EATING HEALTHY ON A BUDGET WSR Nutrition & Wellness Megan Kennedy Nutrition & Wellness Consultant
Brown rice $0.18 per ¼ cup serving A 1 lb. bag costs about $1.50 and contains 10 servings 100% whole wheat bread $0.18 per serving (2 slices) One loaf costs about $2.00, 11 servings Old-fashioned oats $0.13 per ½ cup serving of dry oats One 42 oz. container is about $3.99 and contains 30 servings Russet potato $0.33 per 1 medium or large potato 5 lb. bag of 11-13 potatoes is about $3.99 Dried lentils $0.10 per ¼ cup dried lentils 16 oz. bag for $1.29, 13 servings Whole wheat or multigrain pasta $0.24 per 2 oz. serving A 14. oz bag costs about $1.50 and contains 7 servings Greek Yogurt $0.89 per 6-8 oz. serving (or cheaper if you buy a big container) Frozen vegetables $0.25 per 1 cup serving One 12-24 oz. bag costs $1.750-$2.25 and contains 6-8 servings Canned tuna $0.70 per 3 oz. serving $0.85 per 6 oz. can, 2 servings Marinara sauce $0.28 per ½ cup serving 24-28 oz. jar is about $1.67, 6-7 servings
Agenda Making healthy food choices How to plan and prepare meals on a budget
My Plate
Making healthy food choices Nutrient & energy density Healthy eating, substitutions Meal planning Plan Purchase Prepare
Feel more full on fewer calories Kcal/grams = energy density Very low energy density foods = less than 0.6 kcal/g Low energy density foods = 0.6-1.5 kcal/g Medium energy density foods = 1.5-4 kcal/g High energy density foods = more than 4 kcal/g 215 kcal 300 g 215/300=.71 215 kcal 140 g 215/140= 1.5
Nutrient & Energy Density Nutrient Density: the amount of nutrients per gram. Nutrient dense foods have a lot of nutrients per gram. Energy Density (kcal/gram): the amount of calories per gram. Energy dense foods have a lot of calories (aka energy)per gram (these typically are also low in nutrient density).
Nutrient Density & Food Groups
1. Serving size 2. Calories 3. Fat content 4. Heart health factors 5. Carbohydrates and protein 6. Micronutrients 7. Ingredient list
Healthy choices & building a healthy meal Little choices add up over time by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. Alma 37:6
Eating at the Cannon Center http://dining.byu.edu/commons/menus.html
MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET ADAPTED FROM FOOD $ENSE
Plan to Save Know what you currently spend on food Track everything Determine how much you have to spend on food each month After tracking, evaluate what you spent Implement your food budget Make a monthly budget, divide into weeks, and adjust as necessary
Plan a Menu Benefits of planning a menu Save money & time, reduce stress Plan your menu
Plan to Shop Create and organize your shopping list Use coupons and sales wisely Read nutrition labels Compare unit prices Compare quality Store vs name brand, expiration dates, food storage Shop for foods that are in season Things to keep in mind
Meal planning approaches Weekly method Two-week method Monthly method Freezer method
Weekly method 1. Take an inventory 2. Plan meals for each day of the week based on what you have 3. Make a shopping list with needed ingredients to complete the recipes 1. Plan leftovers into this schedule. 4. Go shopping 1. Look for deals (can plan meals around local sales, seasonal items, etc.)
Two-week method 1. Take an inventory 2. Plan meals for the first and second weeks of the month and make a shopping list a. Tip: plan ahead b. Tip: Be strategic with produce 3. Shop once 4. Use leftovers
Monthly method 1. Choose 30-40 of your favorite recipes that you can rotate through. Add in a couple of new recipes. 2. Take a brief inventory of staples and basic ingredients before you go grocery shopping. 3. Start the month with a large shopping trip, buying anything that won t go bad and perishables to last for 1-2 weeks. 4. For weeks 3-4: Refer to your meal plan and shop weekly, if needed, for needed perishable items (e.g. produce, dairy). a. Use more canned or frozen produce b. Use frozen meat c. Use beans, rice, etc.
Freezer method 1. Take a few hours to plan your meals and make your grocery list. 2. Shop for everything you will make. 3. Cook all of your meals. 4. The goal is at the end of 1-2 days you will have freezer meals for almost a month.
Additional Tips
Convenience costs Convenience foods like frozen dinners, pre-cut vegetables, and instant rice, oatmeal, or grits will cost you more than if you were to make them from scratch. Take the time to prepare your own-and save!
Low-cost options year-round Certain foods are typically low-cost options all year round. Protein Beans & lentils Eggs Whole grains Oats Brown rice Vegetables Carrots Greens Potatoes Fruit Apples Bananas 100% frozen orange juice Dairy Milk Yogurt
Leftovers Make big batches to use during the week, use in another recipe, or freeze for later use Spice up your leftovers-use them in new ways. For example, try leftover chicken in a stir-fry or over a garden salad, or to make chicken chili. Remember, throwing away food is throwing away your money!
Eating out Restaurants can be expensive. Save money by making your own lunch or dinner instead of going out If you do eat out, get the early bird special, go out for lunch instead of dinner, or look for 2 for 1 deals. Drink water
Additional tips: Use fresh produce early on and use canned or frozen produce later in the week/month. Hardy vs not-so-hardy produce Get input & ideas from your spouse, children, or friends/roommates Make enough for leftovers Create a fall back Buy meat when it s on sale. Portion & freeze. Use less expensive proteins Buy in bulk if it s cheaper and if it s in your budget Control what s in your food by making your own!
Low-cost nutrition resources http://www.whatscooking.fns.usda.gov/ http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplementalnutrition-assistance-program-snap http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/nutrition-education http://snap.nal.usda.gov/ http://snap.nal.usda.gov/nutrition-throughseasons/seasonal-produce https://extension.usu.edu/foodsense/ https://usu.instructure.com/courses/345410
Review Making healthy food choices Nutrient & energy density Food nutrition labels Healthy eating tips Meal planning on a budget
Questions?
Further Education One-on-one nutrition consults Exercise & Fueling Your Workout Wednesday, Oct. 7 @ 4 Thursday, Oct. 29 @ 12 My contact info: Megan Kennedy wsr-wellness@byu.edu