Food on the Table

According to a recent article from MSNBC, an extra $1.04 is spent to consume the suggested value of potassium, while another 35 cents is needed to have the recommended levels of dietary fiber and vitamin D. A study reported by the journal Health Affairs surveyed more than 1000 adults in King County, Washington and found that adding more of these nutrients to a diet could add hundreds of dollars to an annual grocery bill. Participants who spent more on groceries were found to have the best recommended values of nutrients. King County has higher prices, which does not make it the best representation of the country. All the necessary nutrients can still be obtained on a budget.

Introduced in June, “MyPlate” encourages eating more fresh foods over processed foods. The USDA emphasized increased portions of fruits and vegetables with half of the plate portioned to those foods. Fruits and veggies are crucial to a healthy diet and pack many of the essential nutrients that the study participants were reportedly lacking. Follow these four tips to keep eating healthy affordable.

• Buy local and seasonal — Seasonal produce is guaranteed to taste the best and have the lowest prices. Local farmer’s markets sell fresher varieties of fruits and vegetables, while ALDI grocery stories only carry seasonal produce to provide the most flavorful foods at low costs.
• Make a grocery list — Create meal plans for the week to ensure that you only buy what you need and avoid splurge purchases on expensive snacks. A grocery list helps you visualize how much of your budget you need to dedicate to fruits and vegetables to make healthier food choices.
• Buy in bulk — Canned and frozen produce have longer shelf life and should be bought in large quantities when they are on sale. Check newspapers and grocery circulars for coupons that can save on these items.
• Know the nutritional value of your food — Since fresh fruits and veggies do not have convenient food labels, it is important to be familiar with what nutrients they contain. Potassium can easily be obtained in summer fruits like cantaloupe and strawberries and leafy green vegetables like cabbage and kale. Vitamin D is found in seafood and dairy products. Even though salmon and shrimp are more expensive items on a grocery list, they provide an excellent source of the vitamin. Beans, spinach and carrots contain a substantial amount of dietary fiber to account for the recommended daily amount.

Eating healthy is still possible on any budget and will ultimately offset the future costs of medical problems of being overweight or obese. Access to inexpensive fruits and vegetables is a crucial aspect to being able to make these healthy choices, which will help more people adhere to the MyPlate guidelines.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.

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