Healthy Eating on the Cheap

One of my oldest and dearest friends suggested this topic, and I thought it fit with the spirit of Black Friday pretty nicely! Thanks for the suggestion, Caiti!

Eating healthy does not have to be expensive. When I was doing my own grocery shopping, I was able to feed myself 3 meals a day for a week for about $80, and I mostly purchased organic foods. It takes a little planning, but it is possible to eat healthy for cheap.

1. Explore Vegetarian Protein Options
I am not saying this because I am a vegetarian! Meat is expensive, especially if you are buying high-quality meat that hasn't been injected full of hormones and antibiotics. Peanut butter, dry beans, and eggs are all excellent sources of protein that cost considerably less than meat per grams of protein. When purchasing meat, buy the varieties with the LEAST amount of processing. For instance, bone-in chicken breasts with skin cost significantly less than the boneless skinless variety. Remove the skin yourself to save some money. Check out the difference in cost per gram in different proteins in the table below. Notice how the overly processed foods like hot dogs and bacon, which aren't good for you, are more expensive. Weird, huh?

Food	Market Unit	Cost Per Market Unit	Cost per 20 grams of protein
Peanut Butter	18 oz. jar	$2.39	.55
Dry Beans	1 pound	$1.89	.45
Large Eggs	1 dozen	$1.59	.45
Bone-In Chicken Breast	1 pound	$2.99	.81
Ground Chuck	1 pound	$2.59	.65
T-Bone Steak	1 pound	$11.99	$2.76
Hot Dogs	1 pound	$3.59	$1.40
Bacon	1 pound	$6.49	$3.37

2. Stock Up On Staple Items
Many non-perishable items can be bought in bulk or when you find a good sale, and then kept on hand to supplement what you purchase at the grocery store each week. Oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, lentils, dried beans, quinoa, peanut butter, orzo and bulgur are inexpensive and healthy options that should always be in your pantry. In the winter months when fresh produce isn't as readily available, stock up on frozen vegetables. They have the same nutrition value as fresh; just make sure you don't buy the varieties that are covered in sauce or loaded with sodium. This week, Kroger has Green Giant frozen vegetables on sale 10 for $10. I would suggest buying 10 and using them for meals over several weeks.

3. Store ads are your friend!
Instead of planning your meals and then going shopping, look at your local store ads to see what healthy foods are on sale, and plan your meals around them. For instance, at Kroger this week (keep in mind it was Thanksgiving week, so most of the ad was holiday food):

Clementines: $5.99/5 lb. bag
Gala/fuji apples: $4.99/5lb. bag
Cherry tomatoes: $1.99
Whole pineapple: $2.49
Baby carrots: 2/$5
Sun-Maid Raisins: 2/$5
Organic Broth: 2/$5
Celery: .89/bunch
Onion: 2/$3
Bell Peppers: 10/$10
Green Giant frozen vegetables: 10/$10
Boneless pork loin: $1.79/pound
Horizon organic milk: $3.99/gallon
Turkey Hill light ice cream: $2.99/gallon
Cascadian farms organic granola bars: $2.99
Cascadian farms organic cereal: $2.99
Kroger Whole Wheat Bread and Buns: 10/$10 (buy 10 and freeze them!)
Wheat thins: $1.99
Arrowhead Mills organic stuffing: 2 for $5
Kroger reduced fat cheese: $1.99

If I were to plan a few meals using items ONLY from this store ad and supplementing with staple items and low-cost protein sources, it might look something like this:

Breakfasts
Baked oatmeal with apples and raisins, glass of low-fat milk
Cascadian farms organic cereal, hard boiled egg, piece of fruit
Poached egg with cheese on a slice of whole wheat bread, piece of fruit

Lunches
Curried Quinoa salad, baby carrots, piece of fruit
Lentil and Orzo soup, wheat thins, piece of fruit
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, baby carrots, piece of fruit
Lentil sloppy joes on a whole wheat bun, piece of fruit

Dinners
Boneless pork loin with stuffing and a frozen vegetable
Barbecue pork sandwiches using the leftover pork loin, salad
Bell Peppers stuffed with brown rice, frozen corn, and black beans, topped with cheese
Spaghetti with a homemade cherry tomato sauce, frozen broccoli, salad

Dessert
Turkey Hill light ice cream

Snacks
Celery with peanut butter and raisins
Homemade apple sauce
Cascadian Farms organic granola bars


4. Don't Buy Convenience Items
I know that individually packaged food items are convenient and make life easier, but all the added packaging makes them cost a lot more. Buying the larger version and putting a serving size into a Tupperware container for easy transport takes a little more work, but saves you money.

Food Item	Market Unit	Cost per Market Unit	Ounces per Market Unit	Cost Per Ounce
Star-Kist Tuna	12 oz. can	$2.77	12 oz.	.23
Star-Kist Tuna	3-3 oz. cans	$3.35	9 oz.	.39
V8 Juice	46 oz. can	$2.19	46 oz.	.05
V8 Juice	6- 5.5 oz. cans	$3.99	33 oz.	.12
Romaine Lettuce Head	1 lb.	$1.49	16 oz	.09
Bagged Romaine Lettuce	10 oz.	$2.79	10 oz	.17

 5. Stay Away From the Center of the Store
All you will find in the center of the store is packaged foods that are expensive, overly processed, and bad for your health. Try to fill your cart with foods from the outside of the store: fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, seafood, and high quality lean meat. As you see above, I have listed very few processed items from the Kroger store ad. The packaged items I have listed, with the exception of the wheat thins, are organic.

I hope that these tips will give you some ideas to eat healthy on the cheap! Over the next few weeks, I will be posting some of my favorite healthy low-cost recipes for you all to try.

Eating Healthy On The Go

For the past week, I have been in school all day, and in rehearsal from 6-11pm every night for Company, the musical I am performing in. The other night at rehearsal, I was talking to one of my friends in the cast about how challenging it is to eat healthy on the go, which inspired this blog entry! Thanks, Julia!

When you are constantly on the go, it becomes very tempting to grab something quick and convenient from a drive thru, munch on junk around the office, or in our case.. eat all the candy at rehearsal. However, with a little bit of planning and preparation, it is easy to maintain a busy lifestyle and a healthy diet.

I start every single day with a healthy and filling breakfast at home, and then pack a cooler with small meals and snacks for the rest of the day. I keep the cooler in the trunk of my car, and that way I have easy healthy options readily available throughout the day. Yes, packing food requires a little bit of time and preparation, but fueling my body with nutrient dense food throughout the day makes the effort well worth it. Here are some of my favorite healthy on the go options.

1. Chobani Greek Yogurt

I love Chobani's non-fat plain yogurt. 6 ounces has 100 calories and 18 grams of protein, which fills you up. To sweeten the tart taste, top with a half a cup of your favorite fruit. Chobani makes delicious fruit flavored yogurts as well, but I prefer to add my own fruit for more nutrition and less sugar. You can even buy fruit already cut up to save you prep time.

2. Hummus with Veggies

Hummus is a great source of protein, fiber, iron, heart-healthy fats, and omega 3 fatty acids. My favorite brand is Sabra's spinach and artichoke hummus. 2 tablespoons has 70 calories, 6 grams of fat, and no sugar. Baby carrots and snap peas are great to pack with hummus, because there is no chopping or washing involved- you can just throw them into a baggie and go.

3. Luna Bars

Designed for women, Luna bars are 70% organic and contain nutrients that are essential for women. My favorite is chocolate peppermint stick, which tastes more like a dessert than a healthy snack. One bar has 180 calories, 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, as well as calcium, vitamin D, iron, and folic acid. I always have one of these in my purse for just in case.

4. Peanut butter

I LOVE peanut butter. Not only is it delicious, but 2 tablespoons contain 7 grams of protein to keep you full, amino acids that build and repair muscle tissue, and monounsaturated fats that help lower your risk for diabetes and heart disease. Peanut butter is perfect on the go with apple slices, banana, celery sticks, or on a mini whole wheat bagel with a little bit of jelly. Smuckers even makes peanutbutter in individual serving sizes, which makes packing it even more convenient.

5. Low-fat cottage cheese

Cottage cheese contains 25 to 28 grams of protein per cup, which is the same protein content as a 3 ounce chicken breast! It is easily portable, and can be combined with a variety of foods to keep it interesting. Try it with strawberries, craisins and walnuts, or mandarin oranges! Breakstone's even makes individual packages, which is super convenient and saves you measuring and washing of containers.

You can also prepare foods at the beginning of the week that will last you throughout the week. For instance, my mom will make a huge batch of tofu and grilled veggies on Sunday. This way, I can throw them on salads, brown rice or pasta for quick meals throughout the week. Pasta salads that require no heating are also a great option, and can be topped with a chicken breast for a more complete meal. For some great whole-grain salad recipes that can be prepared in advance to pack for lunches, click here!

If you're desperate and have to hit a fast food restaurant (hey, it happens to the best of us) try to make the healthiest choice possible. Try some of these options to avoid diet disaster at the drive thru:

Subway
6 inch sub on whole wheat, baked chips.

Chipotle
Avoid the rice and tortillas, and choose the salad with lean meat, beans, veggies, salsa, and guacamole. Skip the dressing, which is loaded with sugar.

McDonalds
Try a grilled chicken sandwich with a side salad and fruit and yogurt parfait rather than a greasy burger and fries.

Wendys
Go for the chili and a side salad for a healthy and filling meal.

Panera
Try half a sandwich on whole wheat with half the classic cafe salad.

KFC
Grilled chicken strips with a side of green beans is only 190 calories and 4.5 grams of fat.

It is always possible to make good and nutritious choices, which will help keep you energized and full to get you through long and busy days. I hope that these tips and suggestions will help you to make healthy choices on the go!

Eating Real Food

Sorry for the brief blogging hiatus! Between my full-time school schedule, part-time job, and rehearsing four days a week for Company (which I hope you will come see), things have been a little hectic.

I know that some of you were upset that I ruined the pumpkin spice latte for you. I promise that my goal is not to ruin your favorite foods for you... just to make you think a little bit more about what you are putting in your body. We are what we eat. So, on that note... do you know what's in your food and where it comes from?

Today’s dominant form of agriculture relies on synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, large amounts of water, major transportation systems and factory-style practices for raising livestock and crops. Artificial hormones in milk, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, mad cow disease, and large-scale outbreaks of e.coli are all associated with this industrial form of food production.

As more Americans are opening their eyes to where there food is coming from, interest in sustainable agriculture has started to increase. Sustainable agriculture farming methods are healthy, don't harm the environment, are humane to animals, and support farming communities.

There are many reasons to buy sustainable, including:

1. Health
Eating locally cuts down on the length of time between when the food is harvested or processed and when you eat it. The less time between the farm and your plate, the more nutrients and taste are present in the food.

2. Tastes better
Industrial foods are often altered in a way that effects taste. For instance, turkeys are injected with saline and vegetable oil to improve "mouth feel."

3. Animals
Sustainably raised animals are treated humanely, and are permitted to graze and root in the sunlight. Many factory-farmed animals are crammed together in unsanitary conditions where they suffer and are often sick.

4. Environment
Animals on factory farms excrete tons of waste every week. According to the EPA, hog, chicken, and cattle waste polluted 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and contaminated groundwater in 17 states during the 1990s.

5. Family Farms
Slowly but surely, small family farms in rural communities are disappearing. If this continues, we will be dependent on a few industrial facilities that will dictate what we eat and how it is grown and raised.

So... what can you do to eat and shop sustainably?

A fun way is to visit a local farmer's market. A couple of Saturdays ago, my mom and I took a trip down to Findlay Market. For those of you who live in Cincinnati and have never been to Findlay Market... go! We like to have breakfast and coffee, walk around to the local vendors, and make a morning out of it.

We started out the day with a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, black and pinto beans, pico de gallo, and queso. Yum.

 

After breakfast, we walked around and visited the booths from the local farms. When you buy local, you can talk to the farmer about how the food was grown, when it was picked, and how the animals were raised. Often, the produce you purchase at a Farmer's Market will have been picked the day before, rather than weeks before.

We ended up purchasing:
Apples (I could not believe how much better these tasted than store bought apples!)
Acorn squash
Spaghetti squash
Spinach
Romaine lettuce
Pumpkin hummus (If you like hummus, you HAVE to check this guy out: Summah Hummus)
Pecan raisin bread from Blue Oven Bakery
Smokey pimento cheese spread from Dad's Favorites

Shopping at Findlay Market is fun (and delicious) but most of us are busy and prefer the convenience of shopping at chain supermarkets. Even then, you can still support sustainable agriculture:

1. Look to see if any of the fruits or vegetables sold in the store are organic or from local farms. Both Meijer and Kroger usually have a huge selection of these types of foods for good prices.

2. Ask the butcher if any of the meats sold are organic, sustainably raised, or from local farms.

3. Try to find natural forms of the processed foods you purchase. Links to some of my favorite natural/organic brands are posted below. I think you will be surprised to find that most of them don't cost much more than what you usually buy. All of these are easy to find at Meijer and Kroger... and they really do taste better than the overly processed versions.

Annie's Homegrown
Newman's Own Organics
Amy's Organics
Cascadian Farm
Horizon Organic Dairy

I hope that you will start giving some thought to where your food comes from. Eating REAL food tastes better, and is healthier for you and our environment.

For more on sustainable agriculture, here.
To find listings of local, sustainable, and organic foods in Cincinnati, click here