Budgets: Prioritize Healthy Foods

Promoting a good working budget does help with cutting back on unnecessary expenses, but when it comes to groceries and your health, you do not want a low budget geared to unhealthy food. Some people are looking to eat more healthy with less pesticides or other chemicals, choosing foods according to ecologic concerns, or simply for good health reasons creating a desire for fresher and less processed foods.

It is possible to eat healthy and even organic if you shop in the right places. As with buying any food, you will want to buy what you will eat in order to lessen the food waste. Because the word "organic" is known to be expensive it is too often ignored by those on a low food budget. When you are budgeting expenses, somethings will go together. Feed your bodies with healthy choices to help maintain your overall health. It is your preventative measures to keep the doctor's bills from piling up.

Organic produce is usually more expensive because of the extra labor which goes into the growing process without pesticides. The crop yield is not as abundant and therefore the price goes up. So how can you stay within your budget and purchase these foods?

For starters, try to stay away from the larger chain stores who focus on organic products. Their prices are usually more expensive than other options. You can buy organic in your local grocery store, but the best price will be at any market which sells local fresh produce. Farmer's markets will sell these products, and purchasing at the end of the day may get you the lowest cost as vendors are trying to get rid of their items. Buying local will also extend the shelf life of the foods. These items from local markets have not been sitting in warehouses or in the backs of trucks through the normal delivery process. Your fresh fruits and vegetables will last longer in your refrigerator and give you more time to use products that you may have bought in bulk.

When organic fruits and vegetable are not readily available to you or your budget just cannot handle spending a few cents more for these items, do not stop buying fresh produce. Help balance out the health benefits, keep those products in your diet but reduce the risk of pesticides by:

*Wash and scrub the produce under running water for at least 30 seconds. Soaking does not get built up residue off.

*Whenever possible, peel the skin.

*Throw away the outer leaves on leafy vegetables.

*Trim fat from meats and with chicken, take off the skin as well. Skin and fat collect pesticide residue.

*Vary your food items to balance out your nutrient intake.

*Fruits and vegetables that have been canned have lower pesticide residue.

Food that has been grown organically also come as canned goods which will last longer on your shelves. These products will help you keep fruits and vegetables on your table throughout all growing seasons. Some products are well known to contain high levels of inorganic matter. Purchasing these foods as organic would be beneficial to you and your family: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes. On a brighter note, there is also a list of fruits and vegetables which have shown to carry fewer risks and are not high on the need to buy organic list. These items can be bought anywhere with little to no risk: papaya, broccoli, cabbage, bananas, kiwi, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, mango, pineapple, frozen sweet corn, avocado and onions.

Make your budget around healthy foods whenever you can. You may spend a bit more on the products, but that investment is priceless when your body is healthier. Buy items according to a pre-planned menu to help prevent waste and limit your purchases to only those ingredients needed. Find a balance with your budget and health. You will see the benefits fist off with your health, but the long-term effects on your budget as you keep medical costs down will be tremendously beneficial.

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