In this time of economic hardships, it's getting harder and harder to put healthy foods on the table every day. It's tempting to just hit the dollar menu at your local fast food stop, but there are simple ways that you can cut costs and still eat healthy. Reuters [1] has consulted with Holly Scherer, a registered dietician at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, for a few ways to cut costs but not nutrition. Here are highlights [2]:

• Eating in season is one key way to cut your food bill.
• Local co-operatives where you trade money or labor in order to reap the benefits of a larger community garden or local farm are another option for fresh fruits and vegetables.
• You can save money by planting your own produce and herbs.
• When fresh options are too expensive or unavailable, consider frozen and canned fruits and vegetables.

What about the most expensive part of your grocery bill? Protein. There are ways to cut costs there too so .

• Try simply eating less meat with your meals.
• Though the price of eggs has increased, they are still a cheaper source of protein than meat. Beans are another option for adding protein to meals at a low cost.
• Less expensive cuts are often less tender, which makes them good choices for meals like stews and casseroles.
• Watch for sales so you can purchase preferred cuts at a discount and freeze them for later use.
• Buying chicken breasts with the bone and skin on and filleting and skinning them yourself will also save money because the price per pound is lower.

Source [3]