5 Ways to Enjoy Healthy Holiday Food on a Budget

The holidays are an exciting time, especially when it comes to food. It's one of the few times of year when you won't be judged for over indulging, which means no one will care if you have too many sweets or carbs. However, one thing you might not want to over do is the amount of money you spend on the food, but that's hard to do without conprimising quality and health. Here are some ways you can keep your holiday food affordable and healthy.

1. Host a pot-luck. Assign different healthy dishes to your family and friends, and you'll end up with a big smorgasbord that would have otherwise cost a pretty penny if made alone.

2. Coordinate a food swapping party. Similar to the potluck, except that everyone takes food home to have for a few days (or weeks if it can be frozen). Ask everyone to bring their own containers to keep it waste-free and less expensive then buying extra containers.

3. Make your own food. Pre-made dips, snacks, desserts, and sliced produce from the market can add up, so do it yourself. Find some simple recipes and get the ingredients in bulk if you can.

4. Skip the meat (or meat alternatives). Turkey, ham, chicken, and their plant-based equivalences are usually expensive, so opt for other filling entrees like protein-dense salads, pastas, chili's, savory pies, quiches, and so on. Make dishes with beans and grains, which are very filling, healthy, and cheap.

5. Look for coupons and store specials. Since the economy is still in rough shape and it's the holiday season, many stores, markets, and restaurants offer great deals this time of year. You can also find coupons and discounts online, sometimes directly from the companies who produce the foods othertimes from daily-deal sites.

Whitney Lauritsen is a filmmaker, environmentalist, and vegan who promotes healthy living on her site www.ecovegangal.com. She shares tips on how to be kind to your body and the earth via video, photography, and writing. You can find her talking about being healthy and green on Twitter and Facebook.