Healthy meals for a low budget family?!

By cooking at home, you're already making a huge step towards healthy eating!. Your own home cooked meals can be nutritious as well as yummy!. Down here, we have a super-walmart, and the prices can't be beat (I have a family of 6!.!.!.and it includes a 13 year old boy with a bottomless pit, so I know where you're coming from)!.

Here's some low-cost, healthy foods!.!.!.
lean ground beef (97% lean) or ground turkey
multigrain pasta (my kids love Barilla Pasta Plus or the new Ronzoni Smart Taste)
reduced-fat cheeses (low fat string cheese is a great snack)
brown rice
potatoes (when not loaded with butter, they're very good for you, especially if you can get your kids to eat the skin!.!.!.mine actually like it)!.
beans!.!.all kinds!.!.black, kidney, navy, garbonzo, red

My kids always have the following in the house to choose from for snacks:
granola bars, fresh fruit, lowfat yogurt cups, graham crackers or animal crackers, string cheese, multigrain goldfish crackers

Here's a great website with tons of recipes for healthy recipes even your kids will like:
http://www!.rachaelray!.com

****Green Minestrone****

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil EVOO)
1/4 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1 can white beans (cannellini)
1 can garbanzo beans (cecci, or chickpeas)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups chicken broth or stock
1 cup ditalini pasta or mini-penne pasta
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 ounces triple-washed spinach, stems removed and coarsely chopped, or any other dark greens
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese, plus extra to pass at the table
12-16 leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded, or 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Preparation
Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat!. Add EVOO, about two turns around the pan, and pancetta or bacon!. Saut

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