Daily Living - Healthy Living
How Do I Eat Well?
by Rebecca Mueller, MS, RD
The economy may be tough on our pocketbooks, but that doesn’t mean we have to sustain life on the dollar menu. Some nutrition experts are concerned that the economic downturn will cause Americans to seek out high-comfort, high-caloric, low-cost foods. According to a recent study by the International Food Information Council, price is the number one concern for consumers at the grocery store.
Many people are asking the question, “How do I eat well and choose fresh, healthy products when the price at the checkout continues to soar?” I wish the answer were simple. We must come to grips with the understanding that eating well requires desire and motivation. You don’t have to be a good cook and have an unlimited grocery budget; you simply have to make a willing investment in your health.
Shop Smart
Proverbs 31 provides an upbeat reminder for women seeking inspiration for any daily task such as meal planning and preparation. This passage praising the wife of noble character helps women remember that seeking wisdom above all else, brings favor from the Lord. The type of wisdom that comes from God provides direction, motivation, and peace. At times, these character traits are sorely needed in nutrition and exercise disciplines. To eat healthy on a tight budget, we need to shop smart and be creative. Just as in Proverbs 31:16, “She considers a field and buys it.” “She considers” implies that the wife of noble character shows good judgment. Following this example of critical thinking and then purchasing when making food and exercise decisions can greatly impact our view of healthy foods and activities. Wandering aimlessly through the aisles of the store often leads to impulse purchases, thereby compromising the family budget. I think we can all relate to this from personal experience.
Make Lists
Making a list is beneficial to the budget and often to the waistline. When jotting down your list, strive to think through meal ideas or food themes you would like to cook in the approaching weeks. For example: if you are going to have a variety of Italian dishes, pick up whole wheat pasta, canned tomato sauce, part skim ricotta cheese, turkey pepperoni, pizza sauce, and a pre-packaged pizza crust. Protein is usually the most expensive part of a meal, so consider less expensive high nutrient alternatives such as eggs (to make an omelet or frittata for dinner), canned beans, frozen fish fillets, and lean ground chuck. Many pre-packaged inexpensive foods are nutrient-poor and calorie-rich, due to their high content of refined grains, sugar, and fat. However, there is also a long list of nutrient-rich, inexpensive foods, such as ground beef, milk, beans, potatoes, carrots, nuts, frozen vegetables, canned tomatoes, soup, rice, and oatmeal.
Avoid Cereal
Another food item that has skyrocketed in price is cereal. I think Tony the Tiger hasn’t realized that the price of wheat has doubled in recent years. Instead of reaching for the cereal bowl yet again, consider having a tortilla with sliced turkey, hummus, or peanut butter. Another simple inexpensive breakfast is oatmeal. When you buy the regular (or quick) oats in the canister, sweeten them yourself with dried fruit and honey or a little brown sugar. You are then paying only about 19 cents per bowl! Many people skip breakfast or stop in for a quick bite at the work café. This habit can be expensive over time. Financial analysts call the morning coffee shop stop the “Latte Factor.” If you stop at your favorite café just twice a week for a medium latte, you will likely rack up a bill exceeding $300 per year. If we occasionally skip our coffee shop or out- to-lunch habit and allocate those dollars to our grocery purchases, we could be adding hundreds of dollars to our yearly budget.
Hard economic times don’t have to decimate our good intentions to eat well. Decrease food costs by vowing to eat at home more often, cut back on expensive meat, and reduce waste by relying on leftovers. Our bodies are God’s design. Investing in them can increase the quality of the time that God wills for us to be on earth.
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