Whether you agree that the U.S. is in a recession or not, you can’t help but notice the higher cost of feeding your family. Even food costs for staples like milk and eggs have increased dramatically. Here are some suggestions for feeding your family healthier foods without going bankrupt:
-Cut out junk foods. With 60% of adults and 30% of children overweight in this country, we need to replace junk foods with healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, cereals, and pasta; low-fat dairy products, and sensible servings of poultry, fish, lean meat, beans, nuts, and eggs.
-Drink water instead of soda pop (You can still enjoy your favorite beverage when you go out to a sporting event, movie, etc. Just stick with the smallest size to save money AND calories! ) Unless you live in a house that has unsafe well water, tap water is probably just as healthy as bottled water.
-Eat whole fruit for snacks instead of potato chips, cookies, doughnuts or snack cakes. One large banana makes 2 servings; 1 pound of grapes will provide several servings. Buy fruits in season and when they are on special. If you don’t get a sale flyer through the mail, pick one up as you go into the store and look for the week’s specials.
-Limit fruit juice to ½ cup per day. Instead of juice boxes or pouches, look for 100% natural juice in half gallon cartons or bottles. If your kids want to drink their juice from individual serving bottles, buy your own plastic bottles and straws at the dollar store and wash them out at night.
-Spread natural peanut butter on whole wheat toast for a quick breakfast that is much healthier than toaster pastries. The whole wheat bread supplies much-needed fiber, and the peanut butter provides protein. If you prefer cereal, hot oatmeal is cheap and good for you. Add some sliced banana or a few berries and a glass of milk and you have a very filling and low cost breakfast.
-Eat yogurt instead of ice cream for snacks. When your supermarket has yogurt on sale, stock up on enough to last several days. To save even more, buy large cartons of plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit. Yogurt is good for your digestive system!
-Buy fresh vegetables in season or when they are on special. Packages of baby carrots are almost always cheap. Cabbage was $ .10 lb. this week at my local supermarket. If you have even a small space in your back yard, you can easily grow healthier foods like tomatoes, bell peppers, and zucchini. Tomatoes and peppers can even be grown in a large pot on your patio. Go to a local plant nursery and buy starter plants; plant them where they can get lots of sun, and water them frequently. Bell peppers can be chopped and frozen to last all winter. When you need some for an inexpensive recipe, just take out what you need and pop the package back in the freezer. Zucchini can be shredded in a blender or food processor and frozen for zucchini-raisin-nut bread.
-Watch your portion sizes, especially when eating protein foods. Even an adult male, 35 years old who exercises more than 1 hour a day (in addition to his regular routine) only needs 7 ounces of meat or beans a day spread over 3 meals. Cook only enough of those foods to give everyone the recommended amount. For a family of 5, 1 pound of ground chuck would be enough to give Dad 4 ounces, Mom 3 ounces, a 10 year old boy and 8 year old twin girls 3 ounces each. Those are the serving sizes recommended by the new USDA guidelines. (A 3-ounce portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.)
-Skip the bacon. Bacon is expensive, very high in fat, and offers little or no nutritional value.
-Use beans frequently as a meat substitute. There are many varieties, they can be prepared in a crock-pot so that dinner is ready when you get home, and they contain lots of fiber to improve regularity. The USDA recommends eating beans 4 times per week. If you have a problem with gas after eating beans, try washing them, covering with water, bringing water to a boil, then draining off water and refilling pot. You can also use Beano, a natural plant enzyme, if you have problems with gas.
-Purchase chicken or turkey on sale and freeze. Again, be aware of healthful portion sizes. Some chicken breasts are large enough for 2-3 servings. Don’t cook more than you need.
-Fill up with foods that have a high water content. Salad greens, watermelon, and sugar free gelatin are some good examples. Serve a healthy green salad at the beginning of each dinner, topped with a small amount of low-calorie dressing, vinegar and oil, or a squeeze of lemon juice.
-Make your own pizza. Instead of paying for expensive delivery and high-calorie pizza, make your own whole-wheat crust, add canned pizza sauce and low-fat cheese, and top with your favorite veggies such as onions, peppers, mushrooms, olives, etc. Do a web search for “pizza dough recipes” and try different ones until your family finds one they really like.
With a little planning, you can feed your family nutritious meals without ruining the budget!
Bev Grey
“Grandma”
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