Real Food on a Budget

If you're wondering how to eat well on a tight budget, we have good news for you - traditional food blogger extraordinaire Cheeseslave is hosting a "Real Food on a Budget" blog carnival today. Check it out for tons of great ideas! Here is our contribution:

In the midst of uncertain economic times, it can be tempting to cut your grocery budget by turning to cheap, processed food instead of high quality, nutrient dense "real food." However, reducing the quality of the food your family consumes can have real consequences, both now and in the future. So how can you eat real food on a tight budget?

A quick internet search for “eating well on a budget” will reveal dozens of useful tips for keeping your food budget in check. For your convenience, the US Wellness Meats staff has compiled a short list of our favorite tips for eating nutritious real food on a budget:

• Grow your own vegetables, fruits, and herbs in a garden or in containers; shop at a farmer’s market or join a CSA (community supported agriculture) program if growing your own isn’t an option.
• Choose locally raised, in season fruits and vegetables; frozen versions are a cost effective and nutritious substitute during winter months.
• Plan ahead – plan meals in advance and shop only once per week; prior to meal planning, inventory your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry to determine what you need to use before it expires or goes to waste.

To maximize your budget when ordering from US Wellness Meats:

• Shop for weekly sale items, which are announced each Sunday and run through Saturday night.
• Order primal cuts of steak and roast – you can save money by cutting a primal into portions at home.
• Order bulk packages of your favorite products, from ground beef to steak to shredded beef. Our frozen meats are packaged to withstand long term storage in your freezer, which allows you to order in bulk without products going to waste. Splitting bulk packages with friends or family can also boost your savings on high quality grass fed beef.
• New steak choices, developed as “value cuts,” including the flat iron and teres major, are equally tender and delicious alternatives to traditional cuts such as New York strip and tenderloin filet steaks.
• Sandwich steaks, minute steaks, flank steak, and petite top sirloin are all outstanding values.

Finally, think of good nutrition as an investment which will pay big dividends in the future. Eating well today, even in this unsteady economy, will eventually lead to a savings in health care costs and will improve your quality of life along the way.

Curious about the Real Food on a Budget carnival? Visit Cheeseslave to get more information. Real Food blog carnivals occur every Wednesday - Kelly the Kitchen Kop rotates hosting duties with Cheeseslave.

Beef and Bean Burritos: A Great Family Meal

If one of your New Year's Resolutions was to feed your family a more nourishing diet, we found an easy, delicious recipe to help you keep that resolution:

Beef and Bean Burritos

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 cups prepared black beans (or 3 15-ounce cans black or pinto beans, rinsed, drained)
1 14-ounce container beef bone stock
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
4 green onions
Warm tortillas of your choice (flour, whole wheat, sprouted)
Grated Monterey Jack cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
Salsa (try Zukay)

Directions:

1. Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until brown, breaking up beef with fork, about 6 minutes. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook until onion is transparent, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and cook 1 minute. Add beans, beef stock and chilies and cook until beans are creamy and thickened, crushing beans with back of spoon, about 15 minutes. Mix in green onions.
2. Transfer beans to baking dish. Serve with tortillas, cheese, cilantro and salsa, allowing diners to assemble their own burritos at the table. Serves 8. - Recipe adapted from epicurious.com
   

What are your favorite nourishing recipes?
Do you need some nourishing recipes and ideas? Check out some of our favorite blogs:
Kelly the Kitchen Kop
Cheeseslave
The Nourishing Gourmet