SAVE MONEY AND EAT
HEALTHY!
Julie Anderson MS,RD,CPT, CSSD
Peak Nutrition Clinic Director
Today’s Topics
• Nutrition basics
• Shopping Strategies
• Fruits & Veggies without
breaking your wallet
• Grains, protein, & daily on
a dime
• Daily Tips
• Meal Planning Basics
Nutrition Guidelines
“Consume a balanced diet with low-fat proteins,
moderate in carbohydrates / starches & high in
vegetables.”
Balancing Your Meals (4 BLOCK system)
BLOCK 1:PROTEIN (~10-20%) “PALM”
(take up to 4 hours to digest)
(Choose Free Range/Grass Fed if possible)
Boneless/skinless chicken or turkey
Pork loin
Beef: loin, round, flank, 97% lean burger
Turkey burger
Turkey bacon
Fish filets
Tuna
Sushi (Nigiri or Sashimi are leanest)
Eggs (whites or eggbeaters preferably)
Protein powders (Protein “Isolate” is most
absorbable)
Bison
Elk
Vegetarian proteins:
Tofu or Tofu crumbles (beef / chicken flavors)
Texturized vegetable protein
Seitan
Tempeh
Braggs Liquid Amino Acids
Edemame / Soybeans (dried & fresh)
Starchy beans (beans / legumes + rice/grain
= a complete protein)
Nuts and Nut butters
Seeds
Cottage cheese & plain Greek Yogurt
Cheese (mozzarella is a lean choice)- choose
part skim or reduced fat cheeses.
*items in BOLD fall into more than 1 block
BLOCK 2: CHO / STARCHES/STARCHY
VEG’S (50-60%) – “1-2 FISTS”
(take 2 hours to digest maximum) => 100% sugar
BLOCK 3: HEALTHY FATS ~20% -”
THUMB”
(take up to 4-5 hours to digest)
(Mono/Poly/Omega’s are best)
Carbs/Grains
Pesto
Oatmeal – choose 100% whole grain / steel cut oats Olive oil (oils = 1 tsp)
Cereals - (look for >3g of fiber and <6g sugar)
Peanut oil
Whole grain pancakes/waffles or other high fiber
Sesame oil
variety
Canola oil
Wheat crackers - (look for 3+g of fiber per
Coconut Oil
serving)
Earth Balance Butter/Ghee (1 tsp / meal)
Pasta – choose whole wheat
Nuts & Nut butters (1/4 c or 2 Tbsp)
Rice – choose brown/wild rice
Flax seed (ground) (1-2 Tbsp)
Barley, Lentils, Bulgur, Couscous, lentils, etc…
Pine nuts
Quinoa
Avocado (1/8 avocado = 1 serving of fat)
Breads/tortillas/pitas – 100% whole wheat or grain Salad dressings: Olive oil & Vinaigrettes are
or corn tortillas
great choices (1-2 Tbsp)
Starchy Beans
____________________________________
kidney, pinto, garbanzo, etc & hummus
BLOCK 4: NON-STARCHY VEGGIES
Servings: Unlimited   
Starchy Vegetables
Asparagus
Broccoli
Big Squash (ones that require cooking –
Cauliflower
Brussels Sprouts
Lettuce
Spinach
pumpkin/acorn)
Potato (sweet, yam, Okinawain, white, red)
Onions
Bell Peppers
Corn & Peas
Mushrooms
Cabbage
Bok Choy
Cucumber
Focus on Complex Carbs 70% of the time
Carrots
Eggplant
BLOCK 2:FRUITS
Tomatoes
Radishes
Servings: 2-3 daily (use for Breakfast & snacks) Zucchini
Celery
Fruit – all varieties “Choose fresh & frozen”
Collard Greens
Kale
Garlic
Swiss Chard
DAIRY
Green beans
Artichokes
2-3 daily (good for Breakfast & snacks)
Watercress
Sprouts
Milk (1% or skim), Yogurt (reduced fat),
Soy milk, Almond Breeze, Rice milk, Coconut
“Greens”
Wheat Grass
Weight Loss Plate - Method
.
Weight Gain / Heavy Trng Plate - Method
.
FLUIDS
8-16oz
When Comparing Food Labels:
• The Healthier Choice is Typically:
Lower In
• Calories
• Sugars
• Fat
• Saturated Fat
• Trans Fat
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
Higher In
• Fiber
• Protein
• Other
Vitamins &
Minerals
We Are What We
Eat…
3 days later…
RECOMMENDED DAILY AMOUNTS: 1800 – 2000 MG PER DAY
Ave intak e in Am erica = 3600m g per day
-Americans consume as much
as a cup of refined sugar a day
in various foods they eat
-150 lbs per year
- High fructose corn syrup
increased 4000% since 1960’s
©2006 Wellness Councils of America
Another Comparison…
Ingredients listed are important too!
Mechanically Separated Meat…
Ingredients Are Important Too - Which Would You Choose?
1.
Venison, Potato, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice, Ground Whole
Grain Barley, Dried Beet Pulp, Brewers Dried Yeast, Fish Oil, Salt, Calcium
Carbonate, Rosemary Extract
2.
Corn, vegetable oil, cheese powder, salt, partially hydrogenated soybean oil,
buttermilk powder, wheat flour, whey protein concentrate, tomato powder, flavor
enhancers, onion powder, whey powder, garlic powder, dextrose, sugar, mineral
salt, food acids, flavor (natural), spices, colors. Contains Gluten.. Contains Milk or
Milk Products.. Contains Soybeans or Soybean Products.
3.
(Enriched Flour, Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine
Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Water, Cream, Yeast, High Fructose Corn
Syrup, Modified Potato Starch, Dough Conditioner (Azodicarbonamide), Wheat
Gluten, Soybean Oil, Kosher Salt, Vinegar, Fumaric Acid, Calcium Sulfate, Corn
Meal, Potassium Sorbate), Egg White Patty (Egg Whites, Cornstarch, Xanthan
Gum, Annatto), Canadian Style Turkey Bacon (Turkey Thigh Meat, Water, Salt,
Dextrose, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite), Pasteurized
Process American Cheese (Cultured Milk, Water, Cream, Sodium Phosphate, Salt,
Lactic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Color Added, Sodium Citrate, Enzymes).
WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Which Would You Choose?
1.Peanuts’ Dog Food
2. Doritos
3. Weight Watcher’s Smart One’s
Morning Express English
Muffin
Healthy Eating on a Budget
•
Budgeting and Planning:
– Each week or month determine how much you can
spend for food.
– Plan meals and snacks for you and your family before
you go shopping.
– Use the foods you have on hand first and use any
leftovers during the week.
– Use coupons ONLY if they make items you usually buy
cost even less.
– Always check newspaper ads or store flyers for weekly
specials.
– Can you make time for some prep work in the kitchen?
Investing a little time can mean big savings. Pre-cut
broccoli florets are twice as expensive per pound as
whole broccoli.
Healthy Eating on a Budget
•
Shopping Strategies:
– Shop the perimeter of the store for healthy produce, meats and dairy.
– Use the unit price to compare costs between brands and different sized
packages.
• Unit prices are displayed on the shelf below the foods and tells you how much the food costs
per ounce.
– Choose generic whenever possible.
– Check higher or lower shelves for cheaper
items because more expensive items are kept
at eye-level.
– Check the ethnic food aisles. You may find items at
a lower price.
– Look for sale promotions— (e.g., 5 for $5)
Healthy Eating on a Budget
•
Shopping Strategies:
– Steer clear of junk food. Empty calories from chips and sweets are no bargain.
Use your food dollars to buy nutrient-rich food to fuel your body.
– Pop over to the bakery. Check out your store’s bakery counter. Store-made
baked goods are often cheaper — and fresher — than are commercial brands.
– Be smart about organics. Organic often means expensive.
So opt only for organic produce that
tends to harbor pesticides when
grown traditionally
• Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list
Healthy Eating on a Budget
•
Eating Fruits and Vegetables:
– Buy apples, oranges, grapefruit, potatoes, onions, etc.,
by the bag vs. by piece.
– Buy in season. It’ll be cheaper and taste fresher.
– Canned and frozen fruits & veggies can cost less than
fresh and are just as nutritious because they are
packaged at their peak of freshness.
– Make fruit last longer by freezing it — Berries are
perfect for this.
– When buying canned foods, choose those that are
packed in their own juice and low sodium.
– Avoid buying bagged/washed lettuce, cabbage and
carrots; it costs more but you get less quantity.
Healthy Eating on a Budget
•
Whole Grains/Carbohydrates:
– Oatmeal is nutritious and economical.
– Check out the day old breads and bagels
(a great value and still fresh).
– Buy cereals and grains without fancy
packaging (in bulk) to store in airtight
containers.
– Whole wheat pasta is healthier but more
expensive than white, so use a little of
each.
– Make 80% of your grains whole grains for
optimal health…
Healthy Eating on a Budget
•
Eating Lean Proteins:
– Buy Less-Prepared Protein — Season, marinate, deskin your own meat.
– Occasionally replace meat with other less expensive
protein sources like eggs and beans.
– Use canned fish and chicken for sandwiches,
enchiladas, casseroles, and salads.
– Extend your protein dollars by eating two or more
meatless meals weekly.
– Use less meat in soups, stews, chili, and spaghetti
sauce. Stretch your food dollars further by using
more veggies, potatoes, or rice.
– Less tender cuts are cheaper
Marinade or cook with liquid in a slow cooker.
– Meat close to expiration goes on sale first:
Purchase, cook and freeze for later meals / dishes
Healthy Eating on a Budget
•
Dairy:
– Use dried milk powder for recipes,
use fluid milk for drinking (choose
skim or 1%).
– Buy block cheese and shred it
yourself for recipes (versus preshredded).
• Cheese & cottage cheese can be frozen
– Buy large containers of plain or
vanilla yogurt, then add real fruit.
You'll save money and calories by not
buying fancy single-serve yogurts.
Healthy Eating on a Budget
•
More Healthy on Eating on a Dime:
– Bring Your Own Lunch To Work — Bringing leftovers is a great way to save
time and money.
– Buy a Filter for Your Tap Water instead of buying bottled water.
– Make Your Own Coffee — Save approximately $1500 if you cut out the daily
coffee runs!
– Buy Healthy Snacks in Bulk and package it yourself into little baggies.
– Stock up on non-perishables when they go on sale (soup, granola bars).
• Can refrigerate and freeze granola bars to extend life span
– Make More. When cooking a big meal, make extra to freeze, or use later in
the week for lunches or quick suppers. Double recipes, then freeze half.
• Prep your meals over the weekend
• See “meals in minutes” handout
Drinks = Excess Weight + Money
• Purchasing a $2.00 beverage 3 times a
week = $312 per year
• Cutting out 1 “150” calorie drink daily = 22
pounds lost at the end of 1 year!
Mindful Snacking
People who eat
several small meals
and snacks a day
are more likely to
control hunger and
lose weight.
Prepare your own
“nutrient dense” snacks
versus purchasing costly
pre – packaged processed
options…
Healthy Eating on a Budget
• Dining Out:
– Save leftovers for lunch the next day
– Reduce portion sizes – eat less, pay less!
– Share your meal
– Limit your dining out, especially when it comes to fast food, since
you’ll find yourself spending unnecessarily on items that are high in
fat, salt, and calories.
Healthy Eating on a Budget
•
Creative Ways to Eat Healthy and Save:
– Plant a fresh fruit and vegetable garden is a small investment for a large
amount of produce!
– Start a Healthy Lunch Club at work — share healthy recipes and trade cooking
duties!
– Visit local farmers’ markets — get fresh,
local produce without breaking the bank!
– Do It Yourself. If you’re really craving
a special treat, make it yourself. You can
make it from healthier ingredients and spend
less.
Group Ideas/Sharing!!!
Shopping Lists Are a MUST!
• Make a weekly meal and snack plan &
stick to it…
– Shoppers spends 40% more on impulse buys
• MAKE A LIST according to your plan
– Divide your list into categories and shop the
perimeter of the store as much as possible.
Meal Planning Basics
• Plan based on what’s in your
refrigerator/pantry already…
Ask:
– What can I make with foods I have?
– What needs to be used up first?
– Can I mix foods together to make a meal?
– Is this healthy?
$63 – What Can I Make Exercise?
Fruits
• Diced tomatoes, no added salt
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Apples
Vegetables
• Salad mix
• Baby carrots
• Tomatoes, plum
• Spinach, fresh
• Broccoli
• Zucchini
• Onions
• Celery
• Tomato sauce, no added salt
Whole grains / starches/starchy veggies
• Winter squash
• Pasta, whole grain penne
• Brown rice or quinoa
• Tortillas, whole wheat
• Heart-healthy protein
• Lentils
• Potatoes
Proteins
• Chicken, whole (# as needed)
• Fish
• Walnuts
Fat-free/skim dairy
• Fat-free sour cream
• Yogurt - light vanilla
• Parmesan cheese
Balance Every Meal
• Incorporate
something from 3 to
4 of the blocks:
– PRO + CHO + VEG
– PRO + CHO + VEG +
FAT
• Weight loss goals:
– Watch your CHO &
FAT portions while
increasing your PRO
and VEG+++
–Non-starchy VEG expand
in your stomach and fill
you on less calories
–PRO takes up to 4 hrs to
digest = good filler
• Make “lean” selections
• Remember that you can
use less expensive
options such as beans,
quinoa, eggs, tuna…
Balance EVERY Meal
• Breakfast ideas (3-4 BLOCKS):
– Kashi Go Lean cereal + skim milk or unsweetened almond
milk + banana
– 2 slices whole wheat toast + PB + ½ cup skim cottage
cheese with berries
– Oatmeal+ low-fat plain Greek yogurt + 1 scoop vanilla
protein powder (optional) + berries
– Scrambled eggs or whites + spinach, mushrooms, onions,
etc… and fruit or toast
– Plain or honey Greek yogurt + cottage cheese,
Fruit and Ground flax or chia seeds
Liquid “Green” Meal On The GO!
Pick a Liquid:
Almond milk, choc milk, rice milk, hemp milk
Pick a Fruit:
Frozen banana, cherries, berries mix
Pick a Vegetable:
Baby spinach, kale, swiss chard, carrots, beets, pumpkin puree
Pick a Protein:
Whey Protein Isolate, Greek Yogurt, rice protein, cottage cheese, etc…
Pick a Nut / Seed:
Almond / peanut butter, sunflower seeds, ground flax / chia / hemp
Pick a topper (optional):
quick oats, cocao nubs, coconut, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice
Balance EVERY Meal
• Lunch ideas (3-4 BLOCKS):
– Chicken breast + green salad mix + black beans +
¼ avocado + salsa for the dressing
– 1 cup meat and bean chili + chopped veggies and
hummus
– Vegetable soup + lean sandwich
– Lean steak + sautéed mushrooms and onions,
quinoa and steamed veggies
– Grilled fish + unlimited salad greens + tomatoes,
black beans, salsa for the dressing, and 1 Tbsp
seeds
Balance EVERY Meal
• Dinner ideas (3-4 BLOCKS):
– Shrimp / chicken / tofu / lean beef / pork loin, with
grilled or steamed veggies + quinoa or starchy beans
or sweet potato or brown rice or butternut squash
– Grilled or baked salmon with roasted vegetables +
baked sweet potato fries and coconut oil
Snacks: Include 2-3 “blocks”
•Plain Greek yogurt + fruit
•Banana + Almond butter
•Fresh peppers and celery +
Hummus
•Cheese stick + grapes / apple
•Protein shake with unsweetened
almond milk
•homemade pumpkin flax granola
bars or other varieties
•Veggies, Veggies, Veggies…
AVOID vending machine traps!
Dorm Basics…
•HELPFUL TOOLS
– MICROWAVE
– FRIDGE
– PORTABLE BLENDER
– MINI RICE COOKER
•TOP FOOD STAPLES
1.
2.
3.
FRESH FRUIT
NUTS & NUT BUTTERS
WHOLE GRAIN BREAD, WRAPS, OR
CRACKERS
4. HIGH FIBER CEREALS
5. GREEK YOGURT
6. OATMEAL
7. “PAR BOILED” GRAINS
8. TUNA / SALMON PACS
9. GROUND FLAX / CHIA’S
10. FRESH / FROZEN VEGGIE PACS
11. PROTEIN POWDER (ISOLATE)
12. ALMOND MILK / MILK
THANK YOU!
Helpful websites:
1. www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-onbudget.html
2. http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collecti
ons/healthy_budget_friendly_recipes
3. http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collecti
ons/cheap_eats
4. http://cooking-in-college.com/websitesblogs/