From Aviva Goldfarb, The Six O'Clock Scramble  

 
Home Cooked Meals are your Biggest Savings

1. Americans spend some 50% of food dollars on out-of-home meals, snacks and beverages. This budget item, therefore, is the first area that can be cut way back. Cooking at home is almost always cheaper than going out to dinner, ordering takeout, or buying prepared foods-and healthier! Plan for a week of meals so you don't waste food. With an online meal planning service (like The Six O'Clock Scramble) you can have your meal planning and grocery lists automatically generated so you also don't waste time.

2. Stretch your budget by making a meal at the end of the week out of ingredients you haven't finished. (Omelets, quesadillas, stir-fries and pasta sauces are flexible options.)

3. Pack up leftovers (sometimes it helps to do this before serving the meal so you don't overeat!). Use them for lunches the next day, or freeze half for a future dinner. That way you get 2 meals in 1.

4. Use up food in your refrigerator and freezer. Many people are sitting on hundreds of dollars of food that they've forgotten is in their freezer. Defrost and use something each week. Make a list of what's in there and label and date the containers.

Healthy Foods are not necessarily a Budget Buster

5. Use less meat! Cooking with non-meat proteins like beans, tofu and eggs is very economical and healthy. You can often substitute boneless chicken for fresh fish in recipes, or use less expensive frozen fish and shrimp.

6. Frozen vegetables are inexpensive, as well as healthy, delicious and convenient. Frozen at their peak of freshness they are a healthy and economic alternative to fresh produce.

7. One timely tip for spring is to grow your own fresh herbs. It only takes about 10 minutes to plant a little herb garden in your yard or on your window sill or deck, so you can use your own crop instead of buying expensive herbs at the market. You can buy little pots of fresh herbs at garden stores for $2 - $3 each, which you can repot and use all season long. (That is about the same amount you would pay at your grocery store for a small packet of fresh herbs that doesn't last more than a week.)

Tips to Save money at the Grocery Store

8. Buy in bulk packages-many stores have super deals especially onmeat, chicken and fish-you can break up the large packages into 1 or 2 lb. packages before freezing them. Also, buy large bags of shredded cheese and freeze 1 lb. portions of them, or buy blocks of cheese and grate it yourself. Buy large containers of items like yogurt, applesauce, raisins and chips, instead of single serving sizes, and divide them into reusable containers yourself.

9. Stock up on staples, such as olive oil, rice, canned beans, canned tomatoes, chicken or vegetable broth, pasta, pasta sauce, frozen chopped spinach, frozen peas, onions, lemons, limes, salsa, balsamic vinegar, and nuts.

10. Buy food when it's on sale, especially non-perishables.

Armed with these suggestions, you should be able to shave hundreds of dollars off your family food bill while still eating delicious and healthy food.

Last time we talked about adding more fruits and vegetables to you and your family’s meals for a healthy life style. Today I came across a website that you might be interested in seeing: www.eatjustonemore.com. You will find a huge selection of recipes, these even tell you the number of minutes it will take to prepare the recipe (with time at a premium these days I thought this was a great addition). Also tips on healthy eating and feeding your family. Take the pledge:

1. Add just one more daily serving of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes.
2. Add just one more weekly serving of lean protein such as tuna.
3. Add just one more physical activity a day

If you haven’t seen the new food guide pyramid there is an article under tips and advice provides a good explanation. You will also find articles on everything from cutting fat to exercise. So while you pledge to do something good for you and your family this site offers helpful recipes, articles, a family forum, and informational tips.

The website is sponsored by DelMonte/Sunkist

This is a sample recipe that would that highlights an easy way to add tomatoes to the menu.

BRUSCHETTA
1 baguette, sliced 1/2” inch thick
Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray
DEL MONTE Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes with Garlic & Olive Oil, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Place bread slices on baking sheet. Spray bread with cooking spray or brush lightly with olive. Bake at 425 degrees about 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes and basil. Spoon tomato mixture over bread to serve.

Getting our children to eat the right foods can be a challenge, and setting a good example is harder than it seems. Lately we’ve touched on eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day to stay healthy and there are some fun web sites to help.  At www.fruitandveggiesmatter.gov you will find a calculator that tells you have many servings you need according to your age and activity.  And if you are looking for recipes, this site has a wonderful selection. You can find a recipe by searching a category: finger foods, beverages or snacks or by ingredient: apple, artichoke, or spinach for example. The recipe can be printed out and contains a nutrition label that tells you the serving size, calories, fat, sodium, carbohydrate, fiber and sugar, protein etc. This site also has a fruit and vegetable of the month, tips for healthy eating as well as information on serving sizes. This month’s Hummus recipe is from this site off a fact sheet on foods that travel well.

Another site has fun coloring and game pages that can be printed out for your children to use. Find this at www.5aday.com/html/kids/coloring.php. This site also has great recipes and more tips on eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day for good health. This site also breaks down fruits and vegetables in color categories and you may have seen some of their literature in the produce section of the super market.

Did you know that the average American eats only three servings a day of fruits and vegetables per day? How many is your family eating? Researchers are discovering more about the health benefits of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that occur naturally in fruits and vegetables. In turn, health agencies are now recommending five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Summer time makes it is especially easy to reach these goals. A simple guideline for a serving of fruit is one medium sized whole fruit or one cup of raw chopped fruit, while a serving of vegetables is about 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw.

Summer is a great time for fresh fruits and vegetables. If you don’t have the space to grow your own vegetables, the farmers market is the next best thing.  Why not take your children to your local farmers market to help you chose the fruits and vegetables you need for the week? There are many lessons to be learned: how to choose different kinds of fruits and vegetables, what they look and feel like when they are ripe, or discover varieties that they may have never seen before. Older children can even put math skills to work: they are weighed and they can see how many pieces are in a pound, how much do they cost, did they get change from the purchase, etc. Often vendors have samples and it’s a great time to try new foods. It might even be a good time to start letting your children help plan a meal or menu for the day. The more children are involved the more opportunities for learning good eating habits, which after all is our ultimate goal.

Another idea is to pick your own fruits and vegetables. Check your local community directory to find a farm that offers “pick your own” seasonal fruits and veggies. This is not only a fun family activity but an economical and educational opportunity as well.  We just went blueberry picking last weekend and had a great time! The prices are very reasonable and everything is so fresh you will all notice the difference.  Don't forget to take your camera and here is to healthy eating!

When browsing through my books for healthy snacks to feed my grand-daughters I came across a book that I used when my children were young. When I looked, it had been published in 1978 and the author was right on target with her concern for the amount of sugar, salt and additives children were consuming. Glancing through this book,  I thought how relevant this book still is today, as well as how we have seen her predictions come true. Well, after some research I discovered that this book, which had been on the best seller list for 16 weeks and had sold over 400,000 copies had been revised in 1999.  So for a good resource book and a light hearted, common sense approach to healthy eating, get your copy of The Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y.*  Monster *: *Continuously Advertised Nutritionally Deficient Yummies by Vicki Lansky. Find it here: amazon.com