Microsoft PowerPoint - Nutrition and Meal Planning on a Budget 9.2023

9/5/2023

Nutrition &

Meal Planning on a Budget

Melissa Perry, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES

Sarah Provence, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES

Susan Thomas RDN, LDN, CDCES

Challenges…

• Hectic lifestyles with busy households

• Limited food budgets

• Lack of time for meal preparation

• Preparing meals that work for the

whole family

• Limited cooking skills and need for

appropriate recipes

Objectives

At the end of this presentation, the audience should

be:

 Knowledgeable about healthy food choices in

each food group

 Aware of how to obtain affordable, healthy foods

and grocery shopping tips

 Familiar with healthy food preparation methods

 Aware of available nutrition resources and

affordable recipes suggestions

 Knowledgeable of the 2023 TN Grocery Tax

Holiday

9/5/2023

Nutrition

“the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for

health and growth.”

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/

9/5/2023

Food group selections

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/

• Aim to serve foods from multiple food groups

with each meal.

• Make it easy by keeping inventory of the foods

your have at home- know your pantry, fridge

and freezer before you shop.

• Don’t make meal planning hard. Sometimes

we are just pulling quick options to provide a

healthy meal for the family.

• Quick, healthy lower cost meal example:

• Canned beans and leftover rice

(protein and grain)

• Canned green beans (vegetable)

• Apple or applesauce (fruit)

• Cup of low-fat milk (dairy)

“Shop Simple” with MyPlate

• MyPlate can help you make healthy choices within your budget.

• Open Shop Simple on your phone or use a computer

• Discover new ways to prepare budget-friendly foods.

• View budget friendly foods and find tips for preparing budget-friendly foods.

• Find local savings by entering your zip code for rewards and stores that accept

SNAP EBT near you.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

www.foodhero.org

Recipes developed for SNAP recipients

• Healthy recipes that are tasty, quick, easy and low-cost.

• Recipes for meals in 30minutes or less

• Kid approved recipes and many more

• Gardening tips that are simple, timely and low-cost

• Materials developed by cultural workgroups.

• Food Hero Monthly with tips about featured foods.

• Seasonal blog posts on nutrition and gardening topics

• All information is available in Spanish and in English.

9/5/2023

Food preparation for nutritious meals

• Avoid frying foods- try baking, broiling, grilling, air frying, roasting,

pressure cooking or steaming for low fat alternatives

• Avoid purchasing frozen and deli foods that are already fried- example:

chicken tenders or fish sticks. You can bake a chicken or oven fry instead.

• Trim any visible fat off meats before cooking and aim to use as little oil or

butter with cooking

• Low sodium chicken broth (or bouillon cubes) can be used with sauteing

or cooking vegetables so that significantly less fat (oil or butter) can be

used.

• Try to always have at least one fruit or vegetable with each meal.

• Example: 1 orange with breakfast or baby carrots with sandwich at

lunch and pizza with a large side of mixed vegetables and/or a fruit

cup.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

• Frozen fruits and vegetables

• Cheaper, easy to store, frozen at peak ripeness

• Fresh fruits and vegetables

• Typically, they are more affordable when in season.

• Local farmers or farmer’s markets might be more affordable

• Canned fruits and vegetables

• Rinse to remove excess sodium

• Choose fruits in their own juice NOT syrup

• Organic / Non-GMO ≠ Healthier

• Plan meals ahead

• Avoid purchasing “junk” foods

• Look for sale or reduced items, and if possible be sure to sign up for

store loyalty cards for electronic coupons.

• Buy cheaper protein or try a Meatless Monday

• Eggs, peanuts, beans, canned fish, chicken thighs instead of breast,

etc.

Grocery Shopping Tips

Aim to plan out meals for the week with a grocery list and do your best to keep to your list

Shop at budget friendly stores (such as ALDI or Save a Lot)

Get the family involved as much as possible with meal suggestions, new foods/recipe selections, but it might be

best to shop alone as it can be harder to keep to the list when you have others adding items to the cart.

Avoid the grab-and-go foods, especially the foods near the checkout as these are typically more expensive.

• Prepare your own healthy snacks in baggies that are planned out for the week-the family can help with this

preparation. Examples: raisins or peanut butter crackers (homemade) or pretzels in snack baggies

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Grocery Shopping Tips

Eat before you shop.

Clip coupons and keep them handy so you remember them.

Keep with water instead of soda drinks and other bottled/flavored drinks.

Create a food budget and aim to keep to the budget

• Track your food spending for a week (include any eating out expenses and subtract off any food assistance

you receive) then multiple the amount you spend by 4 to find your monthly food budget.

Dollar Store Suggestions

• Canned vegetables (carrots and beans) and canned fish (tuna) and

chicken

• Canned and dried fruits (raisins and cranberries)

• Below are some options to help you get the nutrients your body

needs (from the Canned Food Alliance):

•

Fiber: black beans, pears

•

Potassium: sweet potatoes, carrots

•

Magnesium: spinach, navy beans

•

Iron: kidney beans, beats

•

Folate: peas, corn

•

Calcium: green beans, pinto beans

•

Vitamin A: pumpkin, apricots

•

Vitamin C: peaches, tomatoes

•

Vitamin D: salmon, tuna

•

Vitamin E: garbanzo beans, asparagus

• Whole grains, canned beans, string cheese

• Nuts, nut butters and sunflower seeds

• Popcorn (lower fat varieties), oatmeal

This Photo by Unknown Author is license d under CC BY

Dollar Store – Example sample menu

Breakfast

• 2 frozen waffles with 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter or 2 slices of toast with melted cheese slices

• ½ cup canned mixed fruit (in juice)

• 1 cup of low-fat milk

Lunch

• 2 slices of turkey and 1 slice of cheese or 3oz of tuna

• 2 slices of whole wheat bread

• 1/2cup of apple sauce

• 1/2cup of peanuts

Supper

• 3-4oz boneless low-fat ham steak

• 1cup of frozen vegetables

• ½ canned peaches (in juice)

• 1cup of low-fat milk Snack: 1 string cheese and/or mini box of raisins

9/5/2023

Tennessee 2023

Grocery Tax

Holiday

• Beginning August 1

st -

October

at 11:59 pm:

• No sales tax on food and

food ingredients.

• Food and food ingredients

are defined as liquid,

concentrated, solid, frozen,

dried, or dehydrated

substances that are sold to

be ingested or chewed by

humans and are consumed

for their taste or

nutritional value.

• https://www.tn.gov/revenue

/taxes/sales-and-use-tax/sales-

tax-holiday/sth-food.html

• Not included: prepared

food, dietary supplements,

candy, alcoholic beverages, and

tobacco and foods purchased

from a micro market and

vending machines

References/Resources:

Myplate.gov https://foodhero.org/

www.heart.org

“Grocery Guide”

https://www.mealtime.org/

The Canned Food Alliance

Any questions?

• Melissa Perry, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES

• Sarah Provence, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES

• Susan Thomas RDN, LDN, CDCES