Eat right when money's tight

By Patricia Deal, CRDAMC Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas — The dietitians at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center regularly talk to beneficiaries who give reasons why they can’t eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, but they say one of the more popular excuses is that eating healthy is expensive.

While the dietitians admit there may be a few justifiable reasons why a patient can’t embrace a healthier diet, they say ‘it costs too much’ should not be one of them.

“Clients often tell us they cannot afford to be adding extra costs to their food budget in this economy,” said Barbara Hughart, outpatient clinical dietitian. “But honestly, you can still eat healthy and not see a spike in your grocery costs. Yearly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) publishes official Food Plans online noting the average cost of a nutritious diet at home with four levels (thrifty, low-cost, moderate and liberal) for various family sizes. Meeting dietary guidelines can be expensive or inexpensive depending on foods chosen and your shopping habits.”

The dietitians at CRDAMC can help families in finding a plan that will work for their household.

The first step is planning—menu, meals and budget. Hughart said the USDA has an online calculator to get a rough estimate of what is a reasonable amount for a family to spend on food. 

“Take five minutes (more if you can) to plan at least five main meals per week. Think about the nutritious balance of each meal, ensuring you are getting enough of each food group to include three servings of dairy and at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day,” Hughart said.

Linda Grab, a mother of 14 children, including a special-needs son, says meticulous planning is what helps her manage her food budget of $265 a week.

“It may take a lot of time and effort, but it’s worth it in the long-run,” she said. “I plan each week’s menu and meals based on what’s on sale or what I can buy in bulk that week. I prepare meals from scratch, which costs less than pre-prepared or processed meals, and I know my family is getting the proper nutrition. Even though I’m strict with the food budget, we still are able to enjoy the occasional splurge meal or special eating-out meal.”

Grab plans three meals and snacks a day. Dinner includes a meat, starch and three vegetables. Snacks include sliced cucumber and carrots (already cut up), fruits and baked whole wheat crackers.

“I did have to face the challenge of needing goat’s milk for some of the children,” Grab said. “So we bought a goat. The children love the new addition to the family. It’s a low-cost way to supply the children with their specific nutritional needs.”

CRDAMC dietitians have lots of tips and tricks to save money when grocery shopping. They suggest buying food in bulk and freezing portions for later meals, buying fruits and vegetables in season and shopping at Farmer’s Markets.

Other cost-saving tips include scanning store ads for specials, using coupons or loyalty cards and buying generic or store brands.

“Be sure to check the per-unit price on the store shelves. This is an easy way to compare like items and find the best deals. Store brands are usually cheaper, but this is a good tool to use when wanting to know the breakdown of what you are spending. Sometimes coupons and sales may not be the better deal,” explained Capt. Deana Lawrence, chief of Production Service at CRDAMC’s Nutrition Services Clinic.

Look for coupons on the internet and in stores, in addition to the newspaper, Grab added, and shop various grocery stores to get the best bargains.

“The Commissary already has low prices, and coupons are available in the store. One local grocery has in-store yellow coupons and specially-priced combo deals. I like the warehouse stores where I can buy in bulk and save time shopping,” she said.

When preparing your meals, look for recipes your family likes while still providing you the best nutrition for the lowest cost per serving, Lawrence suggested. Use a crock pot, steam and stir-fry foods, avoiding frying foods for the best nutrient value.

“I like rice and pasta recipes like spaghetti with meat sauce because they go a long way. Recipes where the meat is crumbled or diced up in smaller pieces also stretches the meal out,” Grab said.

One sure budget-buster would be wasting food, Hughart said.

“Check your food for spoilage and expiration dates,” she said. “Be creative to repurpose food items before they spoil, such as taking leftovers for lunch or breakfast the next day or reinventing them into a new meal item. Leftover rice from dinner can be made into a rice pudding for dessert the next day.”

It requires some effort, but families can manage to eat nutritiously on a budget, Lawrence stated. The key is to set reasonable health and financial goals and create a plan that works for your family.

“Have fun with it. Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work out, learn what works and what doesn’t work for you and stick with it,” Hughart concluded. 

The Nutrition Services Clinic offers many classes on a variety of nutrition topics and provides individualized nutrition counseling for all eligible beneficiaries—active duty Soldiers, retirees, and family members—from infants to geriatrics. Patients can self-refer. For more information about CRDAMC Nutrition Services Clinic or to schedule an appointment call, visit 254-288-8870, or visit www.crdamc.amedd.army.mil/default.asp?page=nutrition.

For more information on planning a food budget, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsavings/.

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Five of the 14 Grab children help prepare the evening dinner. Except for rare occasions, the Grab family eats all its meals at home, making everything from scratch, to eat healthy and save on their food budget. (Photo courtesy of Joseph Grab)

Linda Grab, left, prepares the evening meal while her children help. To help her serve nutritious meals for her 14 children, she looks for recipes that her family likes and still gives the best nutrition for the lowest cost per serving.  (Photo courtesy of Joseph Grab)

Linda Grab (right) reviews her food plan with Barbara Hughart, outpatient clinical dietitian at CRDAMC’s Nutrition Services Clinic. Grab attributes meticulous planning to help her feed her 14 children nutritious meals while staying within her food budget of $265 a week. (US Army photo by Capt. Deana Lawrence)

To eat right while staying within a budget, CRDAMC dietitians suggest buying certain fruits and vegetables in season and shopping at the Commissary, which already has low prices and coupons available in the store for even more savings. (US Army photo by Patricia Deal, CRDAMC Public Affairs)