At Share the Table, we’re all about nutrition on a budget! March is National Nutrition Month® , a good time to share some more helpful tips for you and your family. Even when funds are limited, it is possible to prepare healthy meals and snacks that everyone will enjoy.
The American Heart Association emphasizes balance for heart-healthy eating. Balance means choosing from a variety of foods as well as combining nutritional meals with physical activity, for improved overall health. The Heart Association emphasizes that a heart-healthy diet and healthy lifestyle behaviors are the key to lowering the risk of conditions such as elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and other factors that can increase the risk of heart disease.
Check out these helpful tips from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the CDC for shopping for and preparing nutritional meals, particularly when you are on a tight budget:
• Homemade soup is a healthy and tasty way to use vegetables. Make a big batch and freeze leftovers in small lunch-size containers.
• Look for sales and deals on fruits and vegetables at the grocery store or through coupons.
• Cut your fruits and vegetables at home. Pre-cut produce can cost much more than whole fruits and vegetables.
• Don’t shop hungry. Eat a healthy snack, such as an apple, before going to the grocery store so that you stick to your budget and avoid spending money set aside for fruit and vegetables on less healthy temptations.
• Maximize your time and money. Cut coupons for foods that are on your grocery list.
• Canned fruits and vegetables will last a long time and can be a healthy addition to a variety of meals. Choose canned vegetables that have no added salt and fruit that is canned in 100% fruit juice.
• Frozen fruit and vegetables store well in the freezer until you’re ready to add them to a meal.
• Store-brands can be a great budget choice for many forms of fruits and vegetables
• Buy frozen fruits and vegetables in large bags to stretch your budget (e.g., green beans and blueberries). Avoid those with added sugar, salt, or sauce.
• Learn basic food math. Taking the time to make a food budget before grocery trips can make food buying decisions easier. Simple food math can help you decide if the watermelon or the bunch of grapes is a better buy.
• Create a meal plan for the week that uses similar fruits and vegetables, prepared in different ways. Make the most out of the produce that you buy
• Cook enough for several meals and freeze leftovers. Place enough food for 1-2 meals in each container
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Share the Table is excited about our plans for a larger facility that will enable us to expand our fresh produce offerings for our clients. We will also have space in the new location to conduct classes on shopping for and preparing nutritional meals on a budget.
Join us in celebrating National Nutrition Month with a contribution to this new space. You can be a Hunger Hero!
Learn more at https://sharethetablenc.com/donation-opportunities/capital-campaign/.
As always, thanks for your support!