A Cheap Way to Eat Clean – Grow Your Own Veggies!
So what’s a major part of eating clean? Eating your veggies, right?! Yes, it sure is, but you already knew that. 
So what I’m curious about is whether or not you ever struggle with getting in your daily allotment of clean veggies?
You’ve probably heard all the tips on how to get your veggies in every day including “hiding” them in the meals you cook
For myself it’s easiest to get in my veggies by following the 6-Week Body Makeover way of eating because based on your body type you choose the veggies you like from a list of options. But have you ever heard anyone say that they had a hard time eating clean because of cost?
High Cost?
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In my experience I spend double the amount on junk food and processed food when I’ve been eating that stuff as compared to how much I spend when I’m eating clean. But what about growing your own veggies – planting some seeds, giving them some water and love, and watching them grow. I’d say that sure is a cheap way to get them into your daily diet.
I’ve Had A Plan
Several months back I mentioned to you I’d decided that for the first time I would be planting my own vegetables in the spring. Now that spring is here I’ve got to get moving and get planting. I’m really excited about this because it will be fun and there’s that added bonus of some cheap and healthy food. For $.99 to $1.50 I can buy a packet of seeds and potentially produce many dollars worth of food.
Another option is purchasing plants that give you a head start – it could depend on what you’re planting and what time of year you’re starting. I was going to purchase tomato and pepper plants but I decided to just go ahead and plant the seed and see what happens.
No Gardening Tips Today
By no means am I a pro at gardening and I don’t have any specific tips to pass along to you right now, nor will I be turning The Fit Shack into a gardening blog. Instead I wanted to share this with you in case the option of growing your own clean eating veggies might also help you stay on the healthy path. And remember that you don’t have to own a home in order to plant a garden – you can plant in pots and put them out on a balcony if you live in an apartment. Just pick the kinds of veggies that will grow in the amount of sunlight you have available.
Here’s what I’ll be Planting
- Peppers
- Onions
- Squash, Summer and Winter
- Zucchini
- Peas
- Tomatoes
- Green Beans
I’m really excited about this because it’s the first time I’ve tried it on my own. My goal is to get everything in the ground this weekend and I’ll give you an update on how it’s going a month or so from now. Also, I can’t help but be excited about the cost savings that I’ll be reaping just from planting a few seeds and spending the time to tend to the garden and help them grow.
A Bit of weight loss Motivation
I threw in a little bit of weight loss motivation for myself because I’m planting peas, which aren’t a part of the losing phase of the 6WBMO. So, I’m shooting for being at my goal weight by the time they are ready to be picked this summer – currently I’m 23.5 pounds away from my goal however if I’m not there by the time the peas are ready for harvest then I can always freeze them.
What About You?
Do you grow your own vegetables? If so do you grow them in pots or in a garden? What kind(s) do you grow? And most importantly, do you find that doing so helps you lead a healthier lifestyle than if you didn’t grow your own veggies?
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Yes, we grow our own and experiment with new things every year. Since we’re in New England we have a short window of growing opportunity – we plant outside. We do cukes, tomatoes, lettuce, a variety of herbs. This year we may try squash, but in a small space the broad leaf gets tricky. Oh and spinach we’ll do, too.
Last year we tried for pumpkins and got 2 which was very exciting! If we had a larger garden space we would do more, but we grow what we know will be successful because there is so much satisfaction in planting seeds (no seedlings in this house!) and eating the “fruits of our labor!” Everything is so fresh, too!
It doesn’t necessarily change my eating habits, but it does make me more appreciative of the food in front of me.
Hi Stacey,
How fun, I wonder if you carved your 2 pumpkins or if you ate them?
I’m not sure now if I do have a large enough space for the squash, you’ve got me thinking about that. I’ll run it by my dad and see what he says.
Maybe I’ll plant a few herbs too, hmm… you’ve given me something else to think about, thanks!
Hi JoLynn, I don’t grow vegetables myself but my parents have a very large garden. They have a farm in Southern Indiana. They grow berries, peas, corn…. you name it. I love summer and eating from their garden. They give to everyone. We can and freeze about everything they grow. I just made a healthy blackberrie crisp last night with blackberries I picked last summer. I sweetened it with stevia and made the crisp with Teff flour, Gluten free oats. I have been making drinks lately with strawberries, blueberries, pumpkin, apples, grapes, and flax. I through in a couple of cups of spinach a little ice and blend. My son and I have been drinking these every since I saw Montel make one on his show. I also put carrots in my gluten free waffle mix. I find all kinds of ways to get my vegetables. I love to play in the kithen and experiment with recipes. I use to be known as the cookie lady but I have since changed my cooking habits to healthier food. I can’t wait to read about what some of the other readers cook up! Good luck with the garden!
Hi Renee,
Hey, you and I are a lot alike
– I used to love to bake (yeah, all the sugar and flour stuff) but now really enjoy cooking up the healthy fare. It’s funny because I never used to say I liked cooking, only baking.
I also am blessed with a dad who has a very large garden, only problem is they’re a bit of a drive away, so thought it would be better that I try my own this year. I do still have a freezer full of berries from last year (and hope to get some more later this summer!
), just plain after picking, very yummy.
I like Montel, too, when he talks about health and fitness. I think he’s really got a positive motivation for helping others get healthy.
It sounds like you’re really liking your healthy drinks, too, I remember you mentioned them before. It kinda sounds like something you’d see on You Are What You Eat. (?)
Yes, the importance of healthy eating also comes with healthy action. A sense of accomplishment comes from planting, nurturing and the growing of vegetables that we put into our bodies. Maybe try a few different types of peppers or some vegetables that haven’t made it your plate before?It’s fun and satisfying!
Great post!
Mark Salinas, MN
Hi Mark,
A sense of accomplishment, that’s a biggie. I strive for that every day.
Yay! I’m excited for you! I would LOVE to have a big garden with all sorts of vegetables and fruits! I don’t have that option now as I really don’t have much of a yard, and what I do have doesn’t get lots of sunlight.
I do grow potted tomatoes, and that seems to work pretty well. (Store-bought tomatoes don’t even come close to homegrown ones!) I’ll move the pots around when I can so they get as much sunlight as possible. The neighbors must get a good laugh out of my rotating tomato plants!
Susans last blog post..Healthier Pancakes
I was so proud of my pumpkins I just kept them until they went bad. They were so round and perfect I couldn’t cut them up! These were not gigantic pumpkins, they were small to moderate (not teeny tiny).
Growing herbs is easy and it’s so convenient – you cut what you need. I always waste herbs from the store because they sell you so many and I never need that much. Last year we grew plum tomatoes, basil and oregano and I made some of the most wonderful tomato sauce ever using all of those fresh from the garden ingredients.
Have fun with it!!
Staceys last blog post..Friday Quote and What Puts a Smile on Your Face?
Hi Stacey,
Oh, I can tell how excited you were about your pumpkins.
That’s really cool. 
Hmm, basil and oregano sound like a wonderful idea. I have some sage growing (I didn’t plant it – it’s been here) but I don’t really use it – basil and oregano I would use. Thanks!