Budget Friendly, Healthy Meals to Feed the Family

Feeding a family tends to cost a fortune. A week of groceries for a single adult totals to an average of $60-$70 a week. If you have a family of three or more, your grocery bill quickly reaches $200+ for the week. So, if you’re on a tight budget and trying to adopt healthier eating habits, you might be experiencing a little stress just thinking about the whole ordeal.

 Luckily, sticking to your budget and eating healthy doesn’t need to be so stressful. If it were, nobody would even try to start. As long as you plan and prepare in advance, your grocery trip will feel like a breeze. To make your healthy meal preparation and grocery shopping financially friendly, try these budget-friendly, healthy meals your family will love.

Turkey Taco Bake

Ingredients

•  0.5 cup – Egg Beaters® Original

•  4 oz – Reduced fat cream cheese

• 1/3 cup – Fat-free half and half

• 3.5 tsp – Taco seasoning

• 2 cups – Fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

• 4oz – Diced green chiles

• 0.25 cup – Walden Farms® Tomato & Basil Sauce

• 16 oz – Extra lean ground turkey breast 

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

• Blend the Egg Beaters® and cream cheese until smooth. Then mix in half and half and 1/2 tsp taco seasoning.

• Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and spread 1 cup of cheddar cheese on top.

• Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cheddar cheese and bake for 25 minutes.

• In a skillet, brown the turkey. Remove from heat and stir in sauce, chiles, and taco seasoning.

• Remove the cheddar crust from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F.

• Evenly spread turkey mixture on crust and top with remaining cheddar.

• Bake an additional 20 minutes.

Turkey and Brussel Sprout Salad

Ingredients

• 6 oz – Turkey breast, skinless, raw

• 0.5 tsp – Salt

• 0.5 tsp – Ground black pepper

• 3 tbsp – Fresh-squeezed lemon juice

• 2 tsp – Olive oil

• 0.5 tsp – Cajun blackening seasoning

• 1 cup – Trimmed and halved brussels sprouts

• 2 tbsp – Pomegranate seeds

• 2 tbsp – Parmesan cheese, reduced-fat, grated

Directions

• Sprinkle Cajun seasoning over turkey.

• Prep a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium-high heat.

• Add turkey breast and cook through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pan and keep warm.

• In a medium bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until combined. Add Brussels sprouts and toss well. Fold in almonds, pomegranate seeds, and shaved Parmesan cheese.

• Serve with sliced turkey breast on top and serve with lemon wedges.

Tuna Spinach Salad

Ingredients

• 6 cups – Spinach, raw

• 6 – Cherry tomatoes

• 3 oz – Feta cheese, fat-free, crumbles

• 3 tsp – Olive oil

• 1 tbsp – Fresh-squeezed lemon juice

• 0.25 cups – Chopped red onion

• 2 tbsp – Italian dressing

• 1 12.5 oz can – Light tuna, drained

• 2 165.000g – Tuna (canned in water)

Directions

• Wash and chop all veggies to your preference.

• Chop up the red onion and start assembling your meal prep container. Add two cups of spinach and evenly divide the cherry tomatoes and red onion.

• Make your salad dressing by whisking together olive oil and lemon juice OR choose a light salad dressing. Store the dressing separately in small containers to keep the spinach from wilting OR put at the bottom of a mason jar and then shake it before eating.

• Divide the Tuna and fat-free feta cheese.

The best part of eating healthy is not simply only related to shopping for groceries and ingredients. It’s about the experience of cooking food with and for your family. It’s a great way to develop new traditions you’ll want to pass down to everyone else and the memories you make along the way. Whatever you do, don’t let cost get in your way. Achieve the goals you want to achieve by trying these inexpensive yet simple recipes!