Stretching Your Food $

Leader LessonSTRETCHING YOUR FOOD $

Discuss your best money saving tips for grocery shopping with the 3-4 people around you

Everyone decide which is the best tip and share it with the rest of the group

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YOUR BEST MONEY SAVING TIP

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Food waste is determined by the behavior of consumers

Each person wastes 273 lbs. of food annually$165.6 billion annual total$390 per year, $1.07 per dayHouseholds purchase $936 of food they do

not eat each yearCountries with sufficient food supply and

households waste more than others Meat, poultry, and fish – 41%Vegetables and fruit – 17%Dairy – 14%

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THROWING MONEY AWAY

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Meal planningSmart shoppingImproving storagePlanting your ownCooking smart

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MANAGING THE FOOD BUDGET

Sources: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.orghttp://www.ChooseMyPlate.gov

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Look over the weekly specials in the newspaper

Use a meal planner to decide what you will prepare

Make a list of the ingredients you will need

Clip any coupons for the items that are on your list

Don’t forget to take the list to the store with you

Make sure you have staples you use on a regular basis

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MEAL PLANNING TO FIT THE BUDGET

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MEAL PLANNING TO FIT THE BUDGET-CONT.

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Include fresh, frozen, canned and dried forms Develop a weekly or monthly menu plan

(Example handout)Source:http://homemadebycarmona.blogspot.com/2013/01/menu-planner.html

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Buy in season—taste better, often less expensive

Buy more when on sale—use it or store itDon’t shop when hungry—harder to stick to the

listMake fewer store visitsShop alone Comparison shop

Compare cost per serving, bigger is not always better Compare store brands to national

Keep it simple—buy food in simplest form Pre-cut, pre-washed, ready-to-eat and processed will

cost more

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SHOPPING SMART

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Superstores Prices not necessarily the lowest, too large for some

shoppersSupermarkets/grocery stores

Offer store brands, sales, variety of forms (fresh, frozen, canned, dried, convenience)

Farmers’ markets Fresh, seasonal and local, prices may/may not be

lowerConvenience stores

Costly, less selectionSpecialty stores

May be more costly

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SHOPPING OPTIONS

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Fresh, in general Use within a few days (or consider another method of storage) Some can and/or should be left at room temperature to ripen, then

refrigeratedFrozen

Store at 0°F or less Use before the “use by” date on the package for best quality As a rule, use within 6 months

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IMPROVING STORAGE

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Canned Check the “use by” date on cans for best quality Most have a shelf life of about 2 years Store in cool, dry, dark place

Dried Store in a cool, dry, dark place Some dried foods may be refrigerated- check the package Use before the “use by” date on the package for best quality Most will last from 4 months to a year

Freezing will extend shelf life

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IMPROVING STORAGE

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Consider using some yard space to grow food Remember the food isn’t free (seeds and/or plants, water, fertilizer,

equipment…) Food is fresh, nutritious and flavorful & may prompt kids to eat more

produceNo yard? Grow a few edibles in pots

Tomatoes Herbs Lettuces Peppers

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PLANTING YOUR OWN

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Prepare more so you have leftovers. Use them for lunch, or create a new dish.

Replace half the meat. Substituting half the meat in a recipe with beans and/or vegetables will reduce fat and increase fiber, as well as save you money.

Keep canned and frozen fruits and vegetables on hand for a quick-fix meal.

Use fruits and vegetables as snacks. It’s easy to have fruits and vegetables available as ‘grab and go’ snacks

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COOKING SMART

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Eat Healthy . Be Active Community Workshops curriculum at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/downloads/EatHealthyBeActiveCommunityWorkshops.pdf

Fruits and Veggies More Matters at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/

USDA ChooseMyPlate at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

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RESOURCES

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THANK YOU FOR COMING.