The Struggle is REAL...Healthy Grocery Shopping...on a budget...

Healthy eating on a budget

So, if you have been grocery shopping lately…the struggle is REAL!

Shopping smart for healthy choices has become more challenging…

Let’s discuss some general guidelines, and maybe YOU can also share some shopping hacks to save money!

General tips

• Always look for sales

• Look for store brands

• Shop by UNIT price https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/healthy-eating-budget/shop-smart

• 

FRUITS AND VEGGIES:

One misconception I hear often:  frozen fruits and vegetables are not a good choice.

If you buy the ones with salt and sugar added, sure…not a fantastic choice.

Yet, without those additives - they are a great option!

• Buy the frozen grocery store brand of your favorite fruits and vegetables without any flavors or pasta added…you can add that yourself

• If you have fresh fruits and veggies that look like you won’t eat them in time…bag them up and throw into freezer for later

• Maybe use it in a smoothie or omelet 

Let’s keep it simple and review tips per USDA MyPlate food groups

FRUITS

• no more than ½ of daily fruit servings should come from juice

• Canned: make sure juice or water packed

• Dried: watch portion size

• Make your own snack packs :

• measure single servings and place into small containers or snack bags

• Juice: buy 100% juice

• Frozen concentrate usually provides more servings per dollar

• INSTEAD of juice, try adding some lemons or lime slices to water

Whole Grain

• The food label ingredient list will list the whole grain first in the ingredient list…such as:

• Whole wheat, whole rye, farro, brown rice, wild rice

• Don’t be fooled by a caramel color

• Color does not indicate if whole grain, or not

• read the ingredients and label.

• If buy in bulk bin, often even less expensive

• WHOLE OATS are super affordable and can even be ground up into flour to make pancakes

• POPCORN- buy the bag of kernels and airpop or microwave at home- MUCH less money than microwave bags-

• easy directions to make your own microwave bags of popcorn from Allrecipes here

PROTEIN

• BEANS can count towards protein, as well as vegetables….

• buy dried, canned (no salt, or rinse them prior to eating)

• Dried Beans are the least expensive

• add to soups, stews etc

• Don’t forget about chickpeas!  (can roast, puree into hummus, etc)

• Homemade hummus= BLEND in BLENDER 1 can rinsed chickpeas, 2 T virgin olive oil, 1 T lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, ¼ to ½ tsp salt  and VOILA!

• I like to add sriracha- be creative!

• Store brand peanut butter (without sugar added)
• EGGS and canned BEANS are about the same cost per serving- each having great nutrient benefits
• Canned tuna

DAIRY

• Skim milk is lowest cost per serving (gallon container)

• natural cheeses (like a block of cheddar or mozzarella)

• non fat dry milk (NFDM)

• canned milk

VEGETABLES

• Potatoes:

• With the skin on, one medium potato provides 30% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C, along with carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin B6 and potassium,”

• Canned tomatoes

• Crushed, diced or whole are packed with vitamin C, fiber, antioxidant lycopene

Remember the cost of NOT eating nutritious foods

An unhealthy daily food and drink intake with high amounts of sugar, saturated fat, salt and calories can increase chances of chronic disease such as obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease…..treating THOSE are much more costly than budgeting for healthier choices.

I look forward to hearing your tips-

Wishing you well,

Traci Miller,RDN,LD