Weight Weight Management: Management:

Healthful Eating Healthful Eating on a Budget on a Budget

Provided Courtesy of RD411.comWhere health care professionals go for information

Review Date 12/09 G-1199Contributed by Shawna Gornick-Ilagan, MS, RD, CWPC

Tips for Healthful Eating and Saving Money

• You can do it!

Healthful Eating and Saving Money

• Plan your meals each week

Make Shopping Lists

• Make a shopping list to go along with your planned meals

Healthful Eating and Saving Money

• Shop for produce in season

Healthful Eating and Saving Money

• Look for generic brands

Healthful Eating and Saving Money

Tuna sandwich with reduced-fat American cheese

45¢ for 3 oz of tuna9¢ for 2 Tbsp

mayonnaise17¢ for two slices of

bread13¢ one slice cheese

Large carrot 10¢

Tangerine 50¢

Apple 21¢

2 C Crystal Light® 7¢

Total Cost $1.72Tbsp=tablespoon

Check the Unit Price

• Get the better buy

Healthful Eating and Saving Money

• Eat before you go shopping

Shopping

hungry

makes you

more likely

to buy on

impulse

Become a Flexible Shopper

• Limit red meat• Purchase day-old bread or

over-ripe produce, which may save you money

Use Coupons

• Use coupons

Eat Leftovers

• If you do not eat leftovers, only make enough for one meal, so you do not have leftovers

• Try making leftovers into another meal the next day

• Keep leftovers for 3-5 days, but make sure you refrigerate them within 2 hours after serving

Make Your Own Prepackaged Snacks

$2.50 for package (30 count) $3.49 for six packets

$.17 for two cookies $.58/pack100 calories 100 calories

Buy in Bulk

• It is a better buy and you will use it all

• Example:– 2 pounds (lb) of rice

(32 ounces [oz]=$.15/oz

– 1 lb of rice (16 oz)=$.22/oz

Limit Drinks That Cost Money

• Purchasing a $2 beverage three times/week=$312/year

Stick to the Outside Aisles

Additional Tips

• Milk always going bad?– Buy nonfat dry milk powder and make cups

as you need them• Fruits and vegetables always going

bad?– Try freezing grapes– Buy frozen fruits and vegetables– Buy canned fruits and vegetables, such as:

Fruit in lite syrup or its own juices Low-sodium or no-salt-added vegetables

What Do You Need for Your Health?

• A variety of foods from the food groups:– Grains– Vegetables– Fruits– Milk– Meat and beans

Source: www.mypyramid.gov

Reading Food Labels: Knowledge Is Power

What Is in Your Cart?

Comparing Food Labels

• A healthier choice is typically:

Lower In Higher In• Calories• Sugar• Fat• Saturated fat• Trans fat• Cholesterol• Sodium

•Fiber•Protein•Other vitamins

and minerals

Virtual Shopping Tour

Some Tips for Smart Shopping

Virtual Grocery Shopping Tour

• Pick unsweetened vs sweetened applesauce

• Cost is the same at $.28 for a ½ C serving

• Calories/serving:– Unsweetened: 50 calories– Sweetened: 90 calories

Great Snacks for Eating on the Run

• Bananas are healthy foods, filled with nutrients and costing approximately $.20 each

• This is very low in price compared to a candy bar

Opt for Lite Juice

• Same price for fewer calories

• Plus all the same nutrients

Eat Beans

• Low-price way to add protein and fiber to your meal plan

• Add to salads• Eat as a side dish• Make dips by

mashing• Experiment with

new recipes

Carrots Anyone?

• You can find 10 big carrots for $1, making them just $.10 each

Radishes

• Dip them in some low-fat or fat-free ranch dressing

• Only $.89-$1/bag

Getting a Healthier Salad Dressing Costs the Same

2 Tbsp Italian

Dressing

2 Tbsp Fat-Free

Italian Dressing

170 calories 25 calories

17 grams (g) fat 0 g fat

2 Tbsp Regular

Ranch Dressing

2 Tbsp Fat-Free

Ranch Dressing

290 calories 80 calories

31 g fat 0 g fat

Getting a Healthier Mayonnaise Costs the Same

Regular Mayonnaise

Lite Mayonnaise

Fat-FreeMayonnaise

1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp

90 calories 40 calories 15 calories

10 g fat 4 g fat 0 g fat

How Do You Cook Foods?

• Save money, fat, and calories by using generic nonstick cooking spray vs oil

Butter vs Margarine: Picking One for Weight Management

Promise® Fat-Free Promise® Light Regular Butter

1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp

5 calories 45 calories 80 calories

0 g fat 5 g fat 9 g fat

Is It Really More Expensive to Eat Healthy Foods?

Get Baked Chips: Same Price, Yet Lower

in Fat and Calories

VS

Jam: Save 45 Calories/Tbsp

• Sugar-free jam is the best choice for people looking to lose or manage their weight

Smucker’s®

Strawberry Jelly

Polaner® Sugar Free

Strawberry Jelly

1 Tbsp=50 calories 1 Tbsp=5 calories

Is a Better Option Available?

• Both snacks cost approximately $.25/bar

Sunbelt® Oatmeal Raisin Low Fat Bar

Sunbelt® Chewy GranolaCoconut Fudge Bar

140 calories 230 calories

2.5 g fat 11 g fat

1 g saturated fat 8 g saturated fat

Tuna Fish: Brand vs Generic

• Generic brands cost $.75/can

• Enjoy the entire can for:– 150 calories– 33 g protein– 1.5 g fat

• If 750 milligrams (mg) of sodium/can is too muchfor you, simply rinse the tuna in a strainer

Healthier Ground BeefIs More Expensive

• Ground beef tips:– Eat less– Know that the leaner the beef, the more

protein and more iron and B12 that you get, along with fewer calories and less fat

– Nutrition facts are for a 4-oz serving

Ground Beef 80% Lean 85% Lean 92% Lean

$2.19/lb $2.49/lb $3.39/lb $3.89/lb

340 calories 270 calories 230 calories 160 calories

30 g fat 21 g fat 16 g fat 8 g fat

Low-Calorie Treat

• One package of sugar-free Jell-O®=$.36

• That is $.09 for ½ C or $.18 for 1 C

• You can buy convenience packages already prepared, but this will cost you more money—a little planning can save you money

Final Thoughts

• Eat healthy, well-balanced meals, manage your weight, and save money on your grocery bills

• Plan ahead for meals• Pack your lunch• Create your own list of foods that are

healthy and low in price• Remember that knowledge is power

Want to Learn More?

• Try the interactive learning model, Stretching Your Food Dollar, provided by Oregon State University, at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/fcd/nutrition/ewfl/module_03/

References

American Heart Association. Eating healthy on a budget. Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/1251476880660Healthy%20Eating%20Tips%20FINAL.doc. Accessed December 2 2009.

Calorie King™. Use our food search. Available at: http://www.calorieking.com/. Accessed December 26, 2009.

Duquesne Light. More energy efficient at home: helpful tips on saving energy from Duquesne Light. Available at: http://www.duquesnelight.com/customerservices/WiseUseOfEnergy/EnergyEfficiency.pdf. Accessed December 16, 2009.

References (cont’d)

Oregon State University. Stretching your food dollars. Available at: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/fcd/nutrition/ewfl/module_03/. Accessed December 29, 2009.

United States Department of Agriculture. Inside the pyramid. Available at: www.mypyramid.gov. Accessed December 26, 2009.

References (cont’d)

United States Department of Health & Human Services. How to understand and use the Nutrition Facts Label. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm078889.htm. Accessed December 26, 2009.

Zelman KM. 10 ways to save money on food shopping: how to eat cheap—yet healthfully—despite rising grocery costs. Available at: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/10-ways-save-money-food-shopping. Accessed December 26, 2009.