Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

How much money do you spend on food each day?

2012-05-21T13:10:55Z

This is a question I have been asking myself since I saw this blog, $4 A Day Challenge. Stephanie Moore, a channel 13 (WHOTV, Des Moines, IA) reporter decided to take on the challenge of eating for $4 each day for a week. Why $4? That is the average amount a person receives for Food Assistance.

For some people, Food Assistance is the only money they have to spend on food each month. That means that they have to budget to spend only $4 each day on the food they need to stay healthy. Last June, this became an immediate need for many Iowa families when the Missouri river flooded, destroying their homes and their source of income (farms, job sites). Over the past several years, many job sites have closed in Iowa, leaving people without income and needing Food Assistance to feed their families. It is not surprising that the number of people receiving Food Assistance in Iowa has increased.

So, was the news reporter able to make it on $4 each day? Yes, she was, and you can see more of the story here. And, how much do I spend on food each day? For my three person family, we spend about $5-6 per person each day.

Justine Hoover, MS, RD, LD

The Weight of the Nation

2012-05-14T17:21:22Z

Starting May 14, 2012, HBO will be broadcasting a documentary called “The Weight of the Nation.” This is a four part series of movies created by HBO, the Institute of Medicine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. These four movies look at the effects of overweight and obesity through the eyes of health experts and individuals and families who live with overweight and obesity.

The effects of overweight and obesity can be dramatic over a lifetime. In both my personal life and my work as a dietitian, I have seen obesity lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. I have seen obesity lead to mental strain such as stress and depression. I have seen obesity lead to financial strain such as health care costs and the costs associated with dieting. On the other hand, I have seen people with obesity live happy, healthy lives. What do the effects of overweight and obesity look like through your eyes?

If you would like to watch these movies, they can be seen on HBO, some local channels (check your local guide), and for free on the HBO website. For details about “The Weight of the Nation,” you can check out the HBO website and The Weight of the Nation Facebook page.

Justine Hoover, MS, RD, LD

Fruitastic Summer Smoothie Blast

2012-05-07T13:13:41Z

Fruit smoothies and drinks have joined the menu at many coffee shops and quick serve restaurants. Manufacturers have also joined the bandwagon with many bottled or frozen mixes on grocery store shelves. It is no wonder they are so popular, they are a great way to get fruits into your and children’s diet.

When smoothies are made with dairy products and fruit like those at Panera, Starbucks, McDonalds, etc., they are a fabulous snack because they add calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, protein, and fiber to your diet. However, be sure to read the nutrition information. The ‘Fruitista Freezes’ at Taco Bell are around 250 calories of sugar and flavorings.

Purchased smoothies often cost $2.00-$3.00 per serving. You can make your own for a fraction of the cost especially if you buy fruits in season. Our Fruitastic Summer Smoothie Blast is around $.75 per serving. It is made with strawberries, banana, and strawberry yogurt. Almost any combination of fruit and yogurt will work (eg. banana-peach, mango-berry).

Fruitastic Summer Smoothie Blast

Ingredients:
½ banana
½ cup frozen berries
1 (6-ounce) container strawberry yogurt

Directions:
Blend all ingredients well in blender.
Pour into your favorite glass and enjoy!

TIP: Smoothies are a great way to use over-ripe fruit.

Nut milk, rice milk – Really?

2012-04-30T13:30:11Z

I grew up on a farm and from what I know, milk comes from a cow. It is that white liquid farmers “milk” for us humans before the baby calves get to it. Cow’s milk is a good source of protein calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D (since all cow’s milk is fortified).

The “milk” from nuts, rice, and soy is not nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk. These types of milk are also more expensive. On the other hand, if they are fortified, they can be a good choice, especially if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein.

Here are some good things to know about the different types of milk you can find in the grocery store:

Soy Milk/Drink/Beverage: Produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water. Soy milk has about the same amount of protein and fat as cow’s milk and provides B vitamins, but it does not have calcium unless it is fortified. Most soy milks are fortified, but some are not (you have to read the label).

The American Academy of Pediatrics considers fortified soy milk a suitable alternative for children who cannot tolerate human or cow’s milk or whose parents opt for a vegan diet. They find no medical benefit to using soy milk instead of human or cow’s milk.

Nut Milk: Almond or hazelnut milk are not similar to cow’s milk from a nutritional stand point. They have little protein and almost no calcium. They provide similar nutrients as nuts and are low in calories.

Rice Milk: Mostly made from brown rice and usually unsweetened. Compared to cow’s milk, rice milk contains more carbohydrates, but does not contain significant amounts of calcium or protein, and no cholesterol.
Coconut Milk: Made from grated and squeezed coconut. It is high in calories – a half cup has around 200 calories. It can also be used in small amounts for cooking or on cereal rather than for drinking.

What’s the bottom line? If you drink non-dairy milk, be sure to find one that is fortified with calcium and Vitamin D. Most of these beverages have lots of sugar, especially if they are flavored, so read the nutrition labels closely. To learn more about label reading, check out Label Reading for Health lesson on Spend Smart Eat Smart. These beverages should not be used as replacements for infant formula.

The Touching Heart, Touching Minds Project

2012-04-23T13:12:07Z

The Touching Heart, Touching Minds project poses an important question for all parents.

Suppose I could take out a prescription pad and write a prescription for something that would help protect your child from the scary times in which we live. Would you be interested?

The prescription would be this: Eat meals together as a family. Family meals have enormous power. They can be the family lifeline during turbulent times. Eating together gives you and your children a sense of belonging, a connection that allows them to be strong when challenged.

Our recent SpendSmart.EatSmart Poll indicates that about half the 274 people who responded are making family meals a priority.

If you are not in the habit of family meals, here are some things to think about:

Without a lot of additional effort or time, simply eating together as a family could actually change the direction of your child’s and family’s life.
What’s for dinner at your house this week—and who will be enjoying it with you?
What are some things you can do this week to make eating together possible?
What can you do to adapt your schedules to make family meals more frequent?

If you would like more information on this topic, check out the Set the Table handout from Touching Heart, Touching Minds.

Have you Fired your Grocery Store?

2012-04-16T12:40:26Z

Consumer Reports says that one-third of their readers have switched grocery stores in the past year. The main reason was to get better prices, but their readers also switched in search of better selection, shorter lines, or more courteous staff.

In an eight page report in the May issue, 52 grocery stores were ranked by Consumer Reports readers on service (which combines customer satisfaction with employee courtesy and checkout speed), perishables (quality of meat and produce), price and cleanliness. Of the stores operating in Iowa, Fareway ranked highest at #4, Costco at #5, and Hy-Vee at #9. Aldi and Target were 20 and 22. Can you guess which store came in lowest? Walmart Superstores ranked at the bottom (51 out of 52)

Fareway received the highest rating in all the categories. Costco was rated lower in service, HyVee was knocked because of high prices. Aldi got good ratings for price and Target rated high in cleanliness. Walmart was rated low in service and cleanliness and but got a favorable rating in price.

Money Saving ideas mentioned in the article include:

Using store brands. Seventy-two percent of those surveyed said they used store brands and 89% of those said store brands were as good as national brands.
Unit pricing. It would be wonderful if more states required this, but only 9 states do and there is no standard formatting so it can be hard to compare. Want to learn more about unit pricing? The SpendSmart.EatSmart web page has a lesson called Choosing the Best Deal which walks you through each step.
Paying attention to the sale flyers. Some items are priced below cost to get you to the store. However not everything in the sale flyer costs less than the regular price. (it’s the same as specials in a restaurant—specials are not necessarily cheaper or even something that is not on the menu all the time—they are just a shout out to a “special” meal.
Coupons. The report mentions that more coupons now require you to buy multiples and the coupons expire quicker than they used to.
Loyalty cards or senior citizen savings. I have used these in other parts of the county, but they are not being used much in Iowa

If you would like more tips to reduce your spending on groceries check out our shopping tips at SpendSmart.Eat Smart.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Bake

2012-05-08T13:52:20Z

Our featured recipe this month is Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Bake. It is a very easy recipe that costs about $.80 a serving. You can use any combination of 4 cups of meat and beans that you have. The recipe also calls for salsa. I use medium, but if you want a little more heat you could use a spicier salsa, add a hot pepper, or add a little hot sauce. Be sure you save a little of the enchilada filling to spread on top of the enchiladas.

When I make this dish, I put the enchiladas in two baking pans. I cook one and I freeze one. Then all you have to do is add fruit and milk. The frozen enchiladas will take about 30 minutes at 350⁰ F to thaw and heat through.

Chicken Safety Tip: Washing raw poultry before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. This is called cross-contamination. Rinsing or soaking chicken does not destroy bacteria. Any bacteria that might be present on fresh chicken are destroyed only by cooking. Also, make sure you wash the cutting board and knife right after you use them.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Bake

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 cups)
½ cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 can (15-ounce) low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup salsa
8 whole wheat tortillas
Cooking spray
½ cup 2%-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cut chicken breast into 4-5 chunks. Simmer in a large saucepan with water and chili powder. Cook until internal temperature is 165° F (about 10 minutes).
Remove chicken from pan. Cut or shred into small chunks and return to pan. Add beans, corn, and salsa to saucepan. Cook until hot, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Spread 1/2 cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side down in greased 9×13 pan.
Spread any leftover chicken mixture over the top of the enchiladas.
Bake at 375o F for 12-15 minutes.
Sprinkle cheese on top of the enchiladas during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Serve immediately.

Beef Product Unfairly Slammed

2012-04-02T13:03:11Z

I’m disappointed/dismayed/disgusted that boneless lean beef trimmings are being driven off the grocery shelves. The result is likely to be higher priced hamburger, protein wasted that could be used for human consumption, less innovation, several thousand people losing their jobs, and a bankrupt company.

I have read many articles and viewed many videos about the so called “pink slime.” Here is what I found out.

Lean finely textured beef (LFTB) is the product unfairly nicknamed “pink slime.” LFTB is muscle tissue that is separated from fat using a centrifuge process resulting in a product that is about 95 percent lean. The process changes the texture of the lean beef, resulting in a product similar to finely ground beef.
- Ground or blended beef products carry a potential risk for food-borne pathogens because microbes, if present, are distributed through the product. This makes them less likely to be killed during cooking compared with those on the surface of whole-muscle cuts. So, to make the products safer, the company uses a puff of ammonium hydroxide to kill microbes during processing. Ammonium hydroxide is also used in a variety of other processed foods such as baked goods, gelatins, puddings, and cheeses, and it can occur naturally in foods.
There is no pink coloring added as the naturally occurring color comes from beef muscle tissue. LFTP appears more pink than regular ground beef because it has less fat in it.

Some people have recommended that ground beef with LFTB be labeled. That would be fine with me. I will be happy to pay less to buy a safe, lean product.

For more information:

Article in the Wichita falls Times Record News with a good summary
http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2012/mar/24/pink-slime-not-based-on-facts/

Youtube from American Meat Institute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDiPjmsKeh8&feature=youtu.be

Video from Texas A and M
http://www.meatmythcrushers.com/myths/myth-ordinary-household-ammonia-is-used-to-make-some-hamburgers.html

Opinion from Nancy Donley whose 6 year old son died from eating contaminated ground beef in 1993 on Food Safety News, a website produced by Marler Clark. Marler Clark is the nation’s leading law firm with a practice dedicated to representing victims of foodborne illness.�
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/in-defense-of-food-safety-leadership/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120317

Easter Baskets Don’t Have to be Filled with Candy

2012-03-27T00:27:07Z

According to the National Retail Association about 90% of us will have candy on our shopping list for Easter and our total spending will be about $2 billion. WOW.

Why is it that people who do not buy candy for most of the year, buy enormous baskets and fill them with chocolate, jelly beans, candy chickens, etc. for Easter? I think advertising and retail promotions, as well as peer pressure, are at work.

Photo from The Saved Quarter

For Easter this year, how about buying one small bag of a favorite candy and then filling the Easter basket with stickers, whistles, pencils, plastic rings, coupons for ice cream, puzzles, playing cards, and bath toys. Here are a couple of sites that have ideas to match with your child’s or grandchild’s interests and your budget.

Alternative Fun Easter/Spring Baskets

Non-Candy Easter Basket Ideas for Children

Meatless Meals – What about beans?

2012-05-08T13:55:39Z

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about meatless meals on our Facebook page. Choosing to go meatless for a meal or for an entire day is one way to save a little money on your grocery bill. This can be easy at breakfast and lunch, but tends to be a little more difficult at supper time. Even with a husband and a son who like to have meat with their meals, our family enjoys a meatless supper together once or twice each week.

Unfortunately, my post focused only on eggs and nuts as a good source of protein when choosing to go meatless. My family and I love beans as a meatless meal. There are some great bean recipes on the Spend Smart Eat Smart website; each recipe has helpful tips on preparing beans. One of our favorites is Cowboy Caviar. My son likes to eat it plain, but my husband and I spoon it into whole wheat tortillas and top it with some shredded cheese. It also makes a good topping for lettuce salad or a dip for vegetables or tortilla chips.

Besides saving some money on food, meatless meals do have another benefit. They help add variety into a weekly menu. Eating a variety of foods from all the food groups (fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein, and grains) helps us make sure that we are getting all the nutrients we need primarily from food.

We also use soy to add protein to meals when we choose to go meatless, but that is a topic for another post…

Cowboy Caviar

Ingredients:

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, cooked
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies
3 green onions, sliced
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions:

Stir together kidney beans, black beans, corn, tomatoes, chilies, and onions in a large bowl.
Add lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper; toss gently to combine.

Justine Hoover, MS, RD, LD