Eating Healthy on a Budget

Eating Healthy on a Budget Clarian Health Promotions Eating Healthy on a Budget       Why eat healthy? How do you buy fresh food? What’s they difference in frozen and canned? When is fresh produce the cheapest? How do you make it taste good? When does fresh food go bad? Eating Healthy on a Budget  Why eat healthy? Your body needs a mix of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and fiber to perform daily functions. All of these necessary components can be found in a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and meats. Why Eat Healthy  Not having a sufficient mix of nutrients can be harmful to your body, as can too much of any given nutrient. Over consumption of food can lead to obesity. A healthy balanced diet is an excellent way to combat obesity. Food Consumption and Disease     Facts Obesity related diseases are: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. They cause 75% of all deaths in the USA They cost about 1.2 trillion dollars in health care each year Vitamins, Minerals, and Phytochemicals!  You need vitamins and minerals to regulate your body’s systems. They help maintain your metabolism and some contain phytochemicals. All of the essential vitamins and minerals are found in a balanced diet  Phytochemicals are found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts. They act as antioxidants, and offer help in improving vascular health, vision, cancer prevention, diabetes control and prevention, and reducing inflammation. The Nutrient Color Wheel yellow: potassium, B vitamins red: lycopene, antioxidants, vit A green: Vit A, Folic Acid orange: vit C, antioxidants, vit A, betacarotene blue/purple:polyphenols, antioxidants, potassium How do you buy fresh food? Fruits Most fruits are fragrant and not overly hard or soft when ripe Ex: Cantaloupe has a full net and smells like a cantaloupe.  Vegetables Vegetables have a strong vibrant color when ripe. Ex: Don’t buy vegetables that are brown or that the color is not fully developed.  Seasonal Shopping     Buying fresh food when it is in season can save a lot of money Think of the price of tomatoes in the summer vs. in the winter. What is your produce grocery bill like in the summer vs. winter? Buying frozen produce in the winter,and buying Indiana fresh produce in the summer can save money The Farmer’s Market Prices are comparable to Kroger type stores, but they offer fresh produce that has not been shipped or handled by anyone other than on the farm.  http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/Stat es/Indiana.htm Here you can find a farmer’s market in your area and a fun Saturday morning activity  Frozen vs. Canned The nutrient content in the two is relatively the same but  Canned fruits have a lot of added sugar  Canned vegetables have a lot of added salt (sodium) This is done for preservation but adds a lot of “bad” stuff to our “good” food. (try low sodium veggies or, “in their own juice” fruits) Fresh, Canned, Frozen or Dried? Apricots: Fresh 2 medium Weight (g): Canned ½ cup 122 59 Dried ¼ cup 33 78 Calories: 70 34 Blueberries: Fresh ½ cup Weight (g): Calories: Frozen ½ cup 78 40 73 41 Cooking Cooking is an important part to eating healthy. Nutrients can be lost in the cooking process. Steaming is the best option:  In microwave 4 min for every 2 cups of veggies with 1 tablespoon of water in a covered dish.  In a steamer for recommended time  On stove as long as veggies are not immersed in water But do they taste good? A few tips:  Hamburgers: paprika and pepper  Fish: lemon juice and bay leaves  Green beans: curry and basil  Carrots: cinnamon        Cauliflower: nutmeg Peas: orange rind Baked potatoes: salsa Squash: brown sugar Asparagus: Lemon juice Pork: garlic and sage Corn: green peppers and tomatoes Reducing Recipes     Use smaller dishes Check to see if the dish is done 5-10 minutes before the suggested time Add seasoning a little at a time Use recipes that are easily divisible When do you just thrown it away? Definitions from the USDA website    Sell by: tells the store how long to display the product for sale. Buy the product before this date expires Best if used by: recommended for best flavor or quality. This is not a purchase or safety date. Use by: the last recommended date for the use of the product while at peak quality. This date is determined by the manufacturer. Keep your meat safe and your stomach happy! Poultry Beef, Veal, Pork, Lamb Ground meat Cured Ham Sausage Eggs 1-2 days 3-5 days 1-2 days 5-7 days 1-2 days 3-5 weeks (uncooked meat products stored at 40 ۫ or below) What to do when the date is up Rules of thumb: Follow the Use By dates to be safe cook or freeze the products after the date. If the product is fresh and has no date (nonmeat) keep up to three days refrigerated and then freeze or cook. After cooking “leftovers” can be stored for 1-2 days at 40 degrees or below. Comparing Foods          Look at serving sizes Compare weights Sodium Content Calories Sugar Vitamin Content Saturated Fat/Trans Fat Price per ounce (grocery store) Buy Generic Frozen Food vs. Fast Food We chose healthy frozen meals and a similar sandwich from a common fast food restaurant All nutritional information is available via the Healthy Choice and Wendy’s websites. FROZEN MEAL  Healthy Choice Chicken Parmigiana (broccoli,pasta, marinara, fat free mozzarella, chicken) FAST FOOD  Wendy’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich (lettuce, mayo, bread, chicken) Comparison Healthy Choice Calories Total Fat Sat Fat Cholesterol Carbohydrates Fiber Sugar Protein Sodium Vitamin A Vitamin C Iron Calcium 320 9g 3g 20mg 40g 6g 10g 19g 600mg 6% 10% 10% 8% Wendy’s 380 15g 3g 35mg 43g 1g 5g 19g 810mg 2% 0% 15% 2% BUT… TOTAL WEIGHT Healthy Choice: 312g Wendy’s:  157g This is why it is important to look at serving size and weight. They may look similar on the label but “what” exactly are you getting?? $$ Facts $$ Frozen meals cost between $2-3 dollars Fast food sandwiches cost between $2-3 dollars SO… For roughly the same price you get:       More food More vitamins More minerals Less calories Less fat Less sodium And you’re eating HEALTHIER! $$ Facts $$ When going to the grocery:  Make a list  Think about what you eat  If you usually make a trip to the vending machine at work, why not just buy a 12 pack of soda or granola bars and keep them in the office. THANK YOU! Any Questions??