Most people will tell me, as I know myself, that they find it much more expensive to eat healthy.  This is a very well known fact. How many times do different restaurants super-size the protein?  The foods that are super-sized are usually the carbohydrates which are the cheapest and easiest to produce.  Not only that, they also have the most negative impact on our bodies.

I want to give you a guide on how to shop. This comes from a compilation of resources.  If you keep your eye on my site, I am creating a library of information for my patients to access whenever they want more information. 

If we do a little planning, we are really able to eat at home for less money but significantly improve the quality of our food for our families. 

• Reduce your animal protein—We all know that meat and dairy is the most expensive part of our trip to the grocery store.  If you are able to eat two plant based meals a day you can reduce your overall food budget and decrease your exposure to some of the inflammatory agents in dairy and meat.  If you drink a lot of milk, try and go for the organic as much as possible. This will be discussed in future Daily Doses.
• Plenty of Produce—A USDA study found that seven servings a fresh fruits and vegetables only cost $1 per day.  So, if you plan ahead and go to the grocery store frequently, you are able to eat much better and save some money.
• Frozen and canned—In some cases, you can actually do better with frozen foods because they are frozen really quickly after harvest. For a good rule of thumb, go for the package that has the shortest list of ingredients. As a rule also, choose the food that has the lowest amount of sodium when it comes to canned goodies.
• Plan for organics—I know that organic food is very expensive.  It is preferable to eat as much organic as you can. However, I know that this is impossible for a few reasons. The number one reason is the cost and the second reason is the availability.  Some of the larger grocery stores carry some nice organic foods.  Given that the cost is higher, you might want to make some choices on what you eat that is organic. If you consume a high amount of one food, try and make that an organic choice if you can.  Organic milk is a very wise choice.  There is a also a really good website called “Environmental Working Group” or www.ewg.org  that updates the “dirty dozen” which is a list of the most pesticide and herbicide loaded produce.
• Bulk purchasing—This is a great tool if you know your prices and can afford the upfront costs.  It is very important to know your per unit price of an item. You can really spend a lot more money under the pretense of saving money by buying in bulk.  Try and buy large quantities of in season fruits and vegetables and freeze them.  This is great for peas, corn, and berries.
• Freeze often—It is very important to have good, air tight containers.  Your food will spoil if frozen improperly. Label and date them appropriately.  Freeze your fruit first on a cookie sheet and then transfer them to an airtight bag. You can extend the life of your seeds, nuts, rice and grains by freezing them.
• Refresh your leftovers—Don’t waste the leftovers.  Plan meals and cooking times so that you can properly eat and enjoy the leftovers. We all know that waste is very costly. In these economic times especially, do not waste.  You can make large batches of soups and stock in freeze them in individual servings. This is great for kids. It is much better for them to go to the freezer, get a serving of soup versus open up a preservative and sodium rich can of expensive soup.

Next week, I want to talk a little about organic foods and how to get the biggest bang for your dollar.

Have a fantastic weekend and enjoy this wonderful Christmas season!

Dr. Michelle Haendiges