Healthy Eating On A Budget

Please bear with me as I gripe for a few sentences about the state of my recent grocery expenses, which seem to be rising at a rate of speed similar to a herd of deer that has just been frightened. Like everyone else, I am audibly gasping at the rising cost of goods.

One year ago, a gallon of milk cost almost as much as my half gallon of one percent milk does today. Purchasing beef makes me utter words that I can only whisper. I think to myself as I stroll around the grocery store that everything is crazy. And don't ask me how much nuts cost, please.

According to the USDA Economic Research Services (U.S. Department of Agriculture), purchasing food from the grocery store was 7.5 percent higher in January 2022

People on fixed incomes struggle to balance the price of food against the price of other requirements, which has an impact on food prices. Food banks and pantries are currently struggling to meet the food gap and are in in need of donations to help alleviate the rising levels of food insecurity. The USDA boosted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments by 27% beginning in October 2021 in anticipation of rising food prices. The amount of the increase will vary depending on the state in which you reside.

Will improved nutrition suffer as costs rise? No, not always. But maintaining a healthy diet as a top priority for you and your family will need concentrated, astute meal planning and adjustments to your shopping habits.

A HEALTHY FOOD BUDGET: 10 TIPS

Check off the tips that make the most sense to you and put those tips to work.

1. Focus on eating everything you buy. Don’t throw anything away. Typically, we waste 40 percent of the food we purchase. Think of that as $.40 of every food dollar.

 

2. Focus on healthy food so nutrition is a priority. Minimize or eliminate expensive snack foods with “empty calories”.

 

3. Buy fresh produce in season when it is less expensive. Buying frozen produce allows you extended storage time and may offer more variety.

 

4. Plant a garden. It’s an opportunity to enjoy and share healthy food.

 

5. Buying in bulk saves money. If you can’t eat that much, sharing food with friends shares cost.

 

6. Get back in the kitchen and prepare meals from scratch. In most cases buying processed food increases food cost.

 

7. Make more meatless meals with beans and lentils for a good source of protein. Beans are relatively inexpensive and can be made into delicious main dish options that replace meat. Make meat an “accent” food. Use it in soup or a salad.

 

8. Reinvent leftovers. Plan meals to have a second purpose. A leftover can become an ingredient for something else.

 

9. Eat out less. Fifty dollars for one or two meals eaten out, goes a long way toward multiple meals made at home.

 

10. Others may be hungrier than you realize. If you can, donate money or food to your local food pantry or foodbank. The number of people needing supplemental food is increasing. Consider Donating to your local Meals on Wheels program.

Recipe Tip

Canned beans are food budget friendly and are especially happy to become a part of healthy meal planning and a pantry staple. Serve chili with cornbread muffins. This recipe is a good opportunity to teach children how to use a knife and is simple enough for kids to make on their own.

Courtesy of Frank Sorger, photographer, Nampa, Idaho, and Mimi Cunningham, Eagle, Idaho.

VEGETARIAN CHILI

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup finely chopped (each) onion and red pepper

3/4 cup diced carrots

1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced (optional)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 4-ounce can diced green chilis

1 15-ounce can (each) black beans and pinto beans

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 8-ounce can corn

1/2 teaspoon (each) chili powder and cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste.

In a 1-1/2 quart saucepan, warm olive oil. Sauté onion, pepper, carrots, jalapeno, and garlic 10 minutes until tender, not browned. Add remaining ingredients. Stir thoroughly, cover, and lightly simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors. Garnish with sliced avocado and chopped cilantro.