14 ways to eat healthy while keeping it cheap

By Louise - 14.10.2011

You probably think eating healthy is expensive. To be honest, it is. But there are tricks to spare your savings account and keep healthy at a low cost. Here are fourteen ways to eat more healthy while keeping it cheap.

What is healthy food?

Before we start, let’s define healthy food. It consists of:

• protein - found in meat, eggs and beans
• carbohydrates - found in bread, pasta, rice, potatoes fruits and sugar
• fat - found in meat, butter &cheese and other dairy product, pastries, and chocolate
• vitamins and minerals -found in veggies and fruits
• whole grain food
• fiber - found in fruits, green veggies, cereals, brown rice, couscous and whole grain bread

On with the tips

1. Switch to tap water: In Denmark tap water clean and cheap

2. Eat eggs: Full of vitamins, high in proteins, low in price.

3. Eat meats: Fatty meats are cheaper and more tasty than lean meats. Chicken is good and cheap. All kinds of meat are usually  cheaper in Arabic shops.

4. Fish: Canned tuna is cheap and contains as much protein as meat. Makrel is also cheap and good. Alternate tuna, eggs, and meat and you will easily get your daily amount of protein. If you go to Nørreport you can find fresh fish there.

5. Veggies: Buy frozen veggies. You don’t waste money if not eaten in time. Vitamins are preserved very well in frozen veggies, so they are healthy. They take less time to prepare. They can be bought in bulk on discount, and are easily stored in your freezer. Again fresh veggies are found cheaper in Arabic shops.

6. Use a multivitamin: Pesticides lower the vitamin levels of your fruits and veggies. Organic food is expensive. Alternatively you can take multivitamin.

7. Fish oil: Fish oil is rich in Omega -3. It is healthy for the development of the brain and prevent many diseases.

8. Buy generic food: The box might be less attractive, but it is certainly more attractive to your wallet. Branded food will always be more expensive. You are paying for the name.  food is food, go generic!

9. Buy in bulk: Think long-term. Buying in bulk is more expensive at the cashier, but cheaper in the long run. It gets you discounts, it saves time, invest in a big freezer.buy meats and veggies in bulk and freeze them.and sharing with friends.

10. Go to one cheap grocery store: Some grocery store are cheaper for meat, veggies, fish. How many grocery stores are you going to, trying to find the cheapest food? Think time is money. Stop losing a day shopping! |Bilka,Aldi...]

11. Make a plan: Make a list of what you need. Eat a solid meal before you go - don’t go shopping hungry. Get what is on your list and get out.

12. Take food to school and internship: Ever counted how much money you throw away buying food at work daily? Get up earlier, eat a solid breakfast, and prepare your food for work in the meanwhile.

13. Eat sensible food, no junk food: This one is obvious. The less you eat, the lower your grocery bill will be. If you are overweight, go on a diet. Your health and bank account will thank you! If you are not overweight think about eating food that will make you feel full for longer such as whole grain bread instead of white bread. Junk food is unhealthy, expensive and you will soon go hungry again.

14. Share buying and cooking:it’s cheaper and nice to share the meal with friends,it helps also to save money.

by MEDHI of stronglifts.com

 

THE RECIPE OF THE DAY

UGALI (African cornmeal mash)


Known as Ugali in Kenya and Tanzania, this starchy, polenta-like side dish goes by different names in Sub-saharan Africa. In Malawi and Zambia it is called Isima or Nshima. The South African name is Pap or Mealie Pap. Zimbabweans call it Sadza.

Ingredients:

• water:                    4 cups
• salt:                    2 teaspoons
• white cornmeal, finely ground:     2 cups

Method:

1. Bring the water and salt to a boil in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Stir in the cornmeal slowly, letting it fall though the fingers of your hand.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring regularly, smashing any lumps with a spoon, until the mush pulls off the sides of the pot and becomes very thick. This takes about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Place the ugali into a large serving bowl. Wet your hands with water,form into a ball and serve.

Notes:
Ugali is usually served as an accompaniment to meat or vegetable stews, greens or soured milk.the place to buy it is in the Arabic and African shops near Copenhagen main station.
 

CHICKEN STEW with onions and tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 whole chicken, 3-4 pounds, cut into 8 serving pieces (2 breasts, wings, thighs, legs)
• 6  red onions, medium-sized (about 2 pounds)
• whole peeled tomatoes, one 28 to 32 ounce can, good quality, drained
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• a pinch of chili powder

Method:

1. Preheat oven
2. Rinse the chicken pieces in cold water then pat dry with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken pieces, starting them skin-side down, cooking them a few minutes on each side, working in batches so that you don’t crowd the pan.
3. While the chicken is browning, peel and quarter the onions. Remove the chicken from the pan when nicely golden and set aside on a plate. Discard any fat and oil leaving about 1tbsp left in pan. Put the onions in the pot and cook them until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes to the pot, the thyme, bay leaves, and ground chili powder. Put the chicken on top of the tomatoes. Pour in water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Stirring from time to time so that the vegetables don’t stick.
5. When the chicken has cooked and  the sauce is thick enough to cling to the meat, remove the bay leaves. salt and pepper to taste.

     Serve stew with ugali, over rice, or pasta.
 

ENJOY YOUR MEAL!!!!!

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