In the Kitchen
IT’S A NEW YEAR — time for resolutions such as losing weight, exercising regularly and eating healthfully.
We all know the reasons for making nutritious food choices, but many times we are wooed by faster, less expensive meals. Is it possible to have a healthy diet and a healthy budget?
“Avoid pre-packaged, processed foods — not only are these more expensive, they are usually higher in sodium and fat,” said Trisha Ohlsen, RD, LD, director of Dining Services at St. Benedict’s Senior Community in St. Cloud. “Try and make more items from scratch. Home cooking is not only healthier, it’s also less expensive.”
St. Benedict’s Senior Community — St. Cloud has trained chefs who work onsite to prepare meals from scratch whenever possible.
“We use wholesome ingredients that are harvested in a socially responsible way for the well-being of our customers and the environment,” Ohlsen said. “Seasonal menus feature fresh, regional products. The presentation and service are just as important as the actual food to create a culinary experience for our residents.”
Recipes - Good Eats
Mini Meatloaves
3 lbs. hamburger (lean)
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs
11/2 cup uncooked oatmeal
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Dried onions and garlic salt
to taste
Topping
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tsp. dried mustard
Mix together all ingredients. Place into mini loaf pans.
Spread topping on each loaf.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Makes about 12 loaves
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Taco Soup
1 lb. browned ground beef
(lean)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (16 oz.) can chili beans with
liquid
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans with
liquid
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel
corn with liquid
2 (14.5 oz.) cans peeled and
diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
11/2 cup water
1 packet taco seasoning
Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.
Note: To make this soup “hot,” use spicy versions of chili beans and tomatoes. |
Here are 10 tips for eating healthy on a budget:
- 1. Create a weekly menu and a shopping list. Using a list helps you buy only the essentials and helps prevent those impulsive purchases. Look at the store fliers and coupons before making up your menu to incorporate any sale items. Of course, don’t shop on an empty stomach.
- 2. Stick to the perimeter of the store — the produce section, meat and poultry area, dairy case, and bakery. Make brief forays into the middle to get items such as frozen vegetables.
- 3. Buy larger sizes of food that you can divide at home such as yogurt, oatmeal and low-fat snacks instead of individual portion sizes.
- 4. Purchase meat in bulk and repackage into smaller portions. Your protein tends to be the most expensive part of your grocery bill, so make meat less of a focus for your meals.
- 5. Use unit pricing. Compare what the cost of an item is by weight. The lowest-priced product may not necessarily be the cheapest.
- 6. Stock up on frozen fruits and vegetables when they are on sale. They often can be less expensive than the fresh produce, plus they are picked at the height of ripeness and flash frozen so the flavor and nutrients are preserved.
- 7. Choose generic or store brands, which usually are similar to higher-priced brand names. Stores deliberately place the highest-priced brand-name items at eye level, so remember to look high and low for bargains.
- 8. Look for sales on fresh fruits and vegetables. Choose a large bag of fruit such as apples or pears instead of the single, large fruits
priced per pound.
- 9. Capitalize on one-pot dishes, which generally save prep time, money,
and dishwashing, and often make great leftovers.
- 10. Make a double batch and freeze half so you have a meal ready to do when you’re too tired to cook. Entrees such as lasagna, chili and hotdishes emerge from the freezer as tasty as freshly made.
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