You only have 30 minutes to get dinner on the table. It has to be quick and easy—and healthy, of course. Don’t let your busy schedule get in the way of good nutrition. Make a satisfying supper in record time—and stay within your budget—when you think F.A.S.T.

Frozen: Frozen meals have come a long way since the old-fashioned TV dinner. Today, you‘ll find healthy frozen meals low in sodium, free of preservatives and full of taste. Before you buy, read the Nutrition Facts on the package, paying attention to serving size, total calories, sodium content and sugar and fat sources. (Tip: multiply servings per container by total calories to determine how much of the meal satisfies your daily caloric needs.)

Ahead of time: Prepare your meals ahead of time and cut costs, calories and stress. When you prepare your own food, you control the ingredients, and the portion sizes. Set aside time on Sunday to plan next week’s menu. With list in hand, purchase only the foods you need for those meals and snacks. Save time by knocking out some of the prep-work in one session: Cut up raw vegetables for stir-fry, or divide trail mix and other bulk snacks into bags. This way, when you’re packing lunch, you can just grab and go!

Semi-homemade: Cook with a mix of fresh and prepared foods to save time. Homemade tomato sauce is delicious, but is it necessary? Spare time (and labor) without sacrificing quality by incorporating all-natural and organic prepared foods into your meals. Here are a few semi-homemade cooking ideas:

-          Use jarred organic tomato sauce for pasta or pizza.

-          Canned vegetable purees, such as organic pumpkin, are great with pasta dishes or baked into desserts (no carving, dicing or slicing required!).

-          Instant rice is an instant crowd-pleaser. Use it to stuff peppers, bulk up soup or just as a side.

-          Toss organic dried fruit pieces into tossed salads or stews, or use in baking recipes.

-           Use pre-cooked chicken breasts, canned salmon or canned tuna to save time preparing and cooking meat.

Take-out: Some nights, even a microwave meal is too much of a hassle. Surrendering to takeout is OK on occasion. To help ensure you’re choosing the healthiest options, gather up your restaurant menus beforehand and circle the best entrees. Keep these tips in mind:

-          Red sauces and soups are better than creamy versions.

-          Skip the cheese, or substitute avocado for cheese when possible.

-          Request dressing on the side.

-          Avoid fried foods. Go for steamed or grilled entrees and side dishes.

-          Request un-buttered bread—whole wheat, if they have it.

-          Try dividing meals in half before you eat, saving a portion for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner. This will help prevent overeating.

When you’re constantly on the go, it’s natural to reach for the nearest food in sight—candy, fast food or processed vending machine snacks. But these foods don’t provide the fuel your body really needs. Think F.A.S.T. to eat healthy when you’re in a hurry—and nothing will be able to stop you!

This article has been provided by the folks at Vitacost.com. Vitacost.com has been selling discount vitamins since 1994. Since then it’s grown into one of the biggest online marketplaces for healthy living essentials-with vitamins and supplements being just one of their many helpful categories! Get the best price on vitamins such as vitamin D and Vitamin B12, nutritional supplements, health foods and diet products. Vitacost.com’s customers mean the world to them, and it’s their goal to provide you with the best nutritional supplements, natural foods and sports nutrition to help with your health and wellness. Vitacost.com is not affiliated with this blog, and isn’t responsible for content outside of this article.

If a health food store and big box store had a child it would be called Sprouts.  This is a full service market that combines a fabulous produce department (about 40% of the store) with a natural food store’s selection of everything else at great prices.  What does that mean to the average shopper?  If your shopping list includes fresh produce,  organic cereal, whole wheat baguettes, eco friendly cleaning products, grass fed beef, and a teaspoon of rosemary this is the place for you.  And with their low shelving, you can find everything you need quickly plus there are no mainstream brands to impede your search. This is for families who want more fresh and additive free food in their diet at the best prices.

While their organic produce section is still pretty small, organic products can be found everywhere else in the store.  Organic eggs, yogurt, and milk in the dairy case. Bottled organic juices, organic honey, and even organic breads under the Sprouts label on the shelves. They carry all the brands you would expect to see in any of the other health food chains however most of the prices are better and with weekly specials you can stock up when prices are really fantastic.  Especially on their own Sprouts brand of vitamins.

About that teaspoon of rosemary, I mentioned. This is something new for me, spices in bulk.  How many recipes do we pass up that have an unusual herb or use a bottle that has been there since we moved in? This is an opportunity to try out something new without wasting money.

Bulk buying is also possible for nuts, chips, and candies (better to buy a little then gorge on a lot).

Wednesday might be hump day to some people, for The Frugal Diva Wednesday is shop at Sprouts day since items from the previous weeks specials and the new specials are available. Twice the possibilities for savings!

There are so many fantastic deals on the Vita Cost site I don’t know where to begin. Vitamins, shampoos, organic foods, protein powders, herbs, and homeopathy are just a few of the items covered.

Let’s start with organic products – 22 ounces of Organic Raw Honey for $6.35, 8 ounces of organic shredded coconut for $2.68, 12 ounces organic whole bean French Roast for $8.20, 16 ounces of Arrowhead Mills organic flax seed for $2.70!

Moving right along to shampoos- 11 ounces of Kiss My Face Whenever Shampoo for $4.19, 32 ounces of Avalon Nourishing Lavender Shampoo for $10.67,  18 ounces Nature’s Gate Pomegranate Sunflower Shampoo for $3.90!

Organic Agave sweetener 23.5 ounces for $6.53!

Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent White Flower and Bergamot Citrus 7 lbs for $13.73!

And Aubreys, Alba Botanica, Burts Bees, Jason, Zia!

So many types of vitamins and herbs that you are going to have to see for yourself!

Now The Frugal Diva knows what you are thinking. What in the world is it going to cost to ship all this? $4.99 per order – that means if you get one item, two items, or ten items it will cost you $4.99 shipping. 

And as a diva it’s so nice to have things appear at your doorstep without having to schlep out to the store.