Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Squeezing your waist, not your budget

With the down economy, many are resorting to less expensive but less nutritious food choices. How can we make the squeeze work for us?

The answer lies in buying in bulk and preparing in advance. It doesn't have to be more work overall, it just means that we need to think ahead and dedicate some upfront time which will likely save you time. With meals ready that we can eat for weeks at home or on the go, we can avoid spending too much on meals on the go and convenience foods which still take time out of our day.

Keep meals pure and simple. If you want to save time and control portion size, use inexpensive bags or wraps. For example, if you want french toast - instead of buying it in the freezer section you can buy a loaf of bread and a few eggs or maybe better 100% egg whites, fry in a teflon pan with a drop of butter spray or spread and put in a freezer bag. You can heat two pieces for breakfast in 15 seconds in the microwave. Add an orange (bought in bulk) and you have a great meal for under 50 cents. Most frozen pancakes, waffles, omelets and egg sandwiches you buy prepared at retail come with nutritional baggage like excess sodium, sugar, saturated fat and trans fats.

If you had purchased frozen waffles and refrigerated orange juice instead, your meal would be closer to $2.00. If you went out to a restaurant the meal would be a minimum of $4.00 and likely higher. And that's just breakfast. If watching your family's weight and nutrition doesn't motivate doesn't motivate you, the money you save might!

Send your comments and let me know if I can help you watch your nutrition, budget and simplify meal preparation for you!

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About Me

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First trained as a food chemist and nutritionist, my career began enriching a Twinkie, comparing the nutrition of a Twinkie to an apple and studying the role of sugar in the diet. With an M.B.A. and years in food and pharma understanding consumers and manufacturers, I'm back to where I started - food should taste great and serve to keep us healthy. To do so, there needs to be consumer awareness. Consumers need to vote for what they want by buying what they really want. If they buy impulsively, that's what they will see more of. They need to practice balance and responsible choices. That's when change will come. Please engage me with your conversation so that I can help you make and stick to better food choices that you enjoy. You'll gain a deeper appreciation of food not only from farm to table but farm to health. My vision is to promote solutions for healthful food and food practices you can happily embody and embrace!