Extension Report

Baldwin County Extension Office

302A Byrne Street

Bay Minette, AL  36507

Amelia McGrew

Regional Extension Agent

Food Safety, Preparation & Preservation

July 7, 2009

Preparing Healthy Meals while Maintaining Your Budget

Many of our most nutritious foods are expensive, while many nutrient-free, calorie dense foods are cheap.  This unfortunate fact makes it hard for many families in Alabama to provide healthy meals and save on their food dollars at the same time. 

An effective way to spend less money on food and guarantee that your family is eating healthy is to plan your meals ahead of time. Planning meals in advance avoids waste and allows you to plan your meals around your freezer meats (since they are most expensive) and weekly specials. 

MEAL PLANNING IS KEY.  However, meal planning does take practice.  Allow yourself some time set aside to practice. Next, take a few minutes each week and plan a well-balanced meal.  This is a requirement if you are on a budget.  So, take-out your food pyramid, which will help you choose the right foods.   If you do not have one on hand, go to www.aces.edu and download one from the publications page. It will be listed as MyPyramid: Steps to a Healthier You. You may also call your local county extension office to have one sent to you.  At this site, you may also find sample menu plans as well as recipes that you can use that are healthy and less costly.  While planning your meals, keep in mind that a lot of the nutritious foods, like vegetable casseroles, pasta dishes and some salads are great as leftovers, and then plan accordingly. 

LET’S GO SHOPPING.  Before you leave, you should always check your pantry for ingredients that you already have.  After this is complete, you should make sure that you have weekly grocery flyers, coupons and please don’t forget the shopping list.  Doing so, may cause you to pick up items that you don’t need.  Look at generic brands.  They work for some things, you may have to experiment. You should also pick up fresh fruits and veggies.  Keeping these items around for snacks is a great way to eat healthier.  Your grocery store flyers and a calculator are essential in making sure you are getting the best deal. 

FINALLY, MEAL PREPARATION.  After all essential ingredients have been purchased, your pantry is re-stocked, and you have placed your fresh fruits on the table for snacking, it’s time to start creating our budget meals.  For some people, preparing meals in bulk and then freezing them seems to work and save time in the long run.  It may also work better for you if you make bulk purchases on different kinds of healthy foods.  You may choose the local warehouse club to buy bulk items, but don’t forget about the weekly specials that are available at the local grocery stores may often beat some of those prices.  So be sure to shop around for the best price.  Next, you should look at ways to make your favorite recipes healthier:  Here are a few tips you can try:

• Decrease the meat and increase the vegetables called for in your stews and casseroles.
• Bake instead of fry.  But if you simply must, then blot all fried meats on a paper towel.
• Avoid cooking with Soy or Worcestershire sauce and products that contain monosodium glutamate (MSG).
• Use garlic or onion powder instead of garlic or onion salt.
• Buy reduced fat cheese or use mozzarella instead.
• Try cutting the sugar in most recipes by one-third to one-half.

If you are a working mother like me, you may not have the few minutes that it takes to develop a menu plan for the week.  So, I have provided a weeks’ worth for you.  This menu plan was provided by Barbara Struempler, Extension Nutritionist and professor.  The publication is called “Menu Planning in 12 Easy Steps and it is available online at:  http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/H/HE-0528/HE-0528.pdf. 

Breakfast:  Orange Juice, Cheese Grits, Toast & Jelly, Milk/Coffee

Lunch:  Split Pea Soup, Crackers, Carrot Sticks, Onion Slices, Tea

Dinner:  Beef Macaroni, Greens w/Turkey Wings, Quick Light Rolls, Apple Wedges, Milk/Tea

Snack:  Peanut Butter Snacks with Celery, Crackers

*These tips and information was gathered from various Cooperative Extension Sites. For more information concerning this topic, contact Amelia McGrew, Regional Extension Agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at 251-574-8445 or email at mcgreaj@auburn.edu.

Published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. An equal opportunity educator and employer.