March is National Nutrition Month. Eating nutritious foods is a good way to keep healthy. With higher food prices, it can feel hard to put healthy food on the table. Here are some tips to enjoy nutritious foods without going over your budget.
1.) Plan your weekly meals and snacks.
Write down your meals for the week. Plan out breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Cooking at home will keep you on budget and can help you eat healthier. Try to keep ingredients in your pantry to prepare balanced meals. Planning in advance will help you know what you need, and put leftovers to good use.
Below are some nutritious, low-cost foods that can be bought year-round:
- Protein: Dried or canned beans can be made into low-cost chili and soup, or added to salads. Dried lentils do not require soaking and can be made into a great soup, stew, or casserole. Try buying canned tuna, salmon, or sardines. Eggs also are a great source of protein.
- Vegetables: Carrots, green beans, green lettuces, spinach, and potatoes are nutritious choices.
- Fruits: Try delicious fruits like apples and bananas.
- Grains: Choose (brown rice is more nutritious than white rice), oats, barley, and whole grain pasta.
- Drinks: Fat-free or low-fat milk and water are the best choices. Try to avoid sugary drinks.
See what you already have at home. Look in your freezer, cabinets, and refrigerator. You can save money by using these items in planned meals.
Check store flyers and coupons. Sales flyers usually can be found at the store’s entrance, in the newspaper, or online. Look for lean meats or other proteins, fat-free and low-fat dairy items, and fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. Try to find coupons to plan low-cost weekly meals and use items on sale.
Plan to use leftovers. Leftovers can save you time and money, and reduce food waste. If possible, make larger meals with enough servings for leftovers. On busy days, heat and serve to enjoy a second serving of the same meal.
Cook once, eat twice. Buying in bulk is often less expensive. Cook larger amounts of food so you can store some for later, and use leftovers to make a new meal. For example, cook one whole chicken and divide it into two equal parts. You can have chicken fajitas one night, and vegetable stir fry with chicken another night.
Go meatless one or more days a week. Using beans instead of meat is a less expensive way to get lean protein. For example, you can add lentils to soups. They are delicious, cook quickly, and are packed with protein and fiber.
Write down recipes to try. Find new ideas for healthy and budget-friendly meals based on what you have, foods your family enjoys, and foods that are good buys.
2.) Make a grocery list and stick to it.
Once you’ve planned your meals for the week, make a shopping list of what you need to buy at the store. Having a list makes shopping easier and faster. It can also help you buy only the items you need.
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season when they are least expensive. New York has fresh fruits and vegetables all year long!
Spring: Tender greens like spinach, collard, kale, mustard, and lettuce are coming up. Try fresh rhubarb for a delicious pie, quick bread, or sauce.
Summer: Bring your family to a pick-your-own strawberries farm in early summer. During the late summer, enjoy cherries, melons, and plums. Look for local broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, summer squash, and sweet corn.
Fall: Have fun picking apples. Pears are also in season, along with hearty vegetables like beets, cabbage, potatoes, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes.
Winter: Local fresh fruits and vegetables like apples, cabbage, beets, potatoes, winter squash, onions, and carrots will last a long time, if stored properly.
When local fresh produce isn’t available, look for frozen and canned options. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables can be just as healthy, and often cost less and last longer.
Be careful with frozen options that have added butter or sauces to avoid extra sugar, salt, and empty calories. Choose fruits canned in water or 100% fruit juice, not syrup. Buy canned vegetables with “low-sodium” or “no salt added” on the label.
3.) Save at the store.
Eat before you shop. Grocery shopping while hungry can lead to impulse buying and unhealthy food choices.
Sign up for the grocery store discount card. Most stores offer a free loyalty program. Get special offers and coupons for being a member.
Choose generic or store brands instead of name brands. Buying generic or store brand items can save money. Items are usually available in a cheaper store brand version.
Buying in bulk can save you money. If your shopping list includes nuts, beans, or grains, buy in bulk to save money and keep your pantry well-stocked for future meals. Compare the unit prices listed on the shelves to get the best price. Often, the larger item has a lower unit price.
Avoid buying expensive snacks. Save time, money, and calories by skipping the soda, chip, and cookie aisles. Choose the checkout lane without the candy shelves.
4.) Use food resources in your community.
It is important that people have access to nutritious food to stay healthy. Food insecurity happens when people have limited access to food. In New York State, one in four adults experience food insecurity. It is associated with poorer health and a greater risk of chronic illness.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps people buy healthy food when money is tight. It used to be known as “food stamps.”
Regional food banks distribute food to local emergency food relief organizations across New York State. Find your regional food bank on an interactive map of New York State to get help.
Additional resources are available at:
Fidelis Care's Social Determinants of Health Web Page: fideliscare.org/sdoh
Find Government Food Assistance: https://www.usa.gov/food-help
Find a Food Bank: https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank
Find a Meals on Wheels provider near you: https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/signup/aboutmealsonwheels
Sources:
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/healthy-eating-budget.html
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/healthy-eating-budget/make-plan
NYS SNAP-Ed: https://otda.ny.gov/programs/nutrition/smart-shopping.asp
Just Say Yes (USDA Supplemental Nutrition Education Program (SNAP-Ed): https://jsyfruitveggies.org/whats-in-season/
NYS Department of Health: https://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2024/2024-01-03_food_insecurity.htm#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20report%2C%20approximately,11.2%20percent%20to%2039%20percent.
Hunger Solutions New York: https://hungersolutionsny.org/resources-action/hunger-in-nys/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources: https://toughstart.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Eating-on-a-Healthy-Budget.pdf