There are steps you can take to make living healthy on a budget easier. Last week, we discussed the importance of stocking your kitchen. While it is important to purchase items when they are on sale and keep your pantry stocked for hard times, that's not all you can do. This week we're going to discuss the importance of creating weekly menus, which will save you money and keep you healthy.

First of all, a weekly menu should begin with what you already have on hand. Take a look at your pantry and freezer and see what's on hand. Chances are you may be able to combine some pantry and freezer items to prepare complete meals. If you do have to purchase items to make complete meals, look at what's on sale at your local grocery stores. This will allow you to still prepare healthy meals without spending a fortune. If you already have meat on hand, you shouldn't have to spend much money at all completing your weekly menu.

In order to keep yourself from preparing the same meals week after week, it's important to have a large selection of recipes to choose from. You can either purchase cookbooks at yard sales or find free recipes online. One step you can also take to make it easier to create a weekly menu is to keep it consistent. That doesn't mean you should prepare the same meals every week. Instead, think of a method or type of meal to create each day. You could use your slow cooker on Monday, prepare a large meal on Sunday, or even have Mexican night every Friday.

The key is to spend as little money as possible, while still preparing healthy meals. If you follow last week's instructions, you should have no problem sticking to your budget without sacrificing quality or nutrition. Don't forget to get your family involved. Ask them what they'd like to have that week and ask them for ideas about creating consistency. Chances are, you'll be eating out less and less once you get the hang of creating healthy menus.