The Eat Clean Diet

The Eat Clean diet is one that has gained popularity over the years. The main idea is to choose foods that are unprocessed. It is always a good idea to speak with a doctor before starting a new diet. What is the Eat Clean Diet? The Eat Clean Diet is different from other diets because it encourages a lifestyle approach that includes healthy eating and exercise. The main idea is to avoid foods that are “unclean”. In general, this means people who choose the Eat Clean Diet are consuming whole foods and avoiding processed foods that contain artificial flavorings, artificial … Continue reading

The Best Healthy Food on a Budget

Most of us are familiar with the Ramen every night diet. It isn’t a plan to lose weight, rather a plan to actually afford food, and it has been made famous by college students or anyone just starting out with only a limited budget. But the Ramen Noodle diet isn’t exactly a healthy one. The “meal” contains high levels of sodium and carbs and pretty much zero nutrients. Yes, it will fill you up for less, but it isn’t something you can use to feed a family and keep them all healthy. Another source of cheap food that people often … Continue reading

Five Ways to Spend Less to Feed Your Kids

Kids can be little vacuums sometimes, eating up everything in sight. While it is good for growing bodies to get the calories and nutrition that they need, it isn’t always great for the budget, especially when you want to eat out. A typical family with three kids can spend $25-$30 at a counter service restaurant or $50-$70 at a family-friendly sit down restaurant. There are a number of ways to reduce the cost of food for your kids, that are not extreme and will leave you spending less to feed your kids. Here are five of the best ways to … Continue reading

How to Water Your Plants During a Drought

Water, water. Sometimes it’s not everywhere. Sometimes there is no rain to be found, not for days and weeks. This is scary for farmers and deeply frustrating for gardeners. In a drought, plants die, and if you rely on these plants for food and shade, this can be very difficult. How can you weather drought and plan for future dry times as well? Let some of your plants go dormant. Lawns and moss will go brown. This is fine. Keep your lawn a little longer before the dry season begins so that it will make as much shade and conserve … Continue reading

Get a Free Moneybag from Coinstar

Freebies are fun! It is always nice to find something unique, or new to you, that you can sample for free. Once in a while, you find freebies for special, limited run, items that you can’t buy in stores. Here are a few of the most interesting freebies that I found today. Coinstar wants to give you a free moneybag. Before you get too excited, please understand that the bag itself will not come to you already filled with money. It is called the Coin Sherpa. Use it to bring all those pennies and coins that you have been collecting … Continue reading

The Frugal Way to Save at the Farmer’s Market

I love farmer’s markets, but I confess that there was a period of time when I avoided them. I always seemed to spend too much money when I shopped at them. For the sake of our budget, the best thing to do seemed to be to stop shopping at them, which was a shame, since we missed out on fresh items grown or crafted locally. The problem had to be solved. How could we still enjoy the farmer’s market while keeping on task with our budget? Here are the strategies that I started to employ. I saw a difference in … Continue reading

Detoxing Your Home

Did you know that a recent study examining infant cord blood found it to contain more than 300 different chemicals? These are chemicals that are not naturally occurring in the body. Instead, they were chemicals and toxins taken in from the mothers’ environment or consumed through food. Many of the chemicals that we come in contact with every day, through touch, breathing or eating are toxic, known to contribute to diseases from asthma to cancer. While we can’t eliminate entirely the toxins in our modern lives, we can make sure that are homes, the place in which we spend the … Continue reading

5 Cool Smoothies for a Hot Day

Homemade smoothies are a great choice for the summer months. Make sure yours include some that have a healthy dose of protein to fuel the muscles for all of those summer activities, such as swimming, hiking and more. Here is a selection of smoothies that can be refreshing, filling and pack a healthy punch to your day. Shop for organic berries and ingredients when possible. Enjoy! Banana Strawberry Protein Smoothie 1 scoop vanilla whey protein 8 ounces of milk 1/2 cup frozen organic strawberries 1 ripe banana 3-4 ice cubes Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until blended. … Continue reading

Saving Money on Healthy Summer Treats

Is it just me, or does the food bill seem to grow in the summer? All of that fresh air seems to be making us all hungry. Summer favorites such as fresh produce, popsicles, even burgers, seem to be going up in price. Add in a bit extra when you are trying to avoid the artificial stuff and buy organic, and the prices go up even more. You don’t want to have to choose between serving healthy food to your family and going into debt. My advice is to use all of the strategies you can to get the best … Continue reading

Eating Organic and Local For Less: Part Two

Do you want to go green in the kitchen? Cost can be a big factor that prevents families from eating organic and local food. Here are more ideas to help you eat healthy, local food and support local farmers! Get local! Food deserts are a rising concern. In these places, it’s hard to find any sort of healthy food aside from a convenience store. If you have a hard time getting to a store to shop for healthy food, you may be living in a food desert. In this case, programs like Farm to School programs or mini seasonal markets … Continue reading