handle dairy?
Your body still needs calcium. Here's some other ways on getting it!
I actually really like soy milk. I drink Natura a lot. It's not cheap, so if it goes on sale I'll stock pile [like everything else ...]
I just prefer Natura because I find it doesn't taste thick and/or chalky like some soy milk tends to be.
Also they have some great choices - Chocolate, Cappicino and Vanilla are my favourite. There's more but those 3 are easiest to find.
Most people have their resolution as to lose weight and/or eat healthier. Now you have no excuse!!! There's so many options now and so much more information.
Pills, cleanses and diets won't do anything. If you change your eating habits to something healthier, you will actually want to stick with it.
Until next time!
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