• Home
  • Free Planner
  • Workout Devotional
  • Workout Gear
    • Look Book
    • Your Gym Bag
    • Lorna Jane Reviews
    • Four Athletics
  • Kickstart
  • Essential Oils for Health & Wellness
All Day Active LIfe

Balanced & Healthy

Healthy Eating Doesn't Need to Break the Bank

3/22/2019

16 Comments

 
how to eat healthy on a budget with simple ideas anyone can follow
​One of my favorite things to do is find a bargain.  It may be a genetic trait handed down, or maybe I just love the satisfaction it gives me to get something for less.  Either way, I love being able to save money on just about anything.

And grocery shopping is NO exception.  This is why I do most of my shopping at Aldi. I wasn’t always and Aldi shopper, but over the past few years I have come to love it.  I turned my nose up at first and didn’t like how small the store was.  But one summer while some roads to our main grocery store were closed for road work, I decided to give it another shop.

I’m so glad I did because I honestly have a hard time shopping anywhere else now.  I truly love the size of Aldi now because it takes me a lot less time to shop. And I don’t think I could ever go back to a grocery store bill that’s 40% more expensive. 

There are still things that I have to grab from a Super Target or grocery store that Aldi just doesn’t carry, but for the most part, everything we buy is from Aldi.  

One of the things I love about Aldi is that eating healthy and organic food doesn’t have to be an expensive habit.  
How to eat healthy without spending a lot of money

​HOW TO COMPARE PRICES FROM HOME

how to compare grocery store prices from the comfort of home
​I am a bit of nerd when it comes to saving money and I literally made a spreadsheet of the products I buy every week. Then I made a row across the top of my local grocery store, Aldi, Costco and Target.  You could just do your store and Aldi if you wanted.  It looks like this:

The far left column has my grocery items
The row across the top has each store I might buy something from

Now the fun part.  I used InstaCart and shopped all the items I normally buy and added them into the spreadsheet.  Make sure you’re being consistent with either price per item or price per ounce of each item.  This helped me see which stores I should do the majority of my shopping at and which stores had better prices for individual items.

This doesn’t take into account the fact that there are sales and coupons available for some items. But it does give you a pretty good idea of what to buy and where.

​MEAL PLAN TO SAVE MONEY

​I shop once a week for my family, and I plan out my meals for the week ahead of time so I know what to buy.  This has been the BEST way for me to both stay on track with healthy eating as well as save money.  Sometimes I base what I’m buying off of sales that I see in a weekly flyer, and sometimes I just plan based on what our weekly schedule is.

I write out a main dish and sides for every night of the week, leaving usually one night for leftovers.  My husband and I also have date nights at home and might have a charcuterie board with wine after the kids go to bed rather than a full family meal.

I try to find meals that might use one or two similar ingredients to make sure nothing goes to waste at the end of the week.  For example, if I buy a bag of potatoes, chances are we won’t eat the whole bag in one night.  I might make a soup with half of the bag and have baked potatoes for a side another night.  

Then I go through my recipes I’ve chosen for the week and write down any ingredients I  need to buy for each meal. 

I don’t generally meal plan for breakfast or lunch, but I have a pretty regular rotation of what my kids and I eat during the week for those meals.  I check in on things like oatmeal packets and granola to see if we need more so we don’t run out halfway through the week.
How to plan out meals to save money and eat healthier

​MY ALDI SHOPPING LIST

Aldi grocery shopping list for healthy and organic food
Dairy:
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • Cage Free or Organic Eggs
  • Organic Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
  • Goat Cheese
  • Grass Fed Cheddar Cheese
  • Organic Cheese or Vegan Style Cheese

Meat:
  • Grass Fed Beef
  • Organic Chicken Breasts or Tenders
  • Uncured lunch meats and bacon
  • Chicken Sausage
​
Frozen:
  • Chicken Breasts or Chicken Tenders
  • Frozen Veggies
  • Frozen Fruit Bars
​One of the reasons I love Aldi so much is that they have some really great organic options at a fraction of the cost another grocery store might have.  Below is my regular list of healthy grocery items I buy from Aldi: 

Box/Canned Items
  • Organic Almond Butter
  • Organic Maple Spice Oatmeal 
  • Multigrain Seed Chips
  • Raw Honey
  • 100% Real Maple Syrup
  • Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Organic Coconut Oil
  • Unsweetened Applesauce Pouches for my Kids
  • Organic Black Beans
  • Organic Diced Tomatoes
  • Gluten Free Tortilla Wraps
  • Naan
  • Seed Sprouted Bread (We love Seedtastic)
  • Free Range Chicken Broth
  • Reduced Sodium Organic Vegetable Broth
  • Organic Macaroni & Cheese (White Cheddar is AMAZING)
  • Organic Brown Rice
  • Organic Quinoa
  • Organic Spices

Produce:
(Okay, so let’s be honest, most of what I buy is produce, but these prepackaged items are some of my favorites)
  • Organic Kale 
  • Spinach
  • Bell Peppers
  • Broccoli or Cauliflower
  • Carrots or Celery
  • Avocado
  • Pears
  • Berries
  • Apples
  • Tomatoes

MAKE AHEAD INSTEAD OF BUYING FROZEN MEALS

​Let’s be honest that frozen is often times SO much more convenient than making from scratch.  We all have times in our lives where we need to make a quick meal with little prep time.  I use my Instant Pot on these days, or I grab something from the freezer that I’ve made in advance.

Buying frozen meals is often more expensive than eating fresh food, and it usually contains more preservatives and unhealthy ingredients.

Making meals ahead doesn’t have to be super complicated, and you don’t even have to fill your whole freezer.  Instead, choose a meal that will freeze well (soups, chilis and baked dishes work well).  Next time your family has this meal on the menu, simple double the recipe and make two pans or put extra in a freezable container.  Simple!  

Another tip is to make sure you write the temperature, length of cooking time and if the meal needs to be thawed or not on your container.
The easiest way to make your own frozen meals without spending a whole day in the kitchen

​TRY FOR ZERO WASTE

ideas for using up food before it goes bad for a zero waste kitchen
​My last tip for reducing your grocery bills is to use EVERYTHING up.  This has been one of the biggest ways for me to save money.  

First is not buying too much.  If you know your family just won’t go through it, don’t buy it.  No matter how good a deal it is. Period. That being said, there are some things that I do buy more of when there’s a good deal and either store for the future or freeze. 

Fruit and veggies that don’t get all used up go in the freezer for smoothies and soups.  Kale and spinach are GREAT things to add to smoothies and soups, and so we freeze it before it gets wilty and goes bad.  

Fruits that start getting a little mush get put in storage containers and added to the freezer.  We drink smoothies for breakfast at least twice a week, so this has been a really great way to use up our fruit.

As for cooked meats, I like to write the date on the leftover container and within 4-5 days if it’s not gone, I will take the meat and chop it up for salads or soups and put it in the freezer.  This has come in handy so many times when I’m just shy of a measurement of meat for a recipe.
What are your best tips for keeping your grocery bill down without sacrificing the quality of your food?
16 Comments

Best Places to Find FREE Workout Videos Online

3/13/2019

8 Comments

 
free full length workout videos
​When I first began doing fitness at home with videos, it was a costly habit.  The internet wasn’t the valuable resource it is now when it comes to the number of free and inexpensive programs.  Because of this, I would order videos from infomercials (hello, The Firm!), borrow them from a friend or get them at the library.  And then I would do those videos over and over and over again with almost no variety.

Maybe I’m revealing too much about my age, but I’m SO glad those days are gone!  In the past few years I’ve tried a few other workout videos and programs at home and had some really positive results with them. 

I’ve always enjoyed working out at home, just because it takes the complexity out of trying to squeeze in some exercise.  There’s no driving to the gym, loading up a bag, planning my outfit, etc.  And I don’t need to worry about how crowded it will be.  Nowadays, it’s a bonus because I can get up early and workout before my kids wake up, or I can even workout for a half hour while they play nearby.

Working out at home is definitely one of the things that has helped me stay active and healthy for the majority of my adult life. 

Plus, there are amazing resources available online that you can access for free.  And the sheer variety of videos and programs means you won’t get bored, and you’re less likely to hit a plateau from doing the same repetitive workouts over and over. 

These are my top picks for free workout videos online:
free online workout videos

Yoga with Adriene

yoga with adriene free videos
This is the best source I know of to get started or continue with Yoga.  Adriene shows different yoga sessions to help with a number of issues and ailments.  She categorizes her yoga videos by their benefit.  From using yoga to kick your bad mood to using Yoga to wake up for the day. If you're a beginner or more advanced, you'll find both types of videos in her library.
Yoga with Adriene Video Library

Tone it Up

Tone it up free workouts to watch online
I absolutely fell in love with Katrina and Karena when they had a short series on Bravo years ago.  Since then I've followed along with their workouts and social media.  Their page has SO many different types of workouts you can do from yoga to HIIT.  The best part is their workouts have THE best music, hands down.  These workouts may look super girly, but they are TOUGH.  You'll love them!
Tone It Up Youtube Channel

Jessica Smith TV

Picture
Jessica's library of full length workouts is AMAZING.  Seriously.  Most of her workouts are between 20 and 30 minutes, which is perfect for your busy day.  She has HIIT workouts for beginners to get you started on more intense workouts.  I love that she also has some great Barre workouts as well as shorter 10 minute workouts you can combine.  This is one of the largest libraries for free workout videos around.
Visit Jessica Smith TV

Get Healthy U

get healthy u free workouts
Chris Freyteg, a fellow Minnesota gal, is the creator of Get Healthy U, which has a library of 10 minute videos.  The videos are perfect for doing individually or combining them to create a longer workout.  No matter how you do it, you can get some serious variety in your workouts by mixing and matching. 
Get Healthy U 10 Minute Workouts

Shauna Kathleen YouTube Channel

Picture
If you've ever wanted to try Barre in the comfort of your own home, then Shauna Kathleen is THE video channel for you.  Her collection of videos will never leave you bored and will never get old....you'll love it! It's a great way to try out this program and get a feel for it before you try a class.
Shauna Kathleen Barre Fitness

GymRa

Picture
Gymra is a website with SO MANY WORKOUT VIDEOS.  You'll never get bored with these workouts at your fingertips.  Seriously.  You can find exercise videos that range from body weight workouts to cardio workouts.  There's even a weight loss program that you can follow and do for 21 days.  
GymRa YouTube Channel

Blogilates

Picture
I have been following with Cassey for years and years.  She does these awesome workout calendars for a month at a time and does AMAZING challenges.  Her site has grown and videos have compiled to a really impressive library.  Check out her YouTube Chanel and get started on  one of her series.
Blogilates Workout Series

​Do you have a favorite free resource for working out?
free workout videos to watch online
8 Comments
    Picture

    Amanda Klecker

    Seeking a balanced life through healthy living and a healthy environment


    Archives

    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    This website uses marketing and tracking technologies. Opting out of this will opt you out of all cookies, except for those needed to run the website. Note that some products may not work as well without tracking cookies.

    Opt Out of Cookies
    Blog Meets Brand
About
About Us
Partnership & Job Opportunities
Get Featured

Customer Service
Contact Us
Privacy Policy

Tips & News
Blog
Protein Recipes
Best Workout Clothes
Workout Ideas
Social Networks
Instagram
Get Inspired
Inspirational Images
Workout Devotional
Healthy Habit Program
Video Check-In

OUR AFFILIATES

Picture
  • Home
  • Free Planner
  • Workout Devotional
  • Workout Gear
    • Look Book
    • Your Gym Bag
    • Lorna Jane Reviews
    • Four Athletics
  • Kickstart
  • Essential Oils for Health & Wellness