Life on Weight Watchers . . . On Plan, On a Budget - Gettin In Your Daily Five on the Cheap

Both here and my other blog, I have done several posts about healthy eating on a budget. With doing a plan like weight watchers, I thought I'd revisit that idea, from a Points Friendly Perspective:

Fresh Fruits and Veggies:

This is the center of the Weight Watchers program. All fruits and most veggies are free foods. But they can be quite pricey. But what you might not know is that even frozen and canned fruits and vegetables count - as long as they're packed in water. So that is something to consider when shopping.

Frozen mixed vegetables and stir-fry mixes are great for in a hurry stir fries, to mix into soups or casseroles, or to just steam (*hint* steam in chicken broth for even more point-friendly flavor!). The bonus is, you can stock up on these for a fraction of the cost of all the veggies it would take to make up one bag.

Frozen fruits are also wonderful additions - berries and peaches are a lot less expensive on the frozen food aisle, and you can quickly and easily thaw them for a quick mix in for oatmeal or cereal, for a topping for pancakes or waffles, or for a delicious fruit salad.

Canned veggies are perfect quick side dishes, and you can also add these to soups and casseroles, like their frozen counterparts.

Applesauce and canned fruits (packed in water) are great quick snacks.

And lets not forget the bargains in the fresh fruits and veggies aisle - apples, oranges, and bananas are often on sale, as are lettuces and tomatoes. Fresh carrots, cabbage and celery are also less expensive then the gourmet veggies that are en vogue right now.

Try taking a non-buying trip to you local grocery store. Look at your favorite fruits and veggies and write down their prices - fresh, frozen, and canned. You may be surprised to see that getting in your daily Five WON'T break your budget.

Here's To Being Losers In 2011!!