Back on the healthy track {part 2}

It feels really good to be back to eating clean and healthy meals twice a day. I'm currently out of town for a work trip, but I wanted to share this post since I've gotten lots of emails asking for help with shopping for healthy foods on a budget. I totally understand. I'm sharing a few of my favorite meals from this past week along with some of my shopping secrets for getting great healthy foods without breaking the bank. 

Fruit blend: Ice (free), cantaloupe ($1 for whole cantaloupe), strawberries ($2), blueberries ($1).

Cantaloupe ($1 for whole cantaloupe), blueberries ($1), Gardenburger veggie burger ($2.75 for pack of 6 burgers). I told you in my last healthy foods post how much I love these frozen veggie burgers. I cook them in the skillet for a few minutes to give them that "grilled" effect. So good!

Sautéed cauliflower ($.99 for frozen bag of cauliflower), green beans ($.50 for canned green beans). I made this meal out of desperation for some clean veggies. These were the first two veggies I spotted and I figured I would try them together. I cooked them in a skillet with lemon juice, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and some basil.

Cauliflower & green bean mix with a veggie burger (all drizzled with lemon and lime juice). These veggie burgers have become my favorite "meat" with a fruits/veggies at lunch time. It's a delicious combination and I'm satisfied after eating it without the overly full feeling.

Tips for easy, cheap, and tasty healthy meals

Try buying frozen veggies (a lot cheaper, last longer, don't have preservatives like canned foods).

Freeze any fresh fruits/veggies you don't use (for same reason).

Find a cheap healthy food item you enjoy and use it in your meals throughout the week (kale, brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, avocados, squash, sweet potatoes, cucumber) all of these are typically $.99 

Shop for fruits and vegetables at market places or international markets for lower prices than the average grocery store.

When a fruit/veggie item is in season and is on sale, try it & buy it! This is a great way to expand your healthy eating horizon and save money.

Buy a bag/bundle of some sort of greens (spinach, mixed spring, kale), a lemon or lime (dressing), and you can add any type of vegetable and/or meat to this easily for a salad during the week.

Buy healthy "toppings" too add onto foods throughout the week such as (fruit salsa, lemon juice, lime juice).

Do all of your cooking/prepping on one night so that you can quickly grab meals throughout the week.

Alternate between fruit blends, fresh fruits, and fruit toppings to keep things interesting.

Use leftover fruits to infuse your water with for a refreshing drink.

Use blended avocados and tomatoes instead of fatty condiments and pasta sauces.

Don't feel guilty when you have a non-heathy meal. I'm still just focusing on eating 2 clean meals a day + working out to keep toning up and losing weight.