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.

We've all heard it before, and even experienced it. Eating foods low in nutrition is often less expensive than eating healthy foods. This is especially true when it comes to produce. You may be tempted to purchase canned vegetables and fruit because the price seems less expensive. But, what are the real costs of buying canned produce? Canned vegetables are often loaded in sodium and canned fruits are often packed in syrup. Obviously, this isn't what you want to feed your family, but how do you purchase healthy produce while living on a budget? This week, let's discuss tips that will make it easier to provide healthy fruits and vegetables for your family without breaking the bank.

First things first: produce that's in season will always be less expensive than produce that has to be trucked across the country. Many grocery stores even have sales on seasonal produce that makes the prices even less expensive. Of course, you'll find the best deals on seasonal produce at farmer's markets.

Local farmer's markets are not only a great way to help the community, but they also help your wallet. Basically, farmer's markets cut out the middle man. Instead of helping grocery stores make a profit on the items they purchase, you're able to go straight to the source: the farmers. This also means you'll have the choice of some of the freshest produce available. Chances are, much of the produce was picked that very morning.

If you prefer shopping at grocery stores, or it's the middle of winter, there are tips you can use. First of all, shop the frozen foods aisle. Frozen produce is healthier than fresh grocery store produce because it's packaged and frozen at the time of harvest, sealing in the nutrition. Another great tip is to always be willing to try new things. Look at the sales papers and try what's on sale that week. One last tip is to search the markdown bins. Markdown bins often contain produce that has a blemish, but is perfectly usable and healthy.

There's simply no excuse to purchase low quality produce. What are you waiting for? Grab your tote bag and hit those farmer's markets!