Healthy Eating on a Budget Ashlee Lamar Student Dietitian, KSU Objectives • Meal Planning to Save Money • Cooking • Shopping ▫ ▫ ▫ Meal Planning Basics Waste Less Plan around produce ▫ ▫ ▫ Store bought vs Homemade (Time vs money) Eat at home Frugal foods ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ Lists Unit Pricing Buy in bulk Stretch your dollar Meal Planning Basics • Plan meals the week ahead ▫ Takes less time than going back to the grocery store for forgotten item ▫ Think about your schedule Meal Planning Basics • Plan based on what’s in your refrigerator/pantry Ask: What can I make with foods I have? What needs to be used up first? Can I mix foods together to make a meal? Is this healthy? ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ Meal Planning Basics • Plan some meals that don’t have meat   Goal: Twice a week Use beans, eggs, peanut butter • Check grocery ads ▫ Circle foods you need • Make a list Plan Ahead: Reduce Waste • Keep food safe ▫ Put cold foods in cart last, refrigerate immediately ▫ Look for older expiration date • Waste less ▫ Use oldest first ▫ Recreate foods that are about to spoil ▫ Throw away spoiled food! Plan Ahead: Leftovers • Leftovers ▫ Eat ▫ Freeze for another meal ▫ Recreate ▫ Example: Cooked ground beef, tacos, chili, meatloaf Shopping: Plan Ahead! “The average shopper spends 40% more on impulse purchases when shopping without a list” KSU Research and Extensions Shopping: Make a List • Make a list and stick to it! • Organize based on store layout • Keep list in a central area • Copy for future weeks • Shopping when you are hungry can cause you to buy more! Shopping Discounts only save you money if the product is something you actually need and would normally buy! For about $13.00 you could buy OR that same $13.00 could buy pound bag cookies bananas 10-ounce bag chips apples liter soda pears ½ gallon ice cream oranges 12 broccoli stems 10 long carrots pound raisins jar apples large can frozen orange juice concentrate Either a jar of peanut butter or ranch dressing for dip Shopping: Compare Unit Prices • • • The unit price tells you the cost per ounce/pound/quart, etc… Use to compare sizes and brands Look on the shelf edge under the product • Example: canned pears 12 ounce can: $0.80 $0.80 ÷ 12 ounces = $.07 / ounce Unit Price: $.08 Unit Price: $.07 Shopping: Unit Pricing Cereal 16 oz box = $2.50 15 /oz 32 oz box = $3.00 09 /oz Shopping: Buy in bulk! • Take advantage of sales • Buy in bulk • Cook in bulk Freeze leftovers for future meals • Coupons ▫ ▫ Ask for rain check if store is out Caution: sometimes coupons are for store brands Off brands may still be cheaper Shopping: Tips to Stretch your dollar • Purchase fruits and vegetables from produce section, not salad bar • Purchase fruits and vegetables in season • Add vegetables to costly dishes with meats • Grocery bargains: often on top and bottom shelves, and in out of the way spaces • Most store or generic brands are cheaper • If you buy name brands- look for coupons in the paper, store ads, or online Only use coupons for foods that are already on your list Tips to Stretch your dollar •Lean cuts of meat provide more for your dollar •Less tender cuts are cheaper ▫ Marinade or cook with liquid in a slow cooker ▫Chuck, round, flank, plank, brisket •Prepare meat yourself ▫Hamburger patties ▫Kabob pieces ▫Cooking meat Cooking on a Budget • • The average adult purchases a meal/snack from a restaurant 5.8 times per week! Why? ▫ ▫ ▫ Time Convenience Certain foods Cooking on a Budget • • Consider eating more at home Time factor: prepare ahead of time ▫ ▫ ▫ • Freezer meals Pack to go meals Purchase snacks and bag yourself Start small: ▫ Eat 1-2 less meals per week at restaurants to save money and a whole days worth of calories! Cooking: Homemade or purchased? • • Beware of frozen dinners (“TV dinners”) Make your own frozen dinners ▫ ▫ Double the recipe of main dish you’re making Freeze in meal sized portions ▫ ▫ Label package Keep a list   Cool quickly and freeze Discard food left out longer than Make the most out of boxed meals • Decrease Fat ▫ Use half the margarine  macaroni and cheese, rice, stuffing, potatoes ▫ ▫ Hamburger helper: Drain & rinse meat Brownies: substitute unsweetened apple sauce for vegetable oil  Use egg whites for whole egg Make the most out of boxed meals • Decrease Sodium ▫ Use half the seasoning packet • Add vegetables ▫ ▫ ▫ Canned soup (low sodium soup) Pasta sauces Add canned fruit to yogurt, jello or pudding Frugal Foods • Eggs • Potatoes • Rolled oats ▫ ▫ Usually less than $2 / dozen High in protein ▫ ▫ High in fiber, vitamin C, and potassium Bake, boil, roast, add to casseroles or soups ▫ ▫ ~14 cents /cup grams dietary fiber Frugal Foods • Nonfat dried milk • Beans • Peanut butter • Canned Tuna ▫ ▫ Chill before drinking Great for cooking ▫ Usually 23 cents / serving ▫ High protein ▫ ▫ High in protein and vitamin D Sandwiches, salads casseroles [...]... ▫Hamburger patties ▫Kabob pieces ▫Cooking meat Cooking on a Budget • • The average adult purchases a meal/snack from a restaurant 5.8 times per week! Why? ▫ ▫ ▫ Time Convenience Certain foods Cooking on a Budget • • Consider eating more at home Time factor: prepare ahead of time ▫ ▫ ▫ • Freezer meals Pack to go meals Purchase snacks and bag yourself Start small: ▫ Eat 1-2 less meals per week at restaurants... only save you money if the product is something you actually need and would normally buy! For about $13.00 you could buy OR that same $13.00 could buy 1 pound bag cookies 4 bananas 10-ounce bag chips 3 apples 2 liter soda 3 pears ½ gallon ice cream 3 oranges 12 broccoli stems 10 long carrots 1 pound raisins 1 jar apples 1 large can frozen orange juice concentrate Either a jar of peanut butter or ranch... future meals • Coupons ▫ ▫ Ask for rain check if store is out Caution: sometimes coupons are for store brands Off brands may still be cheaper Shopping: Tips to Stretch your dollar • Purchase fruits and vegetables from produce section, not salad bar • Purchase fruits and vegetables in season • Add vegetables to costly dishes with meats • Grocery bargains: often on top and bottom shelves, and in out... the way spaces • Most store or generic brands are cheaper • If you buy name brands- look for coupons in the paper, store ads, or online Only use coupons for foods that are already on your list Tips to Stretch your dollar •Lean cuts of meat provide more for your dollar •Less tender cuts are cheaper ▫ Marinade or cook with liquid in a slow cooker ▫Chuck, round, flank, plank, brisket •Prepare meat yourself... restaurants to save money and a whole days worth of calories! Cooking: Homemade or purchased? • • Beware of frozen dinners (“TV dinners”) Make your own frozen dinners ▫ ▫ Double the recipe of main dish you’re making Freeze in meal sized portions ▫ ▫ Label package Keep a list   Cool quickly and freeze Discard food left out longer than 2 Make the most out of boxed meals • Decrease Fat ▫ Use half the margarine... margarine  macaroni and cheese, rice, stuffing, potatoes ▫ ▫ Hamburger helper: Drain & rinse meat Brownies: substitute unsweetened apple sauce for vegetable oil  Use 2 egg whites for 1 whole egg Make the most out of boxed meals • Decrease Sodium ▫ Use half the seasoning packet • Add vegetables ▫ ▫ ▫ Canned soup (low sodium soup) Pasta sauces Add canned fruit to yogurt, jello or pudding Frugal Foods •... Potatoes • Rolled oats ▫ ▫ Usually less than $2 / dozen High in protein ▫ ▫ High in fiber, vitamin C, and potassium Bake, boil, roast, add to casseroles or soups ▫ ▫ ~14 cents /cup 4 grams dietary fiber Frugal Foods • Nonfat dried milk • Beans • Peanut butter • Canned Tuna ▫ ▫ Chill before drinking Great for cooking ▫ Usually 23 cents / serving ▫ High protein ▫ ▫ High in protein and vitamin D Sandwiches,... Compare Unit Prices • • • The unit price tells you the cost per ounce/pound/quart, etc… Use to compare sizes and brands Look on the shelf edge under the product • Example: canned pears 12 ounce can: $0.80 $0.80 ÷ 12 ounces = $.07 / ounce Unit Price: $.08 Unit Price: $.07 Shopping: Unit Pricing Cereal 16 oz box = $2.50 15 /oz 32 oz box = $3.00 09 /oz Shopping: Buy in bulk! • Take advantage of sales... Foods • Nonfat dried milk • Beans • Peanut butter • Canned Tuna ▫ ▫ Chill before drinking Great for cooking ▫ Usually 23 cents / serving ▫ High protein ▫ ▫ High in protein and vitamin D Sandwiches, salads casseroles ... pound bag cookies bananas 10-ounce bag chips apples liter soda pears ½ gallon ice cream oranges 12 broccoli stems 10 long carrots pound raisins jar apples large can frozen orange juice concentrate... go meals Purchase snacks and bag yourself Start small: ▫ Eat 1-2 less meals per week at restaurants to save money and a whole days worth of calories! Cooking: Homemade or purchased? • • Beware... liquid in a slow cooker ▫Chuck, round, flank, plank, brisket •Prepare meat yourself ▫Hamburger patties ▫Kabob pieces ▫Cooking meat Cooking on a Budget • • The average adult purchases a meal/snack from