Shopping for healthy food with a light wallet

We hear the stats, but it’s still hard to believe just how far America’s obesity problem came in the last two decades.  North Carolina’s rate ranks 16th in the country and South Carolina ranks 6th. The cost of medical care also skyrocketed and with the economy causing daily penny pinching, how’s a family to eat well and keep a few dollars in their wallet?
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center Registered Dietician, Mary Ellen Scarborough took us and Nikki Tarlton, a mom of two, through the grocery store to find out.  We started with fresh produce versus frozen.  “Look at the sale prices you have here,” said Scarborough. “Some of these green beans are very nutritious, a lot less expensive, especially if you have a grocery card that gives you a discount on these items.“  If produce is past its prime, frozen is better because it’s flash frozen at the peak of freshness. 

We headed to the meat department and could hear the bill going up.  “In the end, if you buy these lean meats that are on special, the edible portion that you get as a result is going to be more than if you get a high fat meat,” said Scarborough. “All the fat is going to drip out of it. So, you get more edible product and usually the cost is less per pound after you cook it than it was before. And the price for a healthier cut isn’t drastic. A low fat sirloin runs around $7.99 a pound while a regular cut is $6.79.

Next, we headed to the processed foods. Scarborough said processed foods contribute to hypertension in adults and children.  “Many of these products, the more someone else does for you, to have that meal ready, the more salt, usually, the more fat that’s going to be there and it’s going to be pricey.“

Take macaroni and cheese, for example. It’s an American staple and a lot of people, to save time, will buy the processed version which contains high levels of sodium and calories and it’s not really that healthy. One easy way to combat that is to buy your own box of macaroni, add the cheese and the milk. It’s healthier and a whole lot cheaper.“

After the tour, Tarlton said she’ll save on frozen veggies and cut her portion sizes now.  “It was quite a help in these challenging times when trying to stay within the economic guidelines and good health too,” said Tarlton. “It’s a tough combination”
Another easy way to save money is to opt for the store brand names. They are normally made in the same plant as many of the name brand items.  Compare the quality yourself.  You stand to save 10-25 percent or more.  And don’t forget coupons. Think of them as cash and watch your bill drop.