Eating healthy can feel like a real chore sometimes, and when you are living on a budget you might find it nearly impossible to forego convenience meals and cheap, fast food in order to save a buck.

While shelling out for processed foods and quick "dollar menu" options might seem like a budget conscious decision, it can actually cost you a great deal of money, as well as your health.

We've collected a few tips and tricks that can help you create healthy meals, even if you are on a shoestring budget, and they will taste delicious, too.

1. Freeze Fresh Produce

Fresh produce can get expensive, especially if you are hunting for fruits and veggies that are out of season.

Budget and meal experts suggest making your healthy meals on a budget easier to plan by buying fresh produce when it is in season (and cheapest) and freezing it.

This can be done easily with corn. Purchase at the lowest price, cut the corn from the ear and freeze it in freezer bags. Green beans, peas, carrots and zucchini also freeze well.

You can use the veggie for months to come without spending an extra cent, or relying on pre-packaged frozen varieties, which can also be expensive.

2. Cook in Bulk and Freeze Away

Single professionals have a hard time cooking healthy on a budget because there seems to be so much waste, and single portions aren't easy to come by.

To circumvent this problem, set one day aside to cook some meals. Create three or four meals that you wouldn't mind eating for the next seven to 14 meals and cook them in bulk.

You can freeze them in individual servings. This will make it super easy to just grab something when you get home and reheat it.

Not only will it save you time, but you'll have healthy, inexpensive meals for weeks to come with one day's worth of effort.

3. Shop Strategically

You can get a great deal at Farmer's markets when you catch them late in the day. If you are willing to take "what's left," most vendors are looking to get rid of their stock at bargain basement prices as the final hour or so of the market roles around.

You can easily grab a bargain on some of the more expensive fruits and veggies that are being sold, and even breads and other delicacies.

If you are looking to make healthy meals on a budget that are also exotic, consider shopping at ethnic, local markets. Not only will you be able to find all the ingredients you'll need, but they are often cheaper than at big box supermarkets.

4. Be Creative with Your Leftovers

Leftovers seem to be the bane of everyone's existence, but they should be a budget-conscious cook's best friend. You can use leftovers creatively to create whole new meals that can serve you for days to come.

For example, you can roast a chicken for dinner one night, then use the leftovers for chicken salad the next day for lunch. You can use any additional leftover meat to jazz up a creamy soup for the following dinner.

Finally, you can use the carcass to create a large pot of chicken soup that you can freeze and serve for weeks to come!

Conclusion

Eating healthy can seem a bit difficult in our over-processed, fast-paced lives. It can seem even harder when you are on a budget. These tips and tricks, however, should help you get moving in the right direction — and should help you create truly healthy meals on a budget.