Eating healthy, saving money

Katie L. Reim

March 22, 2008 10:33 pm

— There is no need to break the bank to eat healthy foods.
Shopping wisely can easily stretch your budget, and you can receive a healthy outcome.
Janice Hermann, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service nutrition education specialist, said people often believe that eating healthy, including lots of fruits and vegetables, is beyond their budgets.
“There are ways to stretch the grocery budget,” Hermann said. “For example, stock up on staples such as beans, brown rice, oatmeal and barley; check the sale ads to see what is on special and shop produce that is in season. Fresh produce tastes better and costs less when it's in season.”
Hermann said the best way to get recommended amounts of essential nutrients needed for health is to eat a well-balanced diet containing a variety of foods and by following the USDA MyPyramid at www.mypyramid.gov.
Hermann suggests these healthy and inexpensive food choices:
• Fruits (fresh, frozen or canned in light juice) — berries, oranges, grapefruits, bananas, apples, peaches, watermelon, pears, raisins, plums and melons.
• Vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned with no salt added) — spinach, tomato, broccoli, bell pepper, string beans, cauliflower, collards, romaine lettuce, carrots, sweet potatoes and kale.
• Grains — oatmeal, cold whole-grain breakfast cereal, whole-wheat or whole-grain breads and crackers, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and popcorn.
• Protein — beef, chicken, pork, turkey, tuna, salmon, pinto or kidney beans, black-eyed peas, nuts, seeds and peanut butter.
• Dairy — non-fat or low-fat milk, yogurt and low-fat cheese.
• Non-dairy — soy milk, soy yogurt and soy cheese.
“Remember to make the most of your dollar, be sure to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season,” she said. “It is important to take the time and plan your meals and grocery lists. This will allow you to see the nutritional benefits and will also help your budget.”
Katie L. Reim is a communications specialist in the OSU agricultural communications services department.