On of the SMORE Themes is Nutrition Matters. Here our local Registered Dietician, Kelli Worley, share her thoughts.
“It’s too expensive to eat healthy.” I hear this all the time. I’m going to prove that it’s not too expensive to eat healthy. By following this one simple step, you will be well on your way to saving money at the grocery store.
Go to the store with a plan. When I was single and living by myself, I never had a plan. I just bought the same things and made whatever I had on hand. It got boring. I spent more money than I should have. I didn’t eat as well as I do now. Since I’ve had a family to feed, I never go without a plan. I set aside time every week to plan our dinner menus. I make my shopping list based on what we need for those meals. Plus, I buy a little extra to store food for emergencies. In fact, we have a bedroom closet full of non-perishable foods that we keep in case we run out of our staples or if there is an emergency and we can’t buy food for some reason. (I’ve got a whole system for this, but that’s a post for another time.)
When you go without a plan, you buy on impulse and what sounds good at the time. You tend to buy the same foods and get stuck in a rut. You don’t take into consideration what you already have at home, what’s in season, or what’s on sale. Then you get frustrated at dinnertime because you want to try a new recipe but you don’t have the ingredients. You opt for take-out more than you like because it’s easier. Does this sound like you? If so, I encourage to take out a piece of paper and write down five of your family’s favorite dinners. Make a grocery list based on those recipes. Don’t forget to add in vegetables, fruits, snacks, and breakfast foods. Take that list with you on next your shopping trip and you’ll be well on your way to eating better and less expensively.
Kelli Worley, MS, RD, LD Nutrition Solutions Weight Management Specialist Beaumont, TX www.kelliworley.com www.Facebook.com/NutritionSolutions ph: 409-454-0417 fax: 409-861-2021
Yes a plan is important not just for budgeting sake but we also learn the food we gonna take and or eat if its healthy or not. Great article!