lose and win

Lose and WinHealthy Eating on a BudgetSession 14

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Dispel the myth that eating healthy is too expensive

Discuss the importance of planning ahead

Provide tips on how to stretch your dollar

Encourage you to incorporate healthy, budget friendly

foods

Provide examples of healthy meals that use low cost

ingredients

Objectives


A healthy diet doesn’t have to be expensive

1.Plan ahead

2.Shop smart

3.Invest a little time

Healthy diet too expensive?


Plan Ahead

Advance planning makes it easier to eat healthy foods

Incorporate less expensive protein sources such as beans, canned tuna or salmon, tofu and eggs

Look for recipes that only use a few ingredients and do not call for expensive ingredients

Incorporate frozen fruits and vegetables, which are often more affordable

Add volume to foods with low-cost grains such as rice or pasta and vegetables


Keep the pantry stocked so that you can have a balanced meal anytime

Turkey breast or roast beef on a whole wheat wrap with lettuce and tomato

Hummus, cucumber and shredded carrots in a whole wheat pita

Natural peanut butter and sliced banana on a slice of whole grain bread

Scrambled egg burrito with salsa

Black beans with salsa served on top instant brown rice

Meals in minutes


Shop Smart

Try these cost saving tips:

Choose in-season fruit and vegetables

Buy bags of fruits or vegetables instead of individual pieces by the pound

Visit local farmers and ethnic markets, where produce is often cheap and fresh

Look for coupons or specials on meats, cheeses and other more expensive foods

Buy larger quantities of food when on sale and divide into individual servings and freeze


Shop Smart

Try these cost saving tips:

Compare prices of foods found in the bulk food section of the grocery store to packaged varieties; oatmeal, granola, nuts, rice, beans and other grains may be cheaper by the bulk

Avoid snack traps like 100-calorie packs and make your own single-serving portions with mini snack bags

Choose generic or store brands

Don’t go to the store hungry when you’ll be more tempted to indulge in items that are less healthy and more costly


Invest the time

Just like taking time for exercise, it is important

to make nutrition a priority. Take time before bed or

leave yourself an extra five minutes in the morning

to pack up your "body fuel" for the day.


Bring your lunch and snacks so you’ll be less tempted to eat out or visit the vending machine.

Leftovers make great easy lunches, but sandwiches, soups and salads are great choices too.

Snack ideas include:

Graham crackers with peanut butter Low-fat yogurt with granola bar Part skim cheese with whole grain crackers Popcorn Mixed nuts Fresh fruit

Brown-bag it!


Cost of beverages adds up

How much do you spend on beverages each week?

____ Bottled water

____ Specialty coffee drinks

____ Soft drinks

____ Teas & fruit drinks

____ Sports drinks


Eat more budget friendly foods

Sweet potatoes

Cabbage

Green beans

Canned corn

Frozen spinach

Whole carrots

Salsa

Apples or applesauce

Bananas

Raisins

Canned tuna

Dried lentils

Canned or dried beans

Eggs

Peanut butter

Skim milk

Oatmeal

Brown rice

Corn tortillas

Whole grain bread


Sample meal plan

Breakfast Lunch Dinner SnacksOatmeal, raisins, peanut butter

Peanut butter sandwich, glass of skim milk

Tuna patties, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans

Hard boiled egg, apple

Scrambled eggs with spinach, corn tortilla

Lentil stew and baked sweet potato

Egg white omelet with spinach and salsa, sweet potato home fries

Homemade tortilla chips with corn bean salsa

Hard boiled eggs with applesauce and glass of skim milk

Tuna wrap and carrot sticks

Beans and rice, sautéed spinach

Oatmeal with raisins and glass of skim milk

Peanut butter and apple toast and glass of skim milk

Vegetable rice soup (tomatoes, corn, spinach, brown rice) with corn tortillas

Stir-fried brown rice with cabbage, carrots, green beans and scrambled egg

Peanut butter and banana smoothie


My Budget Friendly Ideas

Think about ways you can save money but still eat healthy

Name three steps that you can take

1.__________________________________________

2.__________________________________________

3.__________________________________________

lose and win

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healthy foodsincorporate

healthy diet doesnt

examples of healthy

store brandsdont

grocery store

salsablack beans

store hungry

expensive protein sources