Healthy eating on a budget

The adage “you are what you eat” is true whether you are human, cow or chicken. The meats from animals raised in natural settings, organically fed and ethically treated, contain less saturated fat, higher amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids and lower arachodonic acid, which the American Heart Association’s Science Advisory Committee confirms is correlated to lower rates of heart disease. Furthermore, these meats contain more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which according to Clement Ip, a researcher at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, is a newly discovered good fat that may prove to be a potent cancer fighter.

So how do you reconcile wanting these highly nutritious foods that lead to healthier eating and healthier living with your bottom line? Here are a number of different ways to consider shifting your purchasing, cooking, consuming and storing habits that will save you time and money, and boost your health.

Make smart choices when buying organic produce

For most of us, it’s not realistic to eat all organic all the time—organic options aren’t always available, and sometimes the cost is simply prohibitive.

When choosing organic produce, it is useful to know the “dirty dozen,” the 12 fruits and veggies that the Environmental Working Group has found to contain the highest levels of pesticides. Each year the list changes based on test results, but the most recent list (June 2010) includes celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, cherries, collard greens/kale, potatoes and grapes. A good rule of thumb is to consider the peel. Even though pesticides impact the whole food, they are concentrated on the outer peel. If you eat the peel or if the peel is thin, you may want to consider choosing organic.

Bump up the grains and legumes

Grains and legumes are inexpensive and pack a nutritional power punch. Plus, they add a heaviness to a meal that most people rely on meat for.

Three great grains to branch out with are quinoa for a lighter texture, millet for a nutty flavor or barley for a heavier, meatier feel.

If you are reluctant to add beans to your diet because of how you digest them, cook your beans with a piece of seaweed like kombu. This will break down the parts of the bean that are harder to digest and fortify your beans with an abundance of vitamins and minerals. If you don’t have the time to cook dried beans from scratch, purchasing canned beans is still a great deal and there are many reasonably priced organic options available.

Buy in bulk

Smart bulk purchases can save a lot of money. You can purchase grains, pastas, dried fruits, nuts, flours and spices in the bulk aisles of your grocery or natural foods store. You get a lower price for any given quantity and save on packaging too. The key is to purchase items that have a long shelf life so they don’t end up spoiling before you can use them. Foods like flours and grains can be stored in the freezer to extend their life.

Get local

Be sure to hit your local farmer’s market as soon as it begins in the spring. Ask the farmers how they grow their foods. Sometimes foods are only minimally sprayed with pesticides (or not sprayed at all), but the cost of organic certification is too high. And there are arbitrary rules against small farms obtaining a USDA organic certification, so it always pays to simply talk to your local farmers.

If there is produce you want to buy in bulk (so you can preserve it), be sure to see if local farmers will give you a discount for bulk purchases. Many will.

If you are trying to stretch your dollar, focus on veggies, as fruits tend to be more expensive pound for pound. And don’t stop at the produce: Local farmer’s markets are a great source for eggs, milk, cheese, fish and meats.

Another excellent option to get inexpensive, locally grown produce is to join a community supported agriculture (CSA) program in your area. These programs allow you to regularly enjoy a share of a local farm’s harvest by receiving weekly boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables. Local Harvest, localharvest.org, is an online source for locating CSA programs near you.

Eat seasonally

Seasonal foods not only taste better, they are more nutritious and don’t need to be shipped in from half a world away.

When you know what foods are naturally in harvest for your area, you will find they also cost less in the grocery stores. Think ahead and stock up on fruits and vegetables in their natural season in order to can or freeze them for the off-season.

Depending on your storage capacity, canning, drying or freezing fresh fruits and vegetables is an excellent way to cash in on seasonal foods that are lower in cost but higher in taste and nutrition.

In the summer when produce is plentiful, freeze fruits like fresh-picked berries, nectarines and peaches or can tomatoes. It’s best to freeze vegetables like green beans, corn, snap peas or spinach after they’ve been quickly blanched.

Get a little dirty

When it comes to seasonal, local and inexpensive, you can’t beat growing your own vegetables. Salad lettuces, spinach, eggplant, swiss chard, beets, radishes, carrots, peppers, beans, summer squash, tomatoes and cucumbers are easy to grow in backyard plots or in large outdoor containers. Determine which fruits and vegetables grow best in your area at any given time of the year.

Fresh organic herbs are a high-cost purchase that budget-conscious shoppers avoid due to cost. But growing herbs is easy and extremely cost effective. In a kitchen window, the containers of fresh herbs will beautify your space, allow you to use just the amount you need with no waste and cost a fraction of what you’d pay in the store.

Forgo processed foods

While it may seem some processed foods are cheaper, the real steal is on the nourishment they forgo. Empty calories leave us hungry for real food. When we spend money on whole, organic and fresh foods, we naturally feel more satisfied. Therefore, it is essential that we shift our old ways of food shopping.

Many processed foods can be duplicated in the kitchen more cost effectively. Consider making your own pancakes, waffles, muffins or cakes from scratch. Many packaged lunches and dinners can be easily made or assembled in your kitchen for less. Candy, chips and soda are simply fillers you can wean out of your diet.

Eat less meat

There is no way around it: Meat is expensive. And purchasing grass-fed, organic, pastured, free-range or hormone-free animal products cost more.

When you cook meat, begin to shred it or cut it into pieces. Then add small amounts to soups, stews, stir fries and simmer sauces. If your main course is spicy minestrone soup, you can serve a chicken quesadilla along with it, spreading the chicken out sparsely. Salads can be topped with shredded chicken or thin strips of steak on top.

If you need to satisfy different food preferences in the same meal, do a flexitarian approach. Prepare an excellent vegetarian meal and add meat in proportions that fit each person’s needs. Then each family member can feel their meat preference is being met.

From a budget standpoint, reducing the amount of meat you eat allows you to spend your dollars on other foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans to stretch the food budget. The trick is to find ways to reduce the meat in your weekly menu while still enjoying delicious and satisfying meals.

Most of us already enjoy vegetarian meals without thinking of it that way. Dishes like spaghetti with a chunky vegetable sauce, vegetarian chili, pizza with veggie toppings (like mushrooms, black olives or spinach), vegetable lasagna and baked eggplant parmagiana are typical entrees that don’t rely on meat.

Ultimately, finding the balance between feeding your family high-quality, healthy foods and maintaining your budget is an ongoing challenge. By making small shifts in your purchasing habits you can stretch your dollar and pack in high nutrition as well.

Lisa Byrne, MPH, CHHC, is a health and nutrition expert. She leads multimedia and online courses at WellGroundedCampus.com.