1. Healthy Eating on a Budget Jessica Koiner, Nutritionist

2. Make a Budget How much money do you need to add to Food Stamps (if you receive them) to feed your family for a month? Look at the example, this individual spends $75 each week on food. A total of $300 for the month. She receives $154 each month from the SNAP program, so she needs $146 in cash each month to feed her family.

3. SNAP Benefits Buy:  Foods for the household to eat, such as:  breads and cereals  fruits and vegetables  meats, fish and poultry; and  dairy products  Seeds and plants to produce food for the household to eat

4. SNAP Benefits DO NOT buy:  Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco  Any nonfood items, such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, diapers, and household supplies  Vitamins and medicines  Food that will be eaten in the store  Hot foods/ready-prepared foods

5. Develop a List of “Staples” These are items that people use often and do not go bad easily/quickly. You should plan to buy these about once a month: Peanut butter Flour Corn meal Sugar Dry milk Dry or canned beans Tuna Rice Pastas Spices Salt Canned tomatoes Tomato sauce Canned veggies Canned soup …….what else?

6. Plan Ahead! Meal plan and make a grocery list so you are not tempted to buy things that are unneeded and thereby take away from your food budget.

7. Remember to look at local sales in your typical grocery stores. If you are almost out of an item that is on sale that week, add it to your list!

8. Freeze it!  Freeze left over dinners within 2 days and re-use them in your meal plans later  Freeze excess - freeze half a loaf of bread so it doesn’t mold and go to waste.  Freeze cheeses purchased in larger quantities.  Freeze sauces  Avoid freezer burn - aka wasted products - by portioning meats and veggies into smaller portions.

9. Don’t ALWAYS buy in bulk! Learn NOT to buy too much. Sometimes buying a HUGE bag of oranges isn’t the best way to go, even if they are on sale. If your family wont eat it all before it goes bad (or can be frozen), don’t buy it.

10. Buy versatile! Buy fruits, veggies, and meats that you are comfortable cooking in lots of different ways. For example buy a bag of carrots and use them for snacks, in soup, and oven roasted. Or buy potatoes and use them over the course of two weeks:  Meal 1: oven fries with chicken and steamed broccoli  Meal 2: pork chops with mashed potatoes and green beans  Meal 3: loaded baked potato with a side salad Three meals with just one purchase!

11. Use portion control. This will help with calorie-regulation and weight loss (or maintenance) but will also help you stretch a meal farther. While waiting on the family to come to the table, portion out a correct serving and then put the rest in storage containers. This will prevent unnecessary seconds but will also allow your family to have that meal again for dinner or lunch - saving you money and time!

12. When shopping…. …Focus on these key areas in order to get the most bang for your buck:  Brand name vs. generic?  Check the "Unit Price"  Watch for Label Lies and hidden persuasions  Read labels  List of ingredients

13. Miscellaneous Tips:  Save recipes that you like somehow so you can come back to them  Shop alone if possible  Shop on a full stomach, not while you’re hungry

14. © 2015 Jessica Koiner