Teaching your Employees Healthy Eating on a Budget Janelle Connell, RD, CD Wellness Coach Specialist

Outline  Plan  Buy/Grow  Prepare  Eat  Resources

 Americans today spend less on food, as a percentage of disposable income, than any other industrialized nation.  Americans spend about a tenth of disposable income feeding ourselves, down from a fifth in the 1950s.  As the cost of food in America has declined, we have been eating much more and spending more on healthcare.  Michael Pollan- Food Rules

Stats  % of disposable income on food  3.4% of that spend away from home.  % of disposable income on food.  5.2% of that spend away from home  48% of food dollars spent away from home  USDA products/food-expenditures.aspxhttp:// products/food-expenditures.aspx

Plan  Have a food budget  How to:  Write out all income  Write out all necessary expenses (house/rent, car payment, utilities, insurance, gas)  Subtract to get your disposable income  Determine what percentage can/should be spent on food  Include the family  USE CASH

Plan  Evaluate your pantry  Use what you have first  Keep a running tally on the refrigerator  Don’t let food go to waste!  Americans throw away 40% of their food  $2,275 a year for a family of four  Food waste has increased by 50% since the 1970s  NBC News- Natural Resources Defense Council

Plan  Meal Planning  What does a healthy meal look like?  Plate Method  Meat: $3.50/lb  Veggies: $1.40/lb  Prepared with simple ingredients  Avoid convenience and pre-packaged foods

Plan  Meal Planning Strategies  Find recipes that use similar ingredients that week  “Theme Nights” or a monthly plan MONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAYSUNDAY Fish nightChicken night Pasta night Crockpot night Homemade pizza night Leftovers night Soup

Plan  Make a shopping list  List based on that week’s meal plan and store circular  Stick to it!  Only go shopping once  $15 spent every time we go into the grocery store  Meatless Monday  Plant based protein  Lower cholesterol  Dried Beans: $1.40/lb

Plan  Coupons/Sales  Coupons are the equivalent to free money  Finding Coupons:  Sunday Paper  Store coupons in the mail  Printed off the website  Digital Coupons

Plan  Coupons/Sales  Understanding Coupons:  $1 off any brand X  Look for the least expensive of brand X (picture will display the most expensive)  Buy one get one free  Use this coupon when there is a Buy One Get One free sale or promotion, products can be purchased for free  Double Coupon Days  Walmart- Tuesday double coupons- up to $1.00  Store Circulars  10/$10  Loss leaders- front page  Match coupon with sale- lowest possible price

Plan  Challenge your Employees:  Track your food spending for a few weeks  Shop with cash only  Create a shopping list each week, and stick to it  Write out current shopping list, replace one unhealthy snack with fruit/vegetable  Plan a meatless meal at least once per week  Make a meal without any processed or convenience foods  Tips for Employers:  Provide Meatless recipes in monthly employee newsletters, coordinate it with what’s on sale   Provide the Sunday newspaper for coupons, leave it in the break room  Post link to grocery shopping list and/or pdf of a meal planner

Buy  Don’t “just get groceries”  Commit to sticking to your list  Don’t be tempted by the bakery  Shop the perimeter  No need to go down every aisle  Avoid the end caps  The store wants you to buy the more expensive option, even if it is on sale, check the other options  Eye level marketing  Companies pay more for premiere location on the aisle. Look up and down for better prices  60% of basket should come from perimeter  Find a balance- we should not sacrifice our health for the sake of saving money  Because there are not very many coupons for fresh produce, meats, and dairy, save as much money on other items (cleaning/toiletries)

Buy  Save on nonfood items  More than half of coupons are for nonfood items (shampoo, deodorant, cleaning products)  Start here  $1 toothpaste with coupon= Free  Keep an eye out for red sticker products  “Manager’s Special” “Lowest Price”  Price lowered to move before it expires  Get creative  Gallon of milk- homemade yogurt, homemade waffles to freeze, pot of creamy soup.  Use frozen options  Shop alone  Take your time, don’t be rushed

Buy  Explore other options  Farmers Markets  Bountiful baskets  Utah co-op  Try new produce  Stockpile/Bulk  Bulk items: laundry detergent, dish soap, bags of rice and pasta, condiments, olive oil  Choose the size with the lowest unit price  Sometime medium sized items are cheaper than the bulk size

Buy  Stockpile  Most products sales cycle every 12 weeks  Buy enough (while on sale, with a coupon), to last until it goes on sale again  Example: $1 off coupon for BBQ sauce, printed 4, sauce went on sale for $1, purchased 4 bottles for free- enough to last the summer.  Try it with cereal:  At least 4 grams of fiber/serving, no more than twice the fiber in sugar  Kashi: Shredded wheat/ Kellogg’s Mini Wheats- unfrosted  Fiber One

Buy  Stockpile  Meats:  Stockpile your favorite cuts when on sale  Rare to find coupons for meat  Freeze for up to 3 months  Shop from your freezer  Example: When chicken breast was on sale for $1.77/lb, purchased 6 packages  Choose lean cuts:  Beef: chuck shoulder roast, eye of round, tenderloin, top sirloin  Pork: Bone-in sirloin roast, bone in rib chop, pork tenderloin  Poultry: skinless chicken breast, skinless white turkey meat, extra lean ground turkey

Buy  Stockpile: fruits and vegetables  Raspberries, blueberries can be placed on cookie sheet and put in freezer. Once frozen, place in freezer bag.  High in antioxidants, fiber, low in sugar  Can also be done with bananas, mangoes, apples  Green peppers, onions, zucchini can be sliced and frozen without cooking.  Good source of carotenoids, vitamin C (195% DV), vitamin A (57% DV)  Potatoes and sweet potatoes: make an extra batch of mashed potatoes and freeze in baggie

Buy  Don’t buy more than you need  Recipe Tour with Chef and Dietitian at Harmons- Free!

Buy  Essential items  Dried beans  1 cup= 1 g fat, 2 mg sodium, 15 g fiber (60% Daily Value), 15 g protein  Canned: Over 700 mg sodium  Ground Flax  2 Tbsp= 4 g fiber, 3 g protein, 2400 mg Omega-3  Wheat Germ  2 Tbsp= 2 g fiber, 3 g protein, 20% DV Vitamin E and Folic Acid  Yogurt  40% DV calcium, 25% DV vitamin D  Dark green vegetables  1 cup Spinach: 7 calories, 56% DV vitamin A, 181% DV vitamin K

Buy  Grow  Average family with a vegetable garden spends $70 a year on it and grows an estimated $600 worth of vegetables  National Gardening Association  Green beans will generate $75 worth of crops for each $1 you spend on seeds  Herbs  Basil at store- about $3 vs whole plant $3  Good for the body, good for the soul

Buy  Challenge your Employees:  Go shopping alone, after you have eaten a snack or meal  Grow something  Visit a farmers market and try something new  Tips for Employers:  Provides fresh produce in the break area

Prepare  Carve out the time  Prep  Cut up fresh veggie ahead of time  Batch cooking  Use for “those days”  Make larger batches of foods that take longer to prepare  Example: Prepare 4 cups of dried beans and freeze them in 2-cup portions  Example: Whole chicken on sale for $.90/lb. Cook in slow cooker, shred chicken meat and store in 2 cup freezer portions to be used for chicken enchiladas, chicken potpie, etc.

Prepare  Slow cookers  5-10 min to prepare  Allows use of tougher cuts of meat  m/ m/  Get creative with left-overs  Roast beef turns into stew or beef stir fry  Chicken breast turns into homemade BBQ chicken pizza

Prepare  Challenge your Employees:  Try a new recipe  Limit eating out to 1x per week  Make a vegetable with your dinner  Tips for Employers:  Harmons Cooking School  $25-60

Eat  Eat Less/Portion Control  Sacks Study- NEJM 2008  Conclusion: Reduced-calorie diets result in clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of which macronutrients they emphasize.  Calories count!  Slow down, enjoy your food  Focus on quality over quantity, notice the satisfaction factor  Have 3 different colors on your plate  Natural sigh

Eat  Eat Less/Portion Control  How to teach your employees portion control  Wallet Guide  portion-control-size-guide portion-control-size-guide  Portion control plates/utensils

Eat  Provide appropriate eating conditions  Provide utensils, microwave, toaster, etc.  Give your employees enough time

Mindful Eating

Eat: Corporate Food Policy Sample Company-wide Nutrition Policy I. Purpose To provide an environment conducive to and supportive of healthy eating habits for all [COMPANY NAME] employees and clients. II. Policy [COMPANY NAME] has a commitment to provide an environment that encourages healthy eating habits among its employees and clients. III. Potential Policy Statements to Include: a. [COMPANY NAME] will provide fruit and vegetable food choices that are low in fat at company meetings and functions. At company functions which offer food, one or more healthful entrees, side dishes, snacks, beverages or desserts will be served b. Vending Machines: Vending machines will offer a variety of snack foods, including healthful alternatives. Drink machines will provide water and 100% fruit juices, as well as sugar-free and caffeine-free soda selections. c. Price Structure: Food identified as low fat/low calorie will be priced lower than unhealthful foods. d. Labeling: Food that is considered healthful will be labeled to identify it. e. Doughnuts, bars, giant muffins, pastries, sweet rolls, pies, cookies, sugared beverages (regular sodas, punch, etc.) will NO LONGER BE SERVED to employees or clients during meetings or be paid for with [COMPANY] funds. f. [COMPANY] will not offer food at mid-morning or mid-afternoon meetings, presentations or seminars two hours or less in length. g. Employees are discouraged from bringing food into the worksite to share with other employees.

Eat  Challenge your Employees:  Mindful eating- do not eat in front of the TV, computer, while reading, or in the car. Be sitting at a table.  Measure out your portions  Use a salad plate for dinner  Follow the Plate Method  Keep a food journal  Measure your hunger/fullness level  Tips for Employers:  Provides small sized plates in the break room  Offer portion control plates as a prize/give-a-way  Evaluate your vending machines  Have a food policy and someone who oversees it

Health Coaching  1:1 support  Tailored to the individual  Goals based on readiness to change  Small and simple  Accountability  Capture and track data

Resources  Books:  Make it fast, cook it slow- Stephanie O’Dea  The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook- Erin Chase  Food Rules: An eater’s manual- Michael Pollan  Websites:   portion-control-size-guide portion-control-size-guide   s/tp/Free-Meal-Planners.htm s/tp/Free-Meal-Planners.htm

“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” Michael Pollan