How to Eat Healthier Without Increasing Your Grocery Costs

Veggies: Broccoli and Carrots

You don't need to get funky with your veggie choices to boost the nutrition and stomach-happiness of your entire family. In fact, your kids (and spouse) would likely appreciate it if you kept the veggie choices tame and well-seasoned. A simple stock of broccoli heads and a big bag of carrots is all you need to make any recipe healthier with a rounded dose of nutrients and fiber. Of course, feel free to add any other low-cost veggies your family enjoys like mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, etc.

Starches: Rice Bought in Bulk

Remember the rice cooker? Rice bought in 15-lbs bags is one of the cheapest, healthiest, and easiest to cook starches in the world, and you can take your pick of your favourite type of rice. Whether you like short-grain white sticky rice or long-grain textured basmati rice, it cooks nicely into or on the side of just about everything. And you only need to shop for it once every few months. If you can't find an over-sized bag at the grocery store (this is common) try Amazon or Walmart, which both tend to carry more bulk items.

Flavour: Spice Mixes and Bouillon

A good collection of spices are the key to making any plain-seeming meal come to life. Spice mixes are also usually far more cost-effective than putting together a nice spice rack of overpriced glass jars. Let personal and family preference be your guide, but a good place to start would be Lemon Pepper, Italian Seasoning, Greek Seasoning, and Mexican Seasoning, depending on how you like to cook. We also suggest a jar or pack of chicken bouillon, which can make veggies and rice taste like a full-calorie meal, instantly.

Dessert: Boxed Muffin Mix

Dessert doesn't have to break the bank either. Box mixes of muffins, especially carefully-portioned bran muffins, are incredibly healthy and can be pretty darn delicious. Muffin mixes also make great on-the-go breakfasts. Don't worry about pre-made desserts or personal serving sizes or, if you do, solve that problem with a mini-muffin pan. If you feel like splurging, grab a pack of "diet" brownie mix instead. Add an extra egg, and your kids will never know the difference.

Recipe Suggestions

As the cherry on top of this healthy tip bonanza, we'd like to help you out with a few recipes to get started with your new grocery paradigm. Keep in mind, our primary ingredients are rice, chicken, eggs, basic veggies, and spices. That's it. And you'll be amazed what you can do with all that plus a few staples most kitchens keep stocked.

High-Energy Egg Breakfast Variants

• Fried Eggs on English Muffins
• French Toast with Syrup
• Egg-Veggie Scrambles or Omelets with Toast
• Scrambled Eggs, Sauteed Veggies, and a Box-Mix Bran Muffin with Butter
• Cheesy Omelet Sandwiches

Snacks and Sides From Listed Ingredients

• Salty Rice Instead of Popcorn
• Bouillon Rice
• Sauteed Seasoned Veggies
• Veggies with Dip
• Seasoned Strips of Chicken
• Chicken with BBQ Sauce Dip

Dinners and Entrees

• Chicken Caesar Salads
• Casserole of Various Types
• Chicken Rice Soup
• Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
• Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry
• Combination (AKA anything) Fried Rice

As you can see, there are so many things you can do with lean chicken, rice, veggies, and a rack of mixed spices. Dinner doesn't have to be boring, expensive, or completely alien to be healthy. Just lean and full of the right kind of nutrients. Take it from someone who's lived the life; you can eat well, lose weight, and power up for high-energy days at work or school on a serious grocery budget without losing interest.

Qualityfoods.ae is one of your best options for finding the groceries you need to feed your family healthy foods on a budget. You can shop on the web or through a mobile app and have fresh groceries delivered right to your door. Contact us today to learn more about how to feed your family healthier foods on a more efficient budget every week!