Coupon Mom appeared on the Today Show this morning giving money saving tips for Thanksgiving. Her tips made me nauseous. She recommended canned, frozen and processed foods as a cheaper alternative to fresh and organic. While I am all for saving money, I will not compromise my health. I will search for bargains on clothing, furniture, date nights, gifts and other things. But when it comes to my health, don’t tell me to eat frozen, canned and processed foods to save a couple of dollars. It’s saving today that can result in serious health issues tomorrow.

Holistic health counselor Inna Shapkina, explains that, “canned foods have no nutritional value due to processing, contain huge amount of salt, and chemicals that are aligning the can. Fresh foods offer the most nutrition, while frozen have a lot less. Good food is your great investment. What matters if you are not healthy?”

Here are my healthy holiday tips that save you money in the long run:

Tip One: Thanksgiving is a family holiday which may be worth your investment of time and money. Cook using fresh foods. Food TV is full of tips and easy recipes for holiday cooking. Also, it’s fun to watch. Also getting together with family around good food is nice and relaxing.

Tip Two: Don’t do everything yourself. Ask for help from family members. Have them come over and cook with you or have them bring a dish.

Tip Three: Search for bargains on fresh healthy foods offered through online grocery stores and local stores. The online grocery stores I like are www.freshdirect.com or www.peapod.com. Check the circulars for your local stores, when they are delivered to your house/apartment building.

Tip Four: Plan your menu and your grocery list in advance. Then go to the store and shop by yourself or with a frugal and health conscious friend/family member. Don’t take the kids or those that like to buy junk food. (I like shopping with my mother. She will steer me in the right direction by helping me save money while still staying healthy).

What are other healthy tips do you recommend? Or do you disagree with my healthy and long term savings plan for the Holiday? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Look forward to “chatting” with you.

Have Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Filed under: Taking Care of Yourself