Good day to you
Here in the Northeast we are in the midst of a season transitioning from springish (snow covering green bulbs) to rightful spring. With such I tend to take to going with the flow and recognizing the larger entity at work in our lives.
On Saturday, April 2nd at the Ramsdell Library I held the Table Talk #3 on Food Shopping on a Budget & Kitchen Prep Tips.
It was nice to have us all around the table as some ate their brown bag lunch, others sipped on their tea and we spoke on health.
Participants shared some challenges they have faced to healthy food shopping on a budget such as how to save feeding a family with different dietary preferences in one meal. Others spoke of their need to find prepared foods that are quick and healthy for the grab and go dinners and what ways they can maximize these foods availability.
Reviewing the Food Shopping on A Budget Tips handout, I provided some suggestions on ways to approach a supermarket with your food shopping list.
When shopping do an aisle check– Top shelf, lower shelf and avoid eye level. Eye level is usually where supermarkets will put their most expensive goods. They do this figuring you are not likely to want to squat down or raise up your eyes to the top shelf in your quick trip to the supermarket. But these shelves can often save you with cheaper products.
Ingredients check- The first 3 items listed on a packaged container are in the highest quantity. So when you are shopping and deciding between two packaged turn to the label. If the item being sold is meant to serve you and your family with what you intended choose it, otherwise you are wasting your money.
Shelf Stabilized last- If shopping for health is your goal and you want to make your purchases count, take the time to choose wisely. Fill your basket or shopping cart with what counts first and then make room for the other products. Natural, whole grains and produce are a good place to start.
Participants learned time-saving kitchen tips and easy preparation methods to creating a meal . Leftover breads can be easily added to a casserole to create some heartiness or a soup for texture. Rice is a versatile food and can be reused in a number of ways, as pudding for a snack or a morning porridge.
Suggestions were made on extending the life of bulk purchases. Storing herbs and spices away from heat and buying them in small quantities to save on excess and avoid rancidity.
I also recommended some good resources to learn more about the food industry and how to shop for healthy choices. One was the Michael Pollan book and DVD In Defense of Food. Pollan gives some great tips that complement a healthy diet.
For example when you are shopping think of the produce aisle as the “quiet foods” that are often overlooked because they are not shouting out with lots of media around them. He also recommends avoiding excess sugars that are found in products that you wouldn’t necessarily think of like ketchup and bread.
He also has a new book called Cooked and the DVD you can get through Netflix which features our local Richard Bourdon of Berkshire Mountain Bakery. The film is a 4 part series and celebrates the act of cooking.
So before you make your shopping list, take time to consider some of these tips and see how you might save while still getting the healthy foods your family will enjoy.
Come join in the final table talk of this Spring into Health Series.
Table talk #4: Easy Prep Snacks for Kids & Adults.
April 16th@ 2pm Ramsdell Library.
In health,
Safara
