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 Kirby Saver - Healthy on a Budget
It may be hard to eat healthy if you do not have time to cook or your kids want fast food. Try these tips to eat better, save time, and stretch your food budget.
Help Your Family Eat Well
- Eat breakfast every day. Try a whole-grain cereal like raisin bran with fat-free or low-fat milk, or whole-wheat toast spread with jam. Enjoy some fruit with your breakfast too.
- Teach kids that healthy foods taste good. Make macaroni and cheese with fat-free milk and low-fat cheese. Try a peanut butter (spread thin) and jam or preserves sandwich instead of a burger and fries.
- Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese instead of full-fat dairy products.
- Choose whole-grain foods like whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, or whole-wheat pasta more often than refined-grain foods, like white bread, white rice, and white pasta.
- Snack on fruits and vegetables. Keep a bowl of fruit on the table, bags of mini carrots in the refrigerator, and boxes of raisins in the cupboard.
- Do not keep a lot of sweets like cookies, candy, or soda in the house. Too many sweets can crowd out healthier foods.
TIP: If you cannot digest lactose (the sugar found in milk), try fat-free or low-fat lactose-reduced milk. Or try fat-free or low-fat yogurt or hard cheeses like cheddar, which may be easier to digest than milk. You can also get calcium from calcium-fortified juices, soy-based beverages, and cereals. Eating dark leafy vegetables like collard greens and kale, and canned fish with soft bones like salmon, can also help you meet your body’s calcium needs.
Save Time and Money When You Cook
You do not have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen or a lot of money to eat well.
- Buy foods that are easy to prepare, like pasta and tomato sauce, rice and beans, or canned tuna packed in water.
- Plan ahead and cook enough food to have leftovers. Casseroles, meat loaf, and whole cooked chicken can feed your family for several days. (Be sure to freeze or refrigerate leftovers right away to keep them safe to eat.)
- Buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. Buy only as much as you will use, so they will not go bad.
- Buy frozen or canned vegetables (no salt added) and canned fruit packed in juice. They are just as good for you as fresh produce, and will not go bad.
- Try canned beans like kidney, butter, pinto, or black beans. They are loaded with protein, cost less than meat, and make quick and easy additions to your meals.
- If your local store does not have the foods you want, or the prices are too high, go to another store or your local farmers market. Share a ride or the cost of a taxi with friends.
- Involve your friends by having days of cooking and sharing healthy meals together. Cut the cost of the meals by buying the ingredients together.
TIP: Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, when you eat, and how you feel when you eat can help you understand your eating habits. You may be able to see ways to make your eating habits healthier. You can also use your diary to plan weekly menus, make shopping lists, and keep track of recipes you would like to try.
courtesy: National Institute of Health
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