Spring is here and lots of people are either learning about or recommitting to a healthier, more plant-based diet. One thing I hear quite a bit is concern over the expense of eating healthier...which is ironic in many ways.
People will end up shelling out more money on; - doctors & prescriptions for illnesses related to a poor diet - fad diet foods and programs that are not always well-balanced or sustainable - junk/processed foods that seem inexpensive but leave you hungry, under-nourished and do not contribute to your health - sports paraphernalia like bikes, sneakers, gym memberships and gadgets that will go unused
...not to mention the many other "unnecessary" things but will have a difficult time justifying paying a little more money to nourish themselves and their families with fresh food. Here are some tips for stretching your healthy food budget: (Adapted from ParentEarth.com, Andrea King Collier)
Give up the junk. For every healthy food you buy, give up things like cartons of soda. The average family spends nearly $1,000 on sodas and sugary drinks a year. Cut it out and find a significant dollar amount to the money you can spend on healthier choices.
Understand what it means to buy organic. Produce with the organic label can be more expensive, so if you have to choose, spend your dollars on the “Dirty Dozen” which are the ones that have tested to contain the highest levels of pesticide residues and can be most harmful. If you buy traditional produce, take the extra time to wash it thoroughly to remove any residual pesticides. (Reminder, the “Dirty Dozen” includes; Apples, Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Pears, Grapes (Imported), Spinach, Lettuce, Potatoes).
Don’t overbuy. When thinking about food costs, think about the food waste of buying more produce than your family can eat in a week. The average family throws out hundreds of dollars in food each year. If you find that you do buy more than you can use in a given week, think BIG. Make extra portions and freeze them for easy weeknight meals. It’s no more effort now, and will save you time later.
Buddy Up!. Buying in bulk can benefit not just large families but families that go in together to get more for their spending dollars. Consider a CSA this year and if you found that last year gave you more than you could use, split the cost with a friend or two and you’ll have the freshest produce each week, paid in advance! Also consider joining the Farm-to-Chef program this year where you can select the months you want and you’ll receive a weekly box of produce along with a prepared quart of soup and baked goods, courtesy of GreenGourmetToGo and Sport Hill Farm.
Buy in season. Strawberries that are out of season in your area, are not only more expensive, but they don’t taste as good as the produce that is fresh and in season.
Shop the sales and use your freezer. If carrots and celery are on sale, think about buying a quantity and taking them home to freeze. Clean them, cut them up, blanch them and put them in usable portion sizes for the freezer. You can even puree tomatoes or carrots, drop them into ice cube containers. Then take the cubes and put them in freezer bags for soups and casseroles. Again, this is a great strategy to use if you participate in a CSA and have more produce than you can immediately use sometimes.
Rethink fresh. Sometimes frozen fruits and vegetables go on sale. Stock up. Of course the best food source is one that comes from your local farmers. But sometimes the next best thing are vegetables that are frozen within hours of picking. Remember the Dirty Dozen here, too.
Cook what’s on sale. Have a list of what you need when you go to the grocery store, to keep you on track, but have a little flexibility in shopping what’s on sale.
Grow your own. Grow your herbs, and your own produce. You may not be able to grow all of it, but every little bit helps. Join us on April 6 to hear from Patti Popp, owner of Sport Hill Farm, who will be sharing secrets on how you can create or improve your own organic backyard or container garden. Learn more about this event.
And finally...Get Cooking! Often, cooking one healthy nutritious dinner can yield several meals later. Cooking at home can be a big savings over ordering carry out or taking your family out several times a week. It’s certainly healthier and you can better tailor the ingredients and recipe to suit the tastes of you an your family members. I tell all my customers, I love that you support GreenGourmetToGo, but you also HAVE to cook if you want to crate a sustainable and healthy diet.