1. Healthy Eating on a Budget
Ashlee Lamar
Student Dietitian, KSU

2. Objectives Meal Planning to Save Money Cooking Shopping
Meal Planning Basics
Waste Less
Plan around produce
Cooking
Store bought vs. Homemade (Time vs. money)
Eat at home
Frugal foods
Shopping
Lists
Unit Pricing
Buy in bulk
Stretch your dollar

4. Plan meals the week ahead
Meal Planning Basics
Plan meals the week ahead
Takes less time than going back to the grocery store for forgotten item
Think about your schedule
Planning meals the week before can help determine what you need to get at the store and prevents you from having to go back to the store multiple times
it helps you prepare for leftovers and hopefully encourages you to eat at home.
A lot of grocery ads come out on wed and run thru next tues, so planning on a Tuesday might be a good way to do this.

5. Meal Planning Basics Then purchase missing foods
Plan based on what’s in your refrigerator/pantry
Ask:
What can I make with foods I have?
What needs to be used up first?
Can I mix foods together to make a meal?
Is this healthy?
Then purchase missing foods

6. Meal Planning Basics Plan some meals that don’t have meat
Goal: Twice a week
Use beans, eggs, peanut butter
Check grocery ads
Circle foods you need
Make a list
Meals w/o meat: get protein in other ways…
List: central area.

7. Plan Ahead: Reduce Waste
Keep food safe
Put cold foods in cart last, refrigerate immediately
Look for older expiration date
Waste less
Use oldest first
Recreate foods that are about to spoil
Throw away spoiled food!
Recreate foods that are about to spoil
Example: 1-2 day stale bread: salad croutons
Vegetables: soup
Mushy bananas: muffins

8. Leftovers Plan Ahead: Leftovers Eat Freeze for another meal Recreate
Example: Cooked ground beef, tacos, chili, meatloaf

9. Shopping: Plan Ahead!
“The average shopper spends 40% more on impulse purchases when shopping without a list”
KSU Research and Extensions

10. Shopping when you are hungry can cause you to buy more!
Shopping: Make a List
Make a list and stick to it!
Organize based on store layout
Keep list in a central area
Copy for future weeks
Shopping when you are hungry can cause you to buy more!
Make a list to prevent frequent “emergency” trips to the store: often end up spending more by picking up extra this way.
Check your kitchen before shopping-look for amounts and ingredients. helps prevent buying extra items and possible spoilage.
Keep your list in a central area-hang on refrigerator
Check your kitchen before shopping

11. Shopping
Discounts only save you money if the product is something you actually need and would normally buy!

12. For about $13.00 you could buy OR that same $13.00 could buy
1 pound bag cookies
4 bananas
10-ounce bag chips
3 apples
2 liter soda
3 pears
½ gallon ice cream
3 oranges
12 broccoli stems
10 long carrots
1 pound raisins
1 jar apples
1 large can frozen orange juice concentrate
Either a jar of peanut butter or ranch dressing for dip
Which snack group has more vitamin A, C more nutrition fiber and more servings and is more color full?
Which has more calories, sat fat, trans fat, sugar and chol?
Which would you chose for the price?

13. Shopping: Compare Unit Prices
The unit price tells you the cost per ounce/pound/quart, etc…
Use to compare sizes and brands
Look on the shelf edge under the product
Example: canned pears
$0.80 ÷ 12 ounces = $.07 / ounce
Unit Price: $.08
12 ounce can: $0.80
Unit Price: $.07
Unit price help determine if getting good deal for shopping.
price: 2 labels: 1. amount you pay for the total item 2. amount you pay for ounce.
The unit price can vary-it can be ounces, pounds, quarts, etc…. This helps you to compare which is the best buy-in this case it is cheaper to buy the 24 ounce can. Often you may find it is cheaper to buy the larger product.

14. Shopping: Unit Pricing
Cereal
16 oz. box = $2.50
.15 /oz.
32 oz. box = $3.00
.09 /oz.

15. Shopping: Buy in bulk! Take advantage of sales Buy in bulk
Cook in bulk. Freeze leftovers for future meals.
Coupons
Ask for rain check if store is out
Caution: sometimes coupons are for store brands. Off brands may still be cheaper.
Take advantage of sales and buy when prices are low.
It can also be cheaper to buy products I bulk.
Be careful of buying perishables in bulk.
Cook in bulk. Freeze leftovers for future meals

16. Shopping: Tips to Stretch your dollar
Purchase fruits and vegetables from produce section, not salad bar
Purchase fruits and vegetables in season
Add vegetables to costly dishes with meats
Grocery bargains: often on top and bottom shelves, and in out of the way spaces.
Middle shelves and center don’t always hold the best buys , look in grocery carts in the back of the store out of the way.

17. Grocery bargains: often on top and bottom shelves, and in out of the way spaces.
Most store or generic brands are cheaper
If you buy name brands- look for coupons in the paper, store ads, or online. Only use coupons for foods that are already on your list

18. Tips to Stretch your dollar
Lean cuts of meat provide more for your dollar.
Less tender cuts are cheaper.
Marinade or cook with liquid in a slow cooker.
Chuck, round, flank, plank, brisket
Prepare meat yourself
Hamburger patties
Kabob pieces
Cooking meat
Less tender cuts are cheaper.
Marinade or cook with liquid in a slow cooker.
Chuck, round, flank, plank, brisket
make your own hamburger patties, cut your own meat for kabobs, cook your own meat, etc…
Grocery bargains: often on top and bottom shelves, and in out of the way spaces.
Middle shelves and center don’t always hold the best buys

19. Cooking on a Budget
The average adult purchases a meal/snack from a restaurant 5.8 times per week!
Why?
Time
Convenience
Certain foods

20. Cooking on a Budget Consider eating more at home
Time factor: prepare ahead of time
Freezer meals
Pack to go meals
Purchase snacks and bag yourself
Start small:
Eat 1-2 less meals per week at restaurants to save money and a whole days worth of calories!

21. Cooking: Homemade or purchased?
Beware of frozen dinners (“TV dinners”)
Make your own frozen dinners
Double the recipe of main dish you’re making
Freeze in meal sized portions
Cool quickly and freeze
Discard food left out longer than 2
Label package
Keep a list
Be ware of processed frozen dinners (“TV dinners”): high fat, high sodium, high priced
Prepare homemade frozen dinners - great option for when you don’t have time to cook, want dinner immediately and great alternative to TV dinners
Freeze in meal sized portions
Cool quickly and freeze
Discard food left out longer than 2
Label package with food’s name and date
Keep a list of foods you have

22. Make the most out of boxed meals
Decrease Fat
Use half the margarine
macaroni and cheese, rice, stuffing, potatoes
Hamburger helper: Drain & rinse meat
Brownies: substitute unsweetened apple sauce for vegetable oil
Use 2 egg whites for 1 whole egg
OR NO MARG
Use 2 egg whites for 1 whole egg
Hamburger helper: Drain & rinse meat in colander, rinse with warm water.

23. Make the most out of boxed meals
Decrease Sodium
Use half the seasoning packet
Add vegetables
Canned soup (low sodium soup)
Pasta sauces
Add canned fruit to yogurt, jello or pudding
Decrease Sodium
Use half the seasoning packet rice, ramen noodles, soup, stir-fry
Decrease sodium:
Add plain rice or noodles
Canned soup (look for low sodium soup)
Add chopped frozen vegetables to pasta sauces
Add canned fruit to yogurt, jello or pudding

24. Frugal Foods Eggs Potatoes Rolled oats Usually less than $2 / dozen
High in protein
Potatoes
High in fiber, vitamin C, and potassium
Bake, boil, roast, add to casseroles or soups
Rolled oats
~14 cents /cup
4 grams dietary fiber
Eggs
Usually less than $2 / dozen
High in protein
Scrambled, boiled, huevos rancheros, egg salad.
Potatoes
High in dietary fiber, vitamin C, and potassium
White or sweet
Bake, boil, roast, add to casseroles or soups
Rolled oats
~14 cents /cup
Cook with fruit or add to baked goods
4 grams dietary fiber

25. Frugal Foods Nonfat dried milk Beans Peanut butter Canned Tuna
Chill before drinking
Great for cooking
Beans
Usually 23 cents / serving
Peanut butter
High protein
Canned Tuna
High in protein and vitamin D
Sandwiches, salads casseroles
Nonfat dried milk
Chill before drinking
Peanut butter
High protein
Canned Tuna
High in protein and vitamin D
Sandwiches, salads casseroles