Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The first wealth is health.” We couldn’t agree more, and so we’re here to guide you in the direction of a few healthy, frugal eating tips. Healthy eating is a priority for more and more households. Information about food allergies and food processing has led many a mom to take control of grocery shopping with new determination.

One thing that has not changed is the desire to shop economically. Whether eating gluten-free, going organic, or tweaking an existing diet, there are several strategies that work for all to keep costs down.

1. Plan, Plan, Plan – Meal planning saves both money and time, and it makes eating healthy easier! First, take inventory of your pantry and see what needs to be used right away. Then create your meals for the week. Creating meals around what needs to be eaten first means less waste and fewer unnecessary purchases at the store. Make your list based on your meal planning and start checking it against the weekly coupons offered. Most stores provide online options for coupons and weekly specials and many will honor competitor coupons.

2. Eat Naturally - Fresh fruits and veggies will always be an enormous part of any healthy eating plan, and there are tricks for keeping costs low. Keep a chart of what is in-season and try to buy as much of that as possible. Get familiar with The Dirty Dozen (foods to always buy organic) and the Clean 15 (foods that tested low in pesticides). Don’t forget about frozen choices; frozen fruits and veggies are a great addition to a well-stocked pantry.

3. Supersize it – Buy in bulk whenever possible. This means stocking up on Buy-One-Get-One-Free items or shopping at wholesale stores for specific items. Another option is online retailers like Amazon, where organic and gluten free products are often on sale.

4. Make Your Own – Want to reduce the amount of processed foods eaten or need to eliminate particular ingredients? Making foods from scratch is an easy way to eat healthier and save money. Look for free recipes for Gluten Free cooking and to discover new combinations for those in season veggies. And don’t forget options that can often double or triple a recipe and freeze some for later.

5. Grow A Garden – Planting even a few herbs or vegetables can produce big results. A family garden gives the opportunity to cut out pesticides as well as plant what will inevitably be eaten. Even without a yard, several plants like tomatoes and cucumbers can be grown in pots and do well virtually anywhere. Look for resources to help maximize square footage and tips for canning, freezing and preserving so that the savings keep going after the garden ends.

Eating healthy and living frugally can work together. Although it takes a bit of time and effort, the end results of a balanced meal and balanced checkbook are well worth it.

About the author:

SelectAware.com offers free website coupons, coupon codes, promotions, product specials, sales, and any other type of information to help consumers get the best deal on what they are looking for. The SelectAware.com Savings Blog offers savings tips, shopping news, savings tutorials, store reviews and tips for bargain hunting.

Do your kids love fast food? Do you wish they would choose healthier options?

Healthy Food Choices Made Fun

As a family, you might try to spend time together in the kitchen. You could teach kids easy, new ways to eat some of their favorite foods or even let them help prepare nutritious meals and then celebrate with a family picnic. To help promote a more active lifestyle you might like to go for a walk or on a nature hike after the picnic, play soccer, or Frisbee. The key is to make it fun, from the beginning of food preparation, to eating the food and finally to fun, family time afterward.

Fast Food Recipe Options

Here are a few alternatives to some of the most loved fast food choices:

• Breakfast Tacos or Soft Tacos– Use a whole wheat tortilla and fill with a choice of fillings like scrambled egg whites, turkey sausage, turkey bacon, low fat mozzarella cheese, fresh vegetables, and salsa.
• Individual Pizza– Using a whole wheat tortilla as the pizza crust, top with pure (seasoned) tomato paste, low fat mozzarella cheese and any fresh vegetable desired.
• French Fries– Let the children help slice sweet potatoes. Toss the slices in a Ziploc bag with a little olive oil. Seal the bag and let the children shake it to coat the fries. Place the fries on a baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven, 450°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Mashed Potatoes– Try mashed cauliflower. Boil the cauliflower, drain the water, and mash and stir until it is the consistency of homemade mashed potatoes. Instead of butter, consider flavoring with low-fat or fat free sour cream, low-fat mozzarella cheese, and chives.

Make dietary changes slowly and expect to see gradual results. The kids may not like the changes at first, take one step at a time. Make each step fun and get the kids involved. The more they help prepare the foods, the more likely they are to eat and enjoy the new foods.

Fast Food at Home – Making it Fun

What are you doing in your home to help your kids make healthy food choices? Have you discovered a fun, new way to make their favorite fast foods? Please share with us!

For more Works For Me tips, visit We Are That Family.

Have you been in on any of our FACEBOOK discussions regarding homemade cleaning products? In a lot of those cleaning product recipes, essential oils are an optional addition. I’ve personally used orange, lemon, tea tree, and lavender essential oils in my laundry soap and dishwasher soap.

If you’re new to essential oils, they are basically highly-concentrated essences derived from the different parts of aromatic plants including bark, leaves, and flowers. Oils can be used in a number of ways, today I’ll just be touching mostly on cleaning products.

Lavender is one of the most popular oils. You might like to add a few drops into some water and use as a refreshing mist throughout your rooms. If you make homemade soaps, lavender might be a nice calming scent to add in (you could add in some of the flowers as well, they’re a pretty purple!).

Tea Tree is another fairly common oil. I’ve also added a few drops of this oil into my laundry soap (only use one scent at a time) as it works as an antiseptic and also has antibacterial properties. You may have seen certain shampoos with tea tree as an ingredient. Once you become somewhat familiar with some of these common oils, it seems as though you see their names mentioned almost everywhere!

Lemon and orange essential oils come from the fruit peels themselves and have very powerful anti-microbial properties. These citrus oils can destroy bacteria, viruses, and even  fungi. I’ve found that citrus is one of my favorite smells (in soaps) as I find it quite refreshing! With it being in the middle of winter, citrus brings my thoughts right around to warm, summer days.

Do you use essential oils in your cleaning products?

*Disclaimer* Please exercise caution when using essential oils in cleaning products or with any other application. Essential oils can be strong, potent, and may cause reactions or skin irritations. Use at your own risk after careful research.

At the beginning of each new year there seems to be a lot of discussion about healthy eating, dieting, and exercise methods. We’re hearing the words “gluten-free” more and more these days. Do you know where gluten is found? Gluten is a protein composite in wheat, barley, rye and spelt. Gluten is what helps hold together bakery items such as breads, rolls, and buns. Many of the food items we consume every day may contain some form of wheat flour such as in: bread, crackers, cereal, and pizza. Many frozen, prepared, and processed foods contain flour binders. Do you read food labels or look for foods that are gluten free?

I’ve also been hearing things about the Paleo diet. Paleo is short for Paleolithic and is sometimes referred to as the “caveman, Stone Age, or hunter-gatherer diet.” This diet is known as a modern, nutritional plan based on the presumed ancient diet (of wild plants and animals that may have been consumed) during the Paleolithic era. Those that follow the “Paleo” diet seem to mainly eat fish, grass-fed meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, various forms of plant roots, and nuts.

I’ve seen many testimonies that those who follow a gluten-free or Paleo diet feel better and have more energy. Have any of you experienced this?

All-in-all, keeping your ingredients simple is not only a healthier choice but more cost effective as well. As always, to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to buying weekly groceries try, to buy fresh produce in season and in bulk (if the unit price proves to be the best deal). It’s a good idea to stay along the perimeter walls of the grocery store. You’re most likely to find your food “staples” there such as produce, meat, dairy, and breads.

How do your feed your family healthy foods on a budget?

If you get my Friday newsletter, you most likely read Midge’s questions about staying occupied during cold, winter days (if you don’t get my FREE newsletter be sure and subscribe via the sticky note in the upper right corner). Read below to find out some of my ideas! Molly

Dear Midge,

During mid-February I too begin to think about spring! When we’re stuck inside during cold, blustery days I usually put on a pot of soup and make some fresh bread. After our daily chores are done I sometimes declare it movie day! If the kids seem overly energetic and need to burn off some steam, I take them outside and we first clear the sidewalks and driveway (taking turns with the shovels). Then we get to the fun stuff and make snow angels, try sledding and/or snow boarding or even build a snowman. The kids have a lot of fun when mom gets out there with them, they’ve even surprised me a time or two with surprise snow ball fights!

If the day is overly cold or not fit to be outside, we break out the board games or even try a family game of Twister. One time I tried having us all do yoga poses, you can only imagine what my living room looked like! LOL

I think the key to being “stuck” inside is to keep things interesting and look for things to do that are out of the norm. Our favorite treat is hot chocolate with marshmallows! The kids love any excuse to break out the popcorn and make hot chocolate (they even have special mugs just for hot chocolate!).

I have to admit I am pouring over the seed catalogs and beginning to make a plan for my garden and flowerbeds this year. In the next few weeks I may even begin to start seeds (that will be exciting, won’t it?).

Praying for spring right along with you,

Molly

Did you know this is National Oatmeal Month? I thought it would only be fitting to pay tribute to what we usually think of as only a breakfast food.

The Benefits of  Oats

Studies show that eating 3 servings of whole grains (like oats) per day can reduce the effects of and even prevent heart disease, stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, and certain cancers. Eating whole grains can reduce the risk of asthma and lower blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels. Another added benefit is that the soluble fiber found in whole grains can give the body a sense of fullness that may aid in weight loss by reducing hunger.

More Information on Oatmeal and Controlling Type 2 Diabetes

Oatmeal in its most natural form is the oat. The whole grain is then cut, crushed, or ground down into smaller pieces of soluble fiber.

The soluble fiber in oatmeal is consider low on the glycemic index scale. It digests slowly and provides a gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream. Type 2 Diabetes is non-insulin dependent and is usually controlled by medication, diet, and/or weight management. Making oatmeal part of a balanced diet can help maintain normal sugar levels and help control weight, which may help to prevent the onset of Type 2 Diabetes.

Oatmeal Does The Body Good on the Inside & Outside

We all know that oatmeal can be great as a breakfast food as well as in bread, cookies, and meatloaf. Did you know it can help soothe eczema too?

Eczema is a skin condition resulting in potentially severe rashes and may be treated through the use of oatmeal baths. Since many products used to treat eczema can actually burn and irritate skin upon application, oatmeal can be an ideal treatment option as it soothes the skin and eliminates itching. To prepare an oatmeal bath, just add in a few handfuls of finely ground or milled dry oatmeal to your warm bath water. You’ll want to avoid overly hot water as that causes continuing dryness and irritation.  You might like to make your own oatmeal soaps and soothers! Be sure to check out the DIY oatmeal remedies posted on our Pinterest board, Folk  & Home Remedies.

Do you have your own ode to oatmeal? How do you use oatmeal most often in your home? Feel free to post recipes, home remedy ideas and your thoughts in the comment link below.

If you get my Freebie Friday newsletter, you most likely read Midge’s question about what to pack in a care package for a sick friend (if you don’t get my FREE newsletter be sure and subscribe via the sticky note in the upper right corner). Read below to find out what my suggestions are for care package ideas! Molly

Dear Midge,

Unfortunately, the winter season usually comes with sick days. When putting together a care package for a sick friend, I like to begin with a pretty basket. I’ve found that if I browse my local second hand store(s), I can usually find a pretty basket (or two!) for a very good price. Once I’m at home, I look around for a pretty ribbon or some raffia to add to the basket. I try to line it with some colorful tissue paper (do you have any left over from Christmas?) or even a pretty towel. Note: I usually pick up a few kitchen/bathroom hand towels from a dollar type store when I know I’ll be putting together a gift basket to give away.

When it comes to the contents, I think about the things I might like when I’m sick. I always like to include a small box of tissues and a coffee cup containing a package of hot cocoa or some tea bags (I look for coffee cups at second hand or thrift stores). One time I made a care package for my sister when she was ill and I included a movie from a $5 movie bin. It happened to be a movie we watched as children. She loved it!

Sometimes I like to make some chicken noodle soup, ladle it into a mason jar and deliver it along with the care package. I almost always place a package of saltine crackers into the basket as well. Who doesn’t like a few saltine crackers when you’re sick?

The care package you put together doesn’t have to contain a lot of items, just a few will do the trick. The main purpose is to let the person know you are thinking of them and wishing them well. You could tuck a little note inside the basket or even have your children make cards to send along.

I hope this helps! Love ya, Molly

Guest Blog by:  Midge

This blog today was supposed to be about my grand attempt to get motivated out of my couch potato life and start moving. I have a 5K plan…I have goals…then, I was distracted by a fantastic looking pretzel recipe. Sigh…

So, I got myself off the couch and headed towards the kitchen. Internet recipe print out in hand, I put my ingredients in order. Then, because baking and I often disagree, I walked slowly through each agonizing step which was very time consuming.

Ever hear about the car mechanic, who gets done fixing your car and has parts left over? This pretzel recipe was like a train wreck.  There was at least one ingredient in the ingredient list that did not translate into the numbered instructions. For those of us who are baking challenged ~ can I hear a collective “AAAAUUUUGGGHHH!”.

After twenty minutes I found out I was wrong and all of the ingredients were accounted for. The ingredient in question was baking soda and I was supposed to use it to “poach” the pretzel before baking it. Poaching a pretzel is probably the oddest instruction I have been given in a very long time. I am not sure that I have ever “poached” anything before. My husband was sure I was talking about poaching animals but I assured him I was not going to go elephant hunting any time soon!

I boiled the water added the baking soda and poached. Did I do it right? I have no idea! But, I followed those directions like I was a third chair flute on parade day.

When my husband and I finally ate them, they actually tasted okay. But, they were not the light, fluffy soft pretzels you buy at a basketball game. They turned out thick, heavy, and tasting slightly of baking soda. By now, I was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the recipe, just my interpretation of it.

Maybe I should have stuck to my original plan- get moving!  There is a 5K (3.1 miles) race every year where I live and I told my husband that my goal is to actually run the entire race. By the way, not counting PE class where you are forced to run, I am not nor have I ever been a runner. I just need to get inspired and start moving.

I have until June and I already got off the couch. Now, I just need to get out of the kitchen!

Do you have any recommendations for how to turn my interpretation of this recipe from thick and heavy to light and fluffy? What are your goals for this New Year? Do you want to join the Midge team (party of one) with my 5K challenge?

Here are a couple of websites to share:

*My friend was the first one to inspire me when she mentioned she was going to do a COUCH TO 5K program…I think I might look into this!

*Want to try the same pretzel recipe and give me a few pointers?

Over the last few days, I have spoken with several of our readers who are battling the flu. Below are some flu prevention tips that may help your family stay healthy and avoid the outbreak.

Flu Shot

The CDC, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, says the #1 best way to prevent the flu is by being vaccinated each year. The flu shot is available at most clinics and hospitals throughout the nation. The average cost is about $25-$30, but that cost may be reduced if you have health insurance. Check to see if your health insurance policy covers the flu shot. Also, check with your employer as many companies are offering free flu shots to all their employees.

Good Health Habits Can Stop Germs

For some, I know the flu shot is not an option, or for whatever reason, some may choose not to get vaccination. Here are a few tips for maintaining optimal health.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, stay home and keep your distance from others to prevent them from getting sick too.
• Cover your mouth or nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the inside crook of your elbow, not your hands. Doing this may help others from catching the illness.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand rub sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

Practice Good Health Habits Year Round

Maintaining overall good health is one of the best ways to help your body stay well. Here are ways to maintain good health year round.

1. Get plenty of sleep. The average adult needs between 6-8 hours of sleep a night.
2. Drink plenty of fluids. Nutritionists recommend 8-10 glasses of water a day.
3. Eat nutritious food, especially those high in Vitamin C and Zinc. Both of these play a key part in boosting the body’s immune system. Foods that are high in Vitamin C and Zinc include: leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, and broccoli.
4. Consider a daily multi-vitamin that provides 100% of the FDA daily recommended allowances of Vitamin C, B6, B12, Zinc, and Iron.
5. Try to exercise on a regular basis. Those that exercise or walk for 30 minutes a day 3-4 times a week tend to stay healthier than those with a sedentary lifestyle.
6. Try to keep stress to a minimum, stress can wear the body out physically and mentally. Home and life organization can play a key part in keeping the entire family happy and healthy.

What Should I Do if I Get the Flu?

One could do everything mentioned above and still come down with the flu. People who are at a high risk for flu such as the elderly, children, infants, those with asthma, diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure, or other long term health conditions are encouraged to seek medical attention at the onset of flu symptoms.

Your doctor can provide an anti-viral prescription medication to lessen the severity of the flu. Flu drugs are taken at the onset of flu and may help decrease the severity and duration of flu symptoms.

The CDC recommends Relenza or Tamiflu, these medications are most effective when given within 48 hours of the onset of illness. They can also decrease the duration of the flu by one day if used within this early time period. These medications are usually given for a period of about five days and are sometimes used to help prevent the flu in someone exposed to another person with the flu.

For most healthy individuals, not in the high risk category, the following is a list of recommendations:

 Do you have more recommendations or perhaps homeopathic remedies that I didn’t mention above? How does your schedule and routine change when family members are sick?

It’s Wednesday. Are you waiting for payday on Friday? Do your cupboards look a tad bare with minimal things left in your refrigerator?

Sometimes we find ourselves needing to be creative in the kitchen to stretch meals to payday. There’s no need to shop the dollar menu at your local drive through, a healthier alternative is here!

Do you have some leftover ham or chicken in the fridge sitting there all by itself? Maybe there’s an egg or two tucked away in the carton- not enough for a meal. Look in your cupboard and see if there’s a scoop or two left of rice. These 3 ingredients aren’t much on their own but when you combine them with a few veggies (maybe there’s some frozen veggies tucked away in the back of your freezer), you can make a yummy and filling meal of FRIED RICE.

Once I discovered some frozen chicken filets in my freezer that needed to be used immediately. I cooked them up and diced them and put them in a large mixing bowl. I looked around my kitchen to see what else I could add to the bowl. We happened to have some leftover baked potatoes in the fridge that we didn’t use the night before. I peeled and diced those and threw them in the mixing bowl with the chicken. I kept looking…in my pantry I found one can of corn and a can of green beans. I drained both cans and emptied them into the mixing bowl. It then dawned on me that I had almost all the ingredients for CHICKEN POT PIE! All I needed was some cream of chicken (or cream of celery soup), some seasonings and a pie crust. If you happen to have a prepared crust in your freezer (you can make one if you don’t) so I waited for it to thaw and lined my pie pan. The rest was delicious history!

Recently I found myself with a bounty of farm fresh eggs from a friend. My refrigerator was rather bare and I had to get really creative on what to feed my crew for dinner. Why not OMELETS or QUICHE? With a few leftover ingredients from the refrigerator or a can of this-or-that from the pantry you can pull of a great tasting, healthier meal than found in any drive through.

Here’s to creative meals and stretching what we have on hand until payday! What’s your creative solution for tonight’s meal?