Eating Well With Family

Eating Well With Family on a Budget

With the rising cost of food,  families, and seniors are concerned about making ends meet.  When we are told to eat healthier the cost can be a challenge. Here are some ways to fight inflation and put the best foods for your needs on the table. Train your family to help prepare and eat the same food for meals or you will be a short order cook for the rest of your life.

• Involve family members in the planning and cooking. See how you can make one meal that has something for everyone. Plan to freeze or repurpose extras.

• Prepare a menu and grocery list at least two days of meals at a time, and adjust based on what is on sale and what looks good.

• Read labels and watch the sodium. According to the FDA in a 2022 report, Americans eat on average about 3,400 mg of sodium per day. However, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day—that's equal to about 1 teaspoon of table salt! For children under age 14, recommended limits are even lower. Ingredients like soy sauce, barbeque sauce, frozen meals and canned chili and prepared soups are extremely high in sodium.  Look for reduced, low or no salt options. Here is our favorite no salt seasoning with a taste of New Orleans. Use fresh grated citrus rinds and juice in your dishes to season without salt. Too much sodium negatively affect blood pressure and lead to long term health problems.

• Use healthy fats in your meals.  Extra virgin olive oil with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice makes a great salad dressing. Avocado, refined olive, grapeseed, and sunflower oils are healthy choices for cooking. While they may cost more per ounce than vegetable oils, using smaller amounts of higher quality oil in cooking improves nutrition.

• Find a farmers market or vegetable stand in your area. A trip to the farmers market can make for a fun family outing and makes it easier to eat the freshest fruits and vegetables.

• Rethink snacks and desserts to up the nutrition and lower cost. 

  • Buying a jar of popcorn kernels is much cheaper and healthier than chips.  

  • Berries and/or bananas with plain greek yogurt  is high protein snack or dessert with probiotics that promote gut and digestive health. 

  • For a frozen treat with the consistency of soft serve combine 1 cup frozen berries, bananas, or cherries with 1 cup plain greek yogurt in the blender and combine. If it needs to be sweeter, add 1/2 Tablespoon of agave or try a few drops of liquid stevia.

  • Make low-sugar muffins or banana bread by using the natural sugars found in the fruit to provide most of the sweetness. Many recipes can be made be reducing the sugar by one third to one half without compromising the taste.

  • Make homemade cookies with wholesome ingredients like oats, nuts, and fruit. Freeze part of the dough to bake in the future.  Baking on parchment paper sheets will make the cleanup easy.

  • For healthier snacks, provide raw vegetables and homemade ranch dressing, hummus, and serve with cheese, raw nuts, whole grain breads and multi-grain crackers.

• Healthy doesn't mean higher costing groceries:

  • Cut up fruits and vegetables yourself when possible. You can prepare several days worth of vegetables and fruits in advance. Prepared produce is two to three times more expensive than the product in original form.  Preparing fruits and vegetables in advance is a great thing to do for others who may not have time or ability themselves. A food processor can speed up this task.

  • Not all the produce we buy is organic, and we all want our food to be as clean as possible. After rinsing under the sink, soak produce in a large mixing bowl of clean water with 1 Tbls. baking soda for every 6 cups cold water and soak 5 minutes. Swish the produce around, then rinse and dry with clean dish cloths or paper towels. Change the water for each batch of produce.

  • Avoid buying large packages of perishable food unless you have a large family and/or use the item frequently. Check expiration dates. If possible, vacuum seal and/or freeze extras until needed.

  • Avoid buying highly processed foods like frozen dinners, cookies and candy, sodas, chips, protein bars, and meal replacement shakes. Serve fresh whole fruit in lunches. Freeze grapes for a frozen snack.

  • Make extra servings of foods that you can freeze for easy future meals. Be sure to label the food with when it was packed and what it is. Sharpies are handy because they will write on cartons and bags without a paper label.

  • If you are on a doctor prescribed diet, such as diabetic or DASH low-sodium diet, and your school-age children and adult family members are not willing to eat the healthy foods you prepare, don't fight it. Let them know what you are preparing for yourself, and ask if they want some. Otherwise they need to prepare their own meals.

See our related article about how to Save On Groceries