Top Ten Tips for Nutritious Shopping in a Recession
**below more healthy, economic choices...
1. Before going to the supermarket, make a shopping list.
And
then stick to it. Market research shows that 1 in 2 products in our
shopping carts are an impulse buy. Many times these are not items we
really need. Supermarkets are designed to lure us to into buying more
more more in the 24 minutes we spend on average roaming the aisles. The
enticements during our seven minute wait at the checkout counter are
also unnecessary most times, yet expensive at all times.
2. Stop buying soft drinks!
Hard
to imagine, but you really are paying a lot of money for carbonated
water mixed with food coloring and heaps of high fructose corn syrup.
On average every man woman and child consumes over 50 GALLONS of soft
drinks annually. A family of 4 switching to tap water can save over
$500 a year! Go ahead, drink a glass of water and watch your piggy bank
swell with pride. If this is too drastic, at least switch to 100% fruit
juice.
3. Drastically cut down on sugary, salty, and fatty snacks.
Limit
yourself to 2 or 3 items per grocery trip. If your children protest,
practice a revenue share model with them - for every dollar in grocery
bills saved, they keep 50 cents.
4. Switch from brand name products to store brands.
Whether
frozen foods, dairy, staples, or canned goods, a store brand is usually
just as tasty and nutritious, but costs 10-25% less.
5. Use coupons.
Wisely.
Don’t buy a year’s worth of canned prunes to save a dollar when the
last time you had prunes was at your grandma’s birthday in 1993.
6. Shop less.
Plan
your shopping trips for once a week at most. Those short trips to the
grocer for one item usually end up with many more items in your
shopping bag.
7. Eat more homemade food, even out of the home.
Prepare sandwiches for lunch; or bring leftovers in a Tupperware dish to heat in the office microwave.
8. Don’t throw away food.
Bananas
gotten too mushy? Toss into the blender, add milk honey, and ice cubes
to get a wonderful smoothie. Stale bread? Check out some bread pudding
recipes.
9. Go meatless a day or two a week.
To
some this may sound like an abomination, but statistically, vegetarians
are healthier and live longer. For protein on your off days, try
different types of beans, tofu, lentils, quinoa, and grains, with
plenty of vegetables and fruits. Add nuts and seeds to salads, sauces
and desserts.
10. Learn to cook.
Cooking is NOT
heating a canned soup or nuking a TV Dinner in the microwave. Really
cook. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to prepare healthier and
cheaper a tomato based pasta sauce when you do it yourself. Have the
kids join and help you. There’s no shortage of recipe websites today,
some include video tutorials.
http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2008/10/13/top-ten-tips-for-nutritious-shopping-in-a-recession/
Healthy/Economic Choices
Black beans have the highest antioxidant level of all the beans.
Lentils are high in protein and fiber and don’t need to be soaked. Try
black beans in chili and lentils in casseroles and soups.
Butter spread is equal amounts of softened butter to ”extra virgin” olive oil with a dash of salt.
Mix with a hand mixer and put in container. You need never buy
margarine again. (The oil in margarine is not fit for human
consumption.)
Fresh spinach leaves support your body’s immune system and can be tossed into soups, stews or spaghetti sauce.
Walnuts are high in magnesium and protein, also called the “royal” nut because of its superior qualities.
Peanuts are especially helpful in permitting a slow steady rise in both blood sugar and insulin.
An Apple a day, help fight viruses, stabilize blood sugar, help stop the growth of cancer cells, prevent tooth decay!!
Raisins and Prunes have a high antioxidant capacity. Add them to cereal, cookies, breads or sprinkle them on celery smeared with peanut butter.
Rice and beans combine them for a complete protein and eliminate the meat in that meal.
Deviled eggs, omelets or hard boiled eggs - Egg yolks are high in lecithin which breaks up cholesterol, full of B vitamins and folic acid.
Yogurt contains bone building calcium and lots of potassium. Use yogurt for snacks with fruit or in lieu of sour cream in sauces and dips.
Tuna fish or Salmon are both versatile protein sources
for salads, and sandwiches; fish consumption protects arteries,
inhibits blood clots, lowers blood pressure, helps regulate the immune
system, and relieves migraines.
Barley in soups and made like rice is rich in complex carbohydrates
and fuels the body with a steady flow of energy. It is high in fiber,
but look for “unpearled” barley. It is not processed so you get all the
goodness.
Flaxseed has Omega 3 in it. Grind it up and put it in the freezer to sprinkle on “old fashioned” oatmeal, in quick breads, in yogurt and cookies. Yummmy!
Websites to visit
Foodnetwork.com (quick and healthy meals or 30 minute meals)
Tasteofhome.com
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