Everyone needs to watch their spending today; even someone making six figures is going to feel the pinch of gas prices and food prices that are skyrocketing out of control these days.

But while there seems to be no end to the number of cheap food recipes that you can use to cut back on your family’s grocery bill, very often these recipes leave something to be desired when it comes to their nutritional value and their taste.

Really, what’s the point of following cheap food recipes if it means food that is unhealthy or that no one in your family will eat? But there are some ways to dress up these recipes so that they’re tastier and more nutritious at the same time.

For one thing remember that you can use foods that are reduced in fat and sugar but not necessarily fat free or sugar free. Usually things like mayonnaise or salad dressing that are fat free are rather tasteless but you can use reduced fat items in cheap food recipes that will make them healthier but still preserve the taste. Think of how you can use reduced fat cheese, mayonnaise, salad dressing, yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and items like these in any cheap food recipes you may have to make them better for you.

It’s also good to think of leaner cuts of meat you can use, such as using chicken or pork instead of beef. Shredded chicken marinating in barbecue sauce makes for great sandwiches, or you can use chicken strips for rolled up sandwiches instead of steak. Thinking of how you can make up cheap food recipes using less expensive cuts of meat this way can save you quite a bit over time.

You might also want to think of items you can add to your cheap food recipes to enhance flavor. For example, salsa, spaghetti sauce, reduced fat cheese, or sour cream can be used in many casserole recipes without adding a lot of extra calories. If you’re making chicken and rice, add some cheese or sour cream and bake it for added flavor. Leftover meatballs can be added to pasta sauce for a nice submarine sandwich. These types of cheap food recipes use up leftovers so that you’re not adding anything to your grocery bill. When you reheat any item think of what you can add to enhance the flavor rather than just eating a plate of warmed over leftovers.

Use vegetables in any of your cheap food recipes when possible; this saves money and is a lot more nutritious than anything else. When making a casserole, reduce the rice and chicken and bulk it up with broccoli or cauliflower. Steam a variety of vegetables as a side dish when making a meat dish. These make for cheap food recipes that are better for you. You can even use pasta sauce over steamed vegetables as well for added flavor. By doing so you’ll have cheap food recipes that are healthy and budget friendly.