How to Make Egg and Vegetable Hash

How to Make Meatloaf

Going Green on a Budget

Saving the environment has become one of the biggest and most beneficial trends over the last few years. People are planting trees, eating organic, saving water, and doing whatever they can to keep Mother Earth healthy. Many people aren’t catching on though, because they believe that it is expensive to go green. It can be pricey to install solar panels and replace all your light bulbs, but cooking, shopping, and living eco-friendly doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult.

Shopping eco-friendly may sound expensive, but you’ll find it’s easier and cheaper than you realize. Instead of driving to the grocery store, try riding your bike or walking. If you have to buy more items than you can carry, plan to drive with a few other people so you can all make one big trip and save on gas. Driving less is not only good for the environment, but it also gives you exercise and saves money. It’s also a good idea to invest (and by invest, I mean spend $1) on a cloth bag to take with you. Plastic is horrible for the environment, and paper kills trees. When the cashier asks if you want paper or plastic, tell them you brought your own reusable bag in a loud voice so the person behind you hears too. Maybe you’ll guilt them into bringing their own bag next time.

Buying organic food is great if you have a little extra money, but there are alternative options if you don’t. The produce at the farmer’s market is often cheaper, and it is locally grown which saves gas (from transportation). Fresh produce also tastes better, and farmers will often give you free stuff. If you buy regular produce from the grocery store, check the sticker to see where it’s from. Produce that traveled to your basket from another country caused more pollution on the way.

Cooking food means you’re going to make dirty dishes. Cleaning them can waste a lot of water and toxic soap. Most grocery stores sell environmentally friendly dish soap for the same price as regular soap. Also, when you’re doing the dishes, don’t leave the faucet running the whole time. Try filling the sink with soapy water or just turning the faucet on when you need to rinse a dish. There are people around the world that struggle to find clean water, so it’s important that we conserve the water we have.

There are several other things you can do to be eco-friendly. Going green is easier than people realize, and you don’t need to give up bathing to do it. Driving less, using reusable bags, wasting less water, and using less electricity can all make a difference in the long run. We only have one world, and it is important that we all do what we can to keep it clean.

The World on Your Plate

A crepe for breakfast, sushi for lunch, and an enchilada for dinner: The diversity of America is reflected in the food we eat. You don’t have to go to a restaurant to get your favorite Mexican dish, though. Many ethnic foods are easy to make at home on a budget.

You might already be cooking ethnic food without realizing it (or maybe you are fully aware of it), but it doesn’t hurt to try some new recipes. By the way, Kraft macaroni and cheese and frozen grocery store pizza do not count as Italian food. Most recipes make several servings, so if you don’t want leftovers for a week, invite your friends over for a dinner from around the world.

From PHX Rail Food

Since Mexican food is so popular here, and because it’s one of my favorite kinds of food, we’ll start with a few dishes inspired by our neighboring country. Enchiladas are perfect when you need some comfort food. You can make them with chicken, beef, pork, or even just cheese. I personally like recipes that use ground beef, because it is cheap and easy to work with. Tacos and burritos are probably the easiest Mexican dishes. You can pretty much just throw whatever you want into a tortilla, and you’ll have a great, hearty meal. One of my favorite things to eat as a snack or an appetizer is guacamole. It’s really easy to make, and it’s perfect for parties or just for people who really love avocados.

Chinese food is great to experiment with when you want something other than hamburgers. If you’re allergic to dairy, it’s perfect because most dishes don’t have any dairy in them. If you’re allergic to peanuts though, I don’t recommend eating Chinese food. Chinese Chicken Salad is one of my favorite ways to get in some greens. It’s light, but also filling. Orange chicken is also a great Chinese inspired dish. And if you make it yourself, it will probably taste better than it does at a fast food restaurant. Plus, you’ll know a stranger didn’t sneeze on it or leave it sitting out all day.

I’m part Italian, so naturally I’m drawn to pasta. One of my absolute favorite Italian dishes is lasagna. It’s like eating pasta, but better. Spaghetti is probably the easiest pasta you can make. Tomato sauce isn’t difficult to make, but there are some decent canned sauces out there too. Parmesan chicken is also easy to make, and it’s perfect for dinner. There are tons of great pasta recipes, but this post would be never ending if I listed them all. If you love pasta but you’re sick of red sauce, try searching for some other ideas.

So next time you’re craving an ethnic dish, don’t spend money somewhere like Olive Garden or Panda Express. You can make a dish that is just as authentic, if not more so, at home for less money. Plus, you’ll get more than one meal out of it, which is a total bonus.

Trying to go green on a budget? Tune in next time for some tips on shopping and cooking eco-friendly.

Until then, eat healthy, cook quickly, and please don’t eat orange chicken with lasagna.