Buying Food
on a Budget
Maryland 4-H Health Ambassadors
Evelyn Burch
Adam Edwards
Gabrielle Parker
How to Teach
Unit Pricing
Evelyn Burch
How to teach comparison
of unit prices

Question: What is the unit price?

Answer: The unit price is the amount you’re
paying for each “unit” (ounce, pound, etc.) of
the product you’re buying. You could also
call it the “true price of the product.”

Question: Why is it important to know the
unit price of an item?

Answer: The unit price gives you a standard
unit to compare multiple products and make
the most budget conscious buying choice
Understanding Unit Pricing
What it looks like
Comparing unit prices of the same product
What is Unit Pricing?, November 18, 2013by Gina Petracca, Graduate
Nutrition Student
Comparing Unit Price
Recap

Unit price is a powerful informational tool which helps shoppers make
informed decisions when purchasing food. It makes you aware of the
true cost of a product and allows easy comparison of similar items.
What is Unit Pricing?, November 18, 2013by Gina
Petracca, Graduate Nutrition Student
Give it a try
ConsumerReports.org, Unit prices can help you save on groceries, Don't assume the larger package always is the best value, Published:
August 14, 2013 10:45 AM
What if the unit price
isn’t listed?

Find the listed price of the item you want to
check

Use the following formula---

Cost of Item / Quantity = Unit Price
Example

18 oz. of peanut butter is $2.79

$2.79 divided by 18 = $0.16 per ounce
Give it a Try

A 15 oz. box of cereal costs $3.95. What is
the unit price? (Price per ounce)
Tips for Teaching
Unit Pricing

Use actual cans or packages of food with
the price tags to allow participants to
practice unit pricing skills in a hands on
way.

Compare store brands to name brands,
see if there’s a difference.

See if bigger/bulk is really cheaper, it
usually is, but not always!

If units are different (one item is in pounds,
another in ounces), make sure that
participants notice the difference. (Change
1 pound to 16 ounces etc.)
Fat and Sugar Content
Reading a Nutrition Label
Adam Edwards
How to teach about
fat content
Chocolate Milk

Look for Total Fat in grams (9 grams)

Divide the Total Fat by 4 to see how many
teaspoons of fat are being consumed

We find that approximately 2.25 or 2 ¼
teaspoons of fat are consumed in one
serving of this brand of chocolate milk
How to teach about
sugar content
Chocolate Milk

Look on label for Sugars in grams (21
grams)

Divide Sugars by 4 to see how many
teaspoons of sugar are being consumed

We find that approximately 5.25 or 5 ¼
teaspoons of sugar are being consumed in
one serving of chocolate milk
Give it a try!
Calculate the sugar content in teaspoons
this serving of soda
44/4=?
Soda
in
Notes

When teaching others about purchasing
healthy food, show them how to calculate
the fat and sugar content

Draw attention to other important nutrition
information such as the calories per serving,
cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates and
protein

Use the visual aid of showing fat and sugar
content in the more tangible form of
teaspoons or sugar cubes
Easy Recipes
Gabrielle Parker
INGREDIENTS
•1 can (10 oz. each) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green
Chilies, undrained
•1 package (16 oz. each) VELVEETA®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine undrained tomatoes and Velveeta in 1-1/2-quart
microwave-safe dish; cover. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or
just until Velveeta melts, stirring after 3 minutes. Cook over
medium heat 5 minutes or until Velveeta is melted completely
and mixture is blended, stirring frequently.
2. Remove from microwave; stir until mixture is blended.
3. Serve warm as a dip with tortilla chips, crackers or cut-up fresh
vegetables.
Find more like this at
www.ro-tel.com
Ro*Tel® Famous Queso Dip
Amount per Serving
Total Fat
Saturated fat
Cholesterol
Sodium
Carbohydrate
Dietary fiber
Sugars
Protein
Vitamin A
Calcium
Iron
5 gram
3 gram
18 mg
379 mg 16%
3 gram
0 gram
%
4 gram
6% Vitamin C
11%
0%
Calories 71
8%
16%
6%
1%
0%
8%
1%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Find more like this at
www.ro-tel.com
INGREDIENTS
•1 can (15 oz each) Ranch Style® Black Beans, drained,
rinsed
•1 can (10 oz each) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes &
Green Chilies, drained
•1/2 cup whole kernel corn, frozen or canned
•1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
•1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
•1 tablespoon lime juice
•1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
•Tortilla chips, tacos or burritos, optional
DIRECTIONS
1.Stir together beans, drained tomatoes, corn, onion, cilantro,
lime juice and cumin in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate
30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
2.Serve with tortilla chips, tacos or burritos, if desired.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 32 Serving Size: 12 servings (1/4 cup each)
Find more like this at
www.ro-tel.com
Spicy Black Bean Salsa
Amount per Serving
Calories 32
Total Fat
Saturated fat
Cholesterol
Sodium
Carbohydrate
Dietary fiber
Sugars
Protein
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Calcium
Iron
0 gram 0%
0 gram 0%
0 mg
0%
129 mg 5%
6 gram 2%
2 gram 7%
%
2 gram 3%
3%
4%
1%
3%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie
diet
Find more like this at
www.ro-tel.com
INGREDIENTS
One Mango - pit & skin removed
1/2 cup of plain lowfat or nonfat yogurt
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 cup of water or 1 cup of ice
Directions
Combine cut up mango, yogurt, honey and water
(or ice) in a blender. Blend until smooth. Makes 2
servings
Number of Servings: 2
Find more like this at
www.sparkrecipes.com
Amount Per Serving
Calories
137.8
Total Fat
1.2 g
Saturated Fat
0.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.4 g
Cholesterol
3.7 mg
Sodium
46.5 mg
Potassium
310.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate
30.6 g
Dietary Fiber
1.9 g
Sugars
19.6 g
Protein
3.8 g
Find more like this at
www.sparkrecipes.com
Steps to buy healthy
food on a budget

Know how to read nutrition labels- buy the
healthiest option for the best buy.

Write a grocery list before visiting the store- buy
no more than you need.

Buy produce in season. It costs less and tastes
better!

Choose canned foods that are low in sodium, fat,
and sugar.

Choose low fat dairy products to reduce fat and
calorie intake.

Compare unit prices to find the best bargain
Excerpt from “Shopping for healthy foods” CookingMatters.org
Thanks for
Coming!