Tips for Affordable, Healthful Grocery Shopping

Robin Quay, MS, RD, Dietitian for Sodexo

People often tell me that the main reason they don’t eat foods that are beneficial for them is because nutritious foods cost more. Yes, fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein are expensive, but so are unhealthy foods. As I did my shopping last week, I noticed that a 10 ounce bag of Lays potato chips cost $4.29, a 12 pack of Coke was $4.99, a 1.5 quart container of Breyer’s ice cream was $6.29, it cost $4.99 for a 1 pound 3 ounce pack of Oreos, and 17 ounces of Honey Nut Cheerios was $4.19. Since I didn’t buy ANY of those things, I had $24.75 to spend on more delicious and nutritious items.

Here are some tips to help you get the most nutrition and taste from your food dollar:

Have a plan. My kids’ middle school planners had a saying in them: “We don’t plan to fail; we fail to plan”. The same is true for food shopping and healthy eating.

Before you go to the grocery store, plan your meals for the week. Look through your pantry and refrigerator and see what needs to be used up, and plan meals around those foods. That way, you won’t have to buy as much, and you won’t throw out as much due to spoilage. For example, this week, we are eating some chili that’s in the freezer, and using up some spinach greens that I bought last week.

Plan at least one meatless meal each week. Meat’s expensive, so you can save a lot of money by omitting it from an occasional meal. Here’s a recipe for one of my favorite meatless dinners: http://www.mealplanning101.com/2013/01/coconut-curried-chickpeas-and-kale-with.html

Look at your grocery store’s circular and plan your meals around protein and produce items that are on special. If chicken thighs and broccoli are a good deal, then you’ll want to use them. However, be aware and avoid the many unhealthy and processed foods that are in the circular as well. NOBODY needs a pop-tart, no matter how cheap they are!

Make a list. Be sure to include foods for breakfast, lunch and snacks-not just for dinners. Don’t forget the list at home! Take it with you, and stick to it. Only buy what you need.

Here’s the exception to buying only what you need: IF something is a GREAT DEAL, and IF you can store it so it won’t spoil before it’s used, and IF you’ll use it all, and IF you have the money, then stock up on it. Just be sure to properly store it when you get home, which may include putting it into smaller containers. Studies show that when we bring a lot of food home, we tend to eat more.

Once you get to the store, shop the perimeter for nutrient dense, unprocessed foods (vegetables, fruits, meats/seafood, eggs and dairy). Shop wisely in the center aisles, as there are healthy foods there, too. That’s where you’ll find whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, wheat bread and oatmeal. Canned and dried legumes like lentils, split peas, kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans, cannellini beans and chick peas are great, inexpensive sources of protein, fiber, and iron. Other nutritious and healthy finds in the center aisles include canned tomato products, canned salmon and sardines, and nuts.

The international section of the grocery store is another great place to look for healthy and inexpensive foods, especially the Hispanic section. Coconut milk was $2.89 in the Asian section, but only $2.09 in the Hispanic section. I’ve also found unique things there, like whole grain orzo pasta in the kosher section.

Try store brands. Granted, there are some items to which I am brand loyal. However, store brands can save a lot of money, so it’s worth trying them and seeing how they compare for quality and taste. Many more nutritious items are available in store brands now, too, like whole wheat flour, sea salt, and organic products.

Get more tips and suggestions from the internet. One of my favorite bloggers, Lisa Leake, fed her family of 4 for 100 days on $125 a week, and used all healthy, unprocessed foods. You can read her story and learn lots of great tips on her site: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/100-days-on-a-budget/

Dr. Mark Hyman, nationally recognized leader in functional medicine, has a very informative blog about how to eat well with limited financial resources and time, which you can find here: http://www.danielplan.com/healthyhabits/eatwellforless/

According to David Katz, MD, There is one more angle to consider: If you don’t eat well, your medical bills could skyrocket. Experts estimate that obesity results in healthcare costs of up to $2,500 per person per year, and diabetes is easily double that. Both conditions also raise your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.
So while you might pay a bit more to eat well, your savings could be immeasurable.
http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/How-to-Eat-Healthy-While-on-a-Budget#ixzz2THMkcNaD

Superfoods: Nutrient Powerhouses

Superfood {soo-per food}: A real, minimally processed food that is rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Superfoods are nutrient dense, which means they contain good sources of multiple nutrients for minimal calories.
Brightly colored fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and aromatic and brightly colored herbs and spices are all considered superfoods.
Superfoods slow the aging process, and fight against and prevent diabetes, obesity, wrinkles, and degenerative diseases. They regulate metabolism, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and protect against heart disease and cancer. Superfoods protect organs from toxins and promote digestive health. They do all these things by fighting oxidation, inflammation and toxins.
Eating a variety of superfoods will help you maintain weight, fight disease and live longer. They can also put you in a better mood!

Remember that no food, no matter how “super” can stand alone or replace a well-rounded healthy diet.

“Fifty to seventy percent of suffering could be eliminated by what people eat and how they move.”~ Nutritionist Elizabeth Somer

Breakfast: A Healthy Habit

By Robin Quay, MS, RD, Sodexo Dietitian

Studies show that people, who eat a healthy breakfast, have a lot of other healthy habits which help them weigh less, feel better, and have more energy for work, fitness and leisure activities. People who eat a healthy breakfast tend to eat healthier foods throughout the day, and tend to exercise. People who skip breakfast, or grab a donut or a fast food breakfast, tend to eat unhealthy foods throughout the day. They also tend to be people who don’t exercise.

Eating a healthy breakfast can be an important step on the road to health and wellness. A nutritious breakfast contributes important vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to the diet, ensuring that you are getting everything you need so your body can perform efficiently. Breakfasts that contain protein and whole grains can help you feel full until lunchtime, so you avoid an unhealthy snack midmorning, reducing calorie, fat and sugar intake. It has been suggested that eating breakfast may reduce hunger during the day, leading to lower calorie intake, which can help maintain a healthy weight. The energy provided by eating breakfast may increase physical activity during the day.

A healthy breakfast should contain fruit and/or vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. Here are some quick and easy ideas to get you started.

Fresh fruit and yogurt with nuts or granola topping

Whole wheat bread or toast with natural peanut butter or almond butter and fresh fruit

Eggs, whole wheat toast and fruit

Breakfast sandwich made with a whole wheat English muffin, egg, cheese, tomato and raw spinach

Oatmeal with fresh fruit and nuts

Veggie omelet with whole wheat toast

Smoothie made with milk, fruit, leafy greens and nut butter (I find that these don’t have much staying power, so I eat a hard-boiled egg on the side.)

Banana with peanut butter

Whole grain cereal with milk and fruit (cereal should have at least 3 gm of fiber per serving, and no more than 6 gms of sugar per serving).

If you don’t have time to make breakfast in the morning, you can make it ahead of time. Oatmeal heats up quickly in the microwave, and hard-boiled eggs are precooked and ready when you are. A peanut butter sandwich can be made the night before.

Start with a healthy breakfast, and all kinds of good things will follow!

Wait! I am not overweight. I am under tall. Checked your BMI lately?

By guest blogger Cindy Hicks, dietetics student

BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a measure of relative weight to height, and it is a reliable indicator of fatness for most people. BMI is used to assess risk of disease and death. As BMI increases, so does a person’s health risk. A BMI of 25 to 29 indicates overweight; a BMI of 30 or more indicates obesity. People with BMI’s in these categories have been shown to be more likely to have chronic illnesses and/or early deaths.

To calculate your BMI, multiply your height in inches by itself. Then, divide your weight by this number. Lastly, multiply this number by 703. Or, find your numbers on the BMI chart below. There are also BMI calculators available online, or as free phone apps.

BMI is an indicator of total body mass, but does not distinguish between fat and muscle. Some people actually should not assess themselves with BMI. Athletes, and others, who have a high amount of muscle may have a high BMI, even though they do not have a high amount of body fat. Elderly people tend to lose muscle mass, which may cause the calculations to underestimate body fat.

Waist circumference is another measurement that is a reliable indicator of disease risk and health.  Women, whose waist circumference is greater than 35 inches, and men, whose waist circumference is greater than 40 inches, have a higher risk for obesity-related health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Although numbers like these are helpful to understand your health status, and risk for disease, they do not tell the whole story. Do you exercise regularly, at least 30-60 minutes 3-4 times a week? Do you eat a healthy diet, most of the time, that isn’t excessive in portions or calories? Do you smoke?-you need to quit! Do you effectively manage stress? Taking care of diet, exercise, stress, and not smoking can help you be healthier and live longer, no matter what your BMI and waist circumference numbers show.

So do not get caught up in a number!  It does not define who you are. It is only a tool to be used, along with a healthy diet and fitness program, to help you be the best you can be.

Acid-Base Balance: Another Reason to Eat Your Veggies and Fruits

Robin Quay, MS, RD Dietitian for Sodexo

Did you know that common foods in the standard American diet cause a state of chronic systemic metabolic acidosis? Not only does it sound horrible, it actually causes a lot of trouble for us, leading to bone loss, muscle degradation, and accelerated aging. Being in an alkaline, or basic, state is best for our health and best to avoid disease.

The good news is, what we eat can have a big impact on whether our bodies are in an acidic or alkaline state. By making the right food choices, we can protect our bones and muscles from debilitating loss.

Foods that are acid producing are meats, dairy, legumes and grains. In order to neutralize the acids produced by these foods, our bodies pull calcium from bones, and glutamine from muscles, weakening them. However, if we eat foods that are alkaline, or basic, we can counteract these effects.

Foods that are alkaline to the body are….FRUITS AND VEGGIES! It may seem like these foods, especially fruits, are acidic. Even though they’re acidic outside the body, they are alkaline inside the body. To counteract the acids produced by meats, dairy, legumes and grains, we simply need to eat 2 fist-size servings of fruits and vegetables with every meal.

How do we do this? Besides just grabbing a piece of fruit, or adding a cooked vegetable or salad to our meals, we can make fruits and vegetables, not bread or cereal, the center of breakfast. We can swap out the rice or bread at meals for starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or winter squash. We can have fresh or cooked fruits for dessert, and we can choose fresh foods over processed ones.

So save your bones. Save your muscles. Stop the wrinkles. Achieve acid-base balance. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/405861-acid-base-balance-exercises/

http://running.competitor.com/2012/11/video/eat-and-run-acid-base-balance_6299

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=28241

http://www.vegsource.com/pahy/acidbase-balance—how-do-your-favorite-foods-stack-up.html

Make Your Veggies More Exciting…Roast Them!

We all know that vegetables are good for us, and that we need to eat lots of them. The recommendations are that adults eat 4 to 5 servings a day. Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber, as well as antioxidants and phytonutrients. These nutrients help protect against damage from oxidation, inflammation, and toxins, which can cause heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

However, sometimes vegetables can get a little boring. You know the feeling, where you just can’t face another salad or serving of steamed vegetables. It’s time for a new preparation method. Have you considered roasting vegetables?

Roasting vegetables is a great way to bring out the delicious and unique flavors that vegetables offer. It’s an easy cooking method that produces great results. The process is fairly straightforward. You simply combine vegetables with seasonings and olive oil or another healthy oil. Then you place them on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven. As they cook and get a little “char” on them, the flavors develop and the sweetness of the vegetables comes out. They don’t need a lot of attention while they are roasting, so your time is freed up to prepare the other items in your meal.

Here are some of my favorite roasted vegetable recipes for you to try. They are so delicious, you will want to eat all your veggies!

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 tsp ground cumin

2 heads cauliflower, cored and broken into 1 ½” florets

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

½ cup tahini

3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced into a paste

Juice of one lemon

-Heat oven to 500 degrees F. Toss together oil, cumin, cauliflower, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to 2 rimmed baking sheets; spread out evenly. Bake, rotating pans from top to bottom and front to back, until cauliflower is browned and tender, 25-30 minutes. There should be a little char here and there.

Meanwhile, combine tahini, garlic, lemon juice and ½ cup water in a small bowl and season with salt. Serve cauliflower hot or at room temperature with tahini sauce.

From sugarlandmusic.com

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans

2 pounds Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Kosher salt and black pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss Brussels sprouts, pecans, oil, garlic, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Turn the Brussels Sprouts cut side down.

Roast until golden and tender, 20-25 min, depending on your oven. I cook mine until some have a little dark char in places.

From sugarlandmusic.com

Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes With Parmesan Cheese

2 small eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

6 medium plum tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 to 8 basil leaves, finely chopped, or about 1 teaspoon dried leaf basil

Fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

Spray a large shallow baking pan with olive oil spray or grease with olive oil. Heat oven to 425°.

In a large food storage bag or bowl, toss the sliced eggplant and tomatoes with the salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, and basil.

Spread the sliced tomatoes and eggplant out in the prepared baking pan in a single layer (overlapping a little is okay, but if you’re stacking, use 2 pans.)

Bake the slices for 35 to 45 minutes, or until vegetables are nicely browned. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4 to 6.

From southernfood.about.com

10 Tips for a Healthier, Happier You

Robin Quay, MS, RD, Sodexo Dietitian

#1. Plan Ahead-Plan meals and snacks ahead of time, and use a grocery list when shopping. You’ll be less likely to hit the drive-thru on your way home from work when you have a plan for a tastier, healthier meal.

#2. Make Over Your Fridge/Pantry-Clean out unhealthy, high-calorie, low nutrient foods from your shelves and replace them with healthy choices.

#3. Don’t Skip Meals-Skipping meals often leads to overeating at the next meal, causing increased intake and weight gain. Also, regular meals and snacks keep the metabolism from slowing.

#4. Eat More Fruits and Veggies-Fruits and vegetables contain tons of important nutrients: vitamins, minerals, fiber & phytonutrients. The recommended intake is 7-9 servings a day. The easiest way to be sure you’re getting is enough is to eat at least one serving with every meal or snack.

#5. Eat Whole Grains-Whole grain bread, rolls, crackers and wraps, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and whole grain cereal are nutritionally superior to their refined counterparts. Read labels to find whole grain products, and order whole grain items when dining out.

#6. Snack Smart- fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and low-fat cheese and yogurt are delicious and filling snacks that are low in calories and high in nutrients.

#7. Move More-For good health, it’s recommended that adults participate in moderately intense aerobic activity at least 2.5 hours a week, and muscle strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups 2 or more days a week.

#8. Weigh Yourself Regularly-weigh yourself no more than once a day, but at least once a week. That way, if your weight starts to increase, you can make changes before things get out of hand.

#9. Re-Think Your Drink-Sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, fancy coffees, and even juice are high in calories and low in nutrients. Water is the healthiest beverage choice.

#10. Take Action-set realistic and measurable goals you can reach given your schedule and commitments. “I’ll have water with lunch instead of soda” is a much more attainable goal than “I’ll eat less sugar”.  Remember that small changes add up over time: Eating 50 calories less each day would mean a 5 pound weight loss each year.

Fruit of the Month: Nectarines

Robin Quay, MS, RD, Sodexo Dietitian

A nectarine is a delicious summer fruit that looks like a peach, but it has a smooth skin instead of a fuzzy skin. In fact, a nectarine is genetically identical to a peach. The only difference is a recessive gene that determines whether or not the skin will be fuzzy.

Nectarines are bred to be smaller, firmer and sweeter than peaches. They are known for their intense flavor and juiciness. They can have yellow or white flesh, and can either be freestone, where the flesh separates readily from the pit, or clingstone, where the flesh clings tightly to the pit.

Nectarines can be used the same way as peaches. Sometimes, it’s advantageous to use nectarines in place of peaches in recipes. Since the skin of the nectarine is smooth, it’s not necessary to peel them for use in items like pies, cobblers and salads.

Nectarines are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, niacin and potassium and a very good source of vitamin C. They contain more vitamin A and potassium than peaches. They are low in calories, containing about 70 calories each, and are fat and sodium free.  And of course, they contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. The antioxidants in nectarines are especially beneficial for maintaining healthy skin.

Virginia-grown nectarines are available from July-September.

For more information about nectarines, and for some recipes using them, visit these sites:

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/nectarine.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-peach-and-a-nectarine.htm

http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/peaches.html

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1962/2

http://www.101healthyrecipes.com/health-benefits-of-fruit/nectarine-fruit-facts-health-benefits-101.php

http://www.jerseyfruit.com/health_peaches.asp

 

The Whole Story About Whole Grains

Robin Quay, MS, RD Sodexo Dietitian

Over the past few years, foods made from grains have gotten a bad reputation. The general consensus is that they’re high in carbohydrates, which makes them unhealthy and contributes to weight gain. The truth is, grains provide energy from carbohydrates, as well as many important vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, and about 6 servings a day fit nicely into a healthy meal plan. The problem is, people tend to eat too many, and the wrong kind, of grain foods.

Grain foods include bread, pasta, rice, cornmeal, oats, barley and other grains. The nutrition in them depends on what form they’re eaten-refined or unrefined. Unrefined grains are the whole grain. They contain the outside layer, or bran, the endosperm, and the germ. When grains are refined, the bran and germ are taken off, and only the endosperm is used.

Photo Credit: Inner Scientist

As far as health and nutrition goes, unrefined, or whole grains, are much better. The bran and germ contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lignans, phenolic acids, phytoestrogens, and other phytochemicals. These nutrients have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and they’re all packaged together in whole grains.

Refined grains contain only the endosperm, which is mostly just energy, or calories. In processing, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid (which are B vitamins) and iron are added back, but clearly, not ALL the nutrients in whole grains are added back.

The problem is, finding whole, unrefined grains in the grocery store is difficult. The labels are confusing and misleading.  The product sounds good and healthy when it says multigrain, made with whole grain, stone ground, 7-grain, or contains whole grain (among others).    However, the foods labeled this way are not whole grain.

To be sure you are getting whole grain, it’s important to read the ingredients label. If the food is a whole grain food, it will say whole grain (name of grain), whole wheat, whole (other grain), stoneground whole (grain), brown rice, oats, or oatmeal (including old-fashioned oatmeal and quick-cooking oatmeal).  If you see the words wheat, wheat flour, semolina, durum wheat, organic flour, stoneground or multigrain (may describe several whole grains or several refined grains, or a mix of both), it’s likely that part of the grain has been removed. If the grains were whole, the manufacturer would say so. If you see the words enriched flour, degerminated (cornmeal), bran or wheat germ, the grain is definitely not whole.

From Healthy Life Bread

Reading labels takes time and energy.  However, the benefits of eating foods that provide the most nutrition make it worth it. I usually pick just one or two products at each shopping trip where I spend a lot of time reading labels and comparing. Once I find a product that is whole grain and that I enjoy, I stick with it. I buy the same bread or the same crackers each time I need them. That way, I don’t have to read labels on those products at each shopping trip.

Whole grains taste different than refined grains, but they still taste good.  Whole grains offer a more complex, rich and distinct flavor compared to refined grains like white bread and white pasta. For people that are used to mostly refined grains, it may take a few tries to appreciate the delicious nutty flavor of whole grains.

A diet rich in whole grains tastes great, makes you feel well, and has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Try to make more than half of the grains you eat each day be whole grains, so you can enjoy all the benefits of these nutritional powerhouses.

The federal government’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans notes that “Nutrients should come primarily from foods. Foods in nutrient-dense, mostly intact forms contain not only the essential vitamins and minerals that are often contained in nutrient supplements, but also dietary fiber and other naturally occurring substances that may have positive health effects…”

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/

http://www.cspinet.org/nah/wwheat.html

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet4MakeHalfYourGrainsWhole.pdf

http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/definition-of-whole-grains

http://www.cspinet.org/nah/05_06/grains.pdf

Fruit of the Month: Apriums and Pluots

Robin Quay MS, RD, Sodexo Dietitian

Apriums and Pluots are hybrids of apricots and plums. Apriums have more apricot; pluots have more plum. These fruits are not genetically modified, but carefully and lovingly naturally crossbred by fruit growers, who accelerate the natural selection process through hand pollination. These are relatively “new” fruits, and therefore, there’s no nutrition analysis of them, but it’s thought that their nutrition is a blend of plum and apricot nutrition. 

However, we know enough about fruits to know they are good for us. Fruits offer a variety of vitamins and minerals, and all fruits contain fiber and water. Both apricots and plums are good sources of vitamin C, and apricots are very good sources of vitamin A. The rich purples, reds and oranges that are characteristic of pluots and apriums indicate that they contain  phytonutrients that act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.

Pluots and apriums are sweeter than plums and apricots, and many have fun names like dinosaur egg and flavor grenade. They grow primarily in California and Washington, and are a wonderful addition to summer stone fruits. Look for them where you buy produce.

For more information about apriums and pluots, and for some recipes using these unique fruits, visit these sites:

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/pluot.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106098949