Don't cut nutrition from your food dollar

December 15, 5:30 PMNutrition ExaminerAnnie Kay

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These are desperate times. While for years food shortages were considered isolated and solvable problems that were mostly distribution issues, the global economic situation has shocked the global food system to the core. Now everyone, regardless of geography or income, is thinking about how to maximize their food dollar.

It may be tempting to head for the $1 fast food burgers or stock up on junk food on sale at Walmart. But before you do that, consider the cost/benefit of that choice. This sort of calculation, when applied to nutrition or health, needs to consider the value of your future health (I know, not as concrete as a burger in the hand, is it?).  You'll likely end up paying a future health penalty (like diabetes or heart disease) for poor food quality, and you may not feel as well today eating a junk food diet. Here are a few tips for clipping your food costs without spending your future health in the process.

It does take extra time, initially to get into maximizing the nutrition in your food dollar. And there is a cost for your time. Do what you can, but know that whatever you can do from the tips below, you and your family's health will benefit.

• Learn to do a little basic cooking. The closer something is to open package, insert spoon, the more it is 'value added'. That means the more it has been process and fluffed up and packaged. The nutritional value of this type of food is almost always less than whole food, and you pay for a lot of extra chemicals and packaging.  Start with a basic pan and one or two simple dishes. You can do it!
• Eat beans. The majority of people the world over live well (nutritionally, much better than the average American) on some variation of rice and beans. Beans are a cheap protein source and are vitamin and mineral powerhouses. Even substituting bean dishes once or twice a week will reduce your food budget, or add beans to meat dishes to stretch your protein dollar. Eggs are another relatively low cost protein source.
• Grow something green. Be it parsley on the windowsill, sprouting beans and seeds, or launching a small garden, the time and energy you spend on growing something will reward you with nutrients and taste. Resist the urge to buy a lot of specialized growing gear - you can sprout beans in a glass, and grow herbs in a plastic cup if you need to. And, having a little live food in your kitchen will lift your spirits as well as your nutrition and taste.
• Check out food coops. Pooling resources with other and chipping in a little elbow grease is a terrific way to have quality food and a reduced cost. Coops exist in nearly every community, though sometimes they do have an under-the-radar feel to them.  Once you find them, they tend to have a great social element in addition to high quality food at reasonable prices.
• Use grocery circulars and check store brands.  If you can stand it, clipping coupons can save a lot of money. I've heard of people saving hundreds of dollars each week. Some stores double coupons, so they can add up. But taking a quick look at your supermarket's weekly circular so that you know what's on sale, and considering store brands of staples you buy, can save you money.

Hang in there and do what you can. You're worth it. This too shall pass.

 Did you see Annie's Holiday health roundup?

Do you know what Nutrient dense foods are?