Next Steps to Better Nutrition
Part 3: Adapting Comfort Foods for Health
Facilitator Script
Hello everyone. Welcome and thank you for coming! My name is [name], and I’m with
[organization].
Some of you are joining us for Part 3 of our Next Steps to Better Nutrition program.
If this is your first session, Next Steps to Better Nutrition is an educational program
developed jointly by the National Council on Aging and the Walmart Foundation.
The Walmart Foundation meets the needs of the underserved by directing charitable giving
to programs that support hunger relief and nutrition, education, environmental
sustainability, and women’s economic empowerment.
The National Council on Aging, or NCOA, is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization
whose mission is to improve the lives of millions of older adults. NCOA works with thousands
of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their
health, live independently, and remain active in their communities.
Slide 2
Those of you who attended one or both of our previous presentations may recall that we
talked about programs to help pay for food, making healthy food choices, building a healthy
plate, and how to read a nutrition label.
Each meal is a CHOICE that you make to enjoy eating and protect your health.
At mealtime, take a moment to think about the foods on your plate. Do you see a variety and
bright colors? Do you have a source of protein?
You can eat healthy, still enjoy your favorite comfort foods, AND stay within your food
budget. The truth is, junk foods often cost more per portion than the good guys like whole
grains and vegetables.
The secret is getting the most nutritional bang for your buck.
Today, we’re going to use some of the tips we learned in the last session to see how to
choose healthy and affordable foods at the grocery store.
Then we’ll watch another video—this one featuring a professional chef showing us how to
adapt a familiar comfort food for health.
Next Steps to Better Nutrition
Part 3: Adapting Comfort Foods for Health
Slide 3
Believe it or not, healthy eating can be affordable and tasty!
With smart choices and a little planning, you don’t have to sacrifice taste or nutrition to keep
within your budget.
Here are some tips to get started:
1. Use a shopping list. A shopping list helps you stay focused and ensures that you’ll
have everything you need to prepare meals quickly.
2. Read and compare food labels.
3. Build healthy meals around foods that are on sale that week. Check out the circulars
before you head to the store. Clip coupons for items you plan to buy.
4. Start your meal by looking through the fresh foods first. They’re usually cheaper than
packaged foods and healthier, too. Note: We do say that people can consume frozen
or canned fruits and vegetables if they compare labels and select those with less
sodium, added sugars, etc. Don’t forget about frozen or canned fruits and
vegetables; just remember to compare labels and select those with less sodium,
added sugars, etc.
5. Shop the perimeter of the store. The healthiest foods are found around the outside
aisles: produce, fresh meats and fish, and low-fat dairy to name a few.
6. Keep staples in the kitchen that make your plate great. These can be canned, dried,
and frozen foods.
Ask participants: What are some of the foods that you haven’t bought recently but would like
to use?
Slide 4
Now let’s look at making healthy and budget-friendly choices in each of the main food
groups, starting with grains.
Strive to eat a variety of grains each day. Oatmeal, whole grain pasta, rice, and barley are all
high in fiber, low in sodium, and relatively inexpensive.
“Instant” grain side dishes may look tempting, but most of them have high sodium content,
and they often have added fats and sugars. Instead, try buying plain pasta, rice, and
oatmeal and adding your own seasonings at home. Look for items with high fiber and low
sodium, and try to vary your grain intake.
Try to limit your servings of bread to 2-4 per day. To save money, freeze a portion of your loaf
of bread to eat later.
Next Steps to Better Nutrition
Part 3: Adapting Comfort Foods for Health
Stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables, but be sure to use them as soon as you can during
the week. Don’t let them sit on the counter or in the vegetable drawer and go bad.
In addition to fresh produce, look in the frozen and canned food aisles for vegetables that
can become staples in your pantry at home. However, be sure to choose brands that have
low sodium and fat.
Here are some ideas on which vegetables offer the biggest bang for your buck:
Broccoli is hard to beat when it comes to health benefits. One serving delivers more than a
day’s worth of Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps the body repair wounds and maintain healthy
cartilage and bone.
Dark green, orange, and red vegetables are full of plant nutrients that are great for health.
Plus, eating several servings of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage,
cauliflower, kale, and brussel sprouts each week may help reduce your risk of cancer.
Here’s a switch from just steaming broccoli—roast it. Simply toss bite-size florets of broccoli
with olive oil, salt, and pepper (and fresh garlic if desired) and roast at 425 degrees for 20
minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice or grated Parmesan before serving.
Collard greens are another bargain. Collard greens are high in calcium and folate, which may
protect cells against cancer. Plus, leafy greens have been linked to fewer vision problems
with age, as well as a lower risk of diabetes. This is because of the healthy molecules found
in colorful vegetables.
Here’s a simple way to use these greens: Finely chop up a few leaves of collards (minus the
ribs if you’re in a hurry because they take longer to cook), sauté until tender, and stir in an
egg or combine with pasta sauce. You can also cook a whole collard green and freeze in
individual portions.
You can buy fruit fresh, frozen, or canned in light syrup. Buy fruits and vegetables when
they’re on sale or in-season for the lowest prices.
Go bananas! They’re cheap, but no nutritional slouch. Among their greatest benefits are
fiber, potassium, and soluble fiber. Potassium can reduce the effects of a high-sodium diet
and can even help lower blood pressure.
Eat bananas between meals to curb afternoon munchies. Another tip is to buy bananas
when they’re still slightly green, so they’ll last you the entire week. If you don’t eat them in
time and they start to turn brown, peel and store them in the freezer to use later in
smoothies, muffins, or bread.
Next Steps to Better Nutrition
Part 3: Adapting Comfort Foods for Health
Pears are another great bargain. Research shows that apples and pears may lower the risk
of type 2 diabetes and stroke. Plus, just one pear packs in 20% of your daily fiber needs.
Think of fiber as your stay-slim secret weapon: The more fiber in your food, the less you’ll
need to eat to feel full. Fruit juice does not contain any fiber; fresh fruit is best.
If you’re not in love with the pear’s grainy texture, bake it with a sprinkle of cinnamon,
walnuts, no-sugar-added apple juice, and cloves for a wonderful treat. Baking them in the
oven until tender is a great way to have fruit for desert. Save some for your breakfast
cereal—they are a spectacular addition to a morning meal.
Another fruit to select is watermelon. One cup is a serving size of watermelon, with the same
amount of sugar in 1 small orange. You might think of this sweet summer treat as a luxury,
but watermelon is an excellent source of lycopene, a type of carotenoid (a pigment that
gives fruits and veggies their orange, red, or yellow hue) that may guard against some
cancers, as well as help improve the skin’s natural defenses against the sun. Plus, it’s one
of the few foods that contain citrulline, a chemical that helps relax your arteries and lower
blood pressure.
Watermelon can be used for much more than a dessert. Turn watermelon into an entree.
Toss cubed watermelon into a salad bowl with diced avocado, cucumber, chopped mint, and
feta. Drizzle lightly with lime juice and olive oil.
Do you buy frozen fruit? It can be affordable and healthy, too.
Ask participants: What do you like to do with frozen fruit?
Slide 5
Let’s look at proteins next. Beans and legumes are a great source of fiber and protein. They
are very affordable and long lasting. You can buy them canned or get out your slow-cooker to
rehydrate dried beans.
Make extra and put them in your freezer for another time. If you buy them in a can, rinsing
the beans can reduce the sodium by 30%.
One half-cup serving of cooked black beans, chickpeas, red kidney beans, or black-eyed
peas are a great source of protein and fiber.
The average woman needs about 46 grams of protein per day, and one cup of beans will
supply one-third of that. Eating beans in place of protein sources like red meat and full-fat
dairy can improve your blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Next Steps to Better Nutrition
Part 3: Adapting Comfort Foods for Health
Always drink plenty of water when you add more beans to your daily meals. If you’re afraid of
the GI effects, start with smaller amounts. The good bacteria in your gut will flourish and the
“gas” problem should go away.
Another great protein is lentils.
Lentils are a good source of protein and B vitamins. They’re also loaded with essential
nutrients like folate and iron. Unlike other dried legumes, lentils cook quickly and do not
require pre-soaking. Brown lentils, the least expensive variety, break down during cooking
and are best used in soups.
Beans and legumes are a perfect food as we age. They also last for a long time on the shelf
because they’re dried.
When it comes to meat, choose lean proteins. The American Heart Associations
recommends limiting red meat, however, if you select beef, choose the leanest cuts such as
round steaks and roasts (eye of round, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top
sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.
Choose extra lean ground beef. The label should say at least 90% lean. You may be able to
find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean.
Buy skinless chicken parts, or take off the skin before cooking. Boneless skinless chicken
breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices.
At the deli counter, choose lean turkey, roast beef, ham, or low-fat luncheon meats for
sandwiches instead bologna or salami.
Slide 6
Frozen meals can be a healthy choice if you pick the right ones. Use the Healthy Plate as
your guide and be sure to read the Nutrition Facts.
Eat a variety of vegetables in your daily diet, when selecting frozen meals, look for a meal
that looks like the healthy plate.
Ask participants: If you see there are not enough vegetables, how do you add more to the
meal?
Answers:
* Steam/microwave a large handful of frozen or canned green beans, broccoli, or
cauliflower to fill the plate.
Next Steps to Better Nutrition
Part 3: Adapting Comfort Foods for Health
* Make a salad to eat with your frozen meal.
* Eat raw carrots/celery with the frozen meal.
To save money, choose frozen meals that are on sale.
Ask participants: Which stores have the best price for quality frozen foods?
Slide 7
There are lots of easy ways to make your favorite foods healthier when you cook. Here are
just a few:
• Use herbs and seasonings in place of salt.
• Choose whole grains.
• Make ½ of your plate colorful vegetables or fruits.
• Use low-fat spreads, dressings, and sprays.
• Cook with low-sodium broth.
• Steam and boil foods instead of frying.
• Use heart-healthy fats, including:
• Oils (such as canola, olive, peanut, safflower and sesame)
• Avocados
• Fatty Fish (such as tuna, herring, lake trout, mackerel, salmon and sardines)
• Nuts & Seeds (such as flaxseed, sunflower seeds and walnuts)
• Reduce your calories with smaller portions. Use measuring cups and spoons to keep
your portions in control.
Slide 8
Here are some ideas on how to make it easy to cook healthy just one.
Make your favorite recipe, but cut it in half. Still too much? Freeze what’s left over for
another meal.
Some recipes are easy to divide into individual portions and freeze for later use. This
minimizes the time to prepare a healthy meal another time. Cook when you have the energy.
Eat from the freezer when you don’t.
Prepare and share. Your friends facing the same challenges and will love to share. This is
also a great way to socialize.
Cook once, eat thrice. Roast a lean meat and serve for dinner, then make shredded beef
enchiladas a few days later and soup after that.
Next Steps to Better Nutrition
Part 3: Adapting Comfort Foods for Health
Slide 9
Today, we’ve introduced you to 8 ways to eat healthy on a budget.
1. Use the healthy plate shopping list.
2. Buy low-fat and non-fat dairy, meats, and fat substitutes.
3. Buy heart-healthy oils and spreads. Buy lean meats and reduced-fat margarines.
4. Buy heart healthy oils like canola, olive, and sesame.
5. Buy foods with less sodium. Always look for a % daily value of less than 5%.
Experiment with herbs.
6. Buy foods with more fiber. Look for whole-grain bread, crackers, and cereals with at
least 3 grams of fiber.
7. Make your favorite foods healthier.
8. Use creative ways to cook for one.
Now, we’re going to watch a professional chef show us how to use healthy ingredients to
make a delicious meal.
Show video
Slide 10
Handout #2 is the recipe for the Taco Salad made in the video.
Slide 11
Thank you for joining us today! I hope you discovered something new that you’d like to try to
eat healthier.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact: add contact info
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available for you to consider joining.
Please take a few minutes to complete the program evaluation.