Keep Your Food Budget in Check During this Holiday Season

Peggy R Anderson

Extension Agent

November 9, 2011

Keep Your Food Budget in Check During the Holiday Season

Thanksgiving in a few weeks away and Christmas just seems to sneak up on us right afterwards. By planning ahead you can save yourself dollars and calories. During the holiday season, we often enjoy special foods and visits from family members and friends. How can you maintain your food budget and eat healthfully during the holidays? Enjoy a variety of foods, and consider some cost-saving strategies for each of the food groups.

Grains

·         Buy regular rice and oatmeal instead of instant varieties to save money and calories and avoid added sweeteners. Or try one of the new low cal sweeteners on the market.

·         Look for bargains on day-old bread. It costs less and is still nutritious.

Vegetables

·         Buy large bags of frozen vegetables if they are the best buy. Seal tightly in the freezer between uses.

·         Compare prices between bagged salad mixes and heads of lettuce. You may save money by cleaning and preparing your own greens.

Fruits

·         Bury fresh fruit when it is in season. Purchase the amount you can use within a few days.

·         Frozen and canned fruits are good buys all year round.

Milk

·         Buy fresh, low-fat milk in the largest size that you can use before it spoils.

·         Consider using nonfat dry milk mixed with water as a substitute for fluid milk especially in cooking and baking.

Meat and Beans

·         Compare prices of different cuts of meat. For example, bottom round roast is lower in fat and less expensive than sirloin, although it may be less tender. Use less-tender cuts in soup and stew.

·         Consider beans and peas as a good source of protein and fiber. They last a long time in your cupboard, too.

·         Look for sales on meat. If you buy in bulk, rewrap the meat in recipe-sized amounts at home. To preserve the quality and prevent freezer burn, use freezer paper.

The Importance of Family Meals

According to a new study, even 20-minute family meals give families a chance to reconnect. About 86 percent of the people surveyed said dinnertime was the best time for family members to talk.

Family meals provide numerous benefits. Kids who eat more often with their families eat more fruits and vegetables, more calcium-rich foods and less high-fat, highly sweetened foods. They’re more likely to meet their needs for fiber, iron, vitamin E and folate, too.

Children who eat meals more often with their families are less likely to engage in risky behavior such as drinking alcohol, smoking or drug abuse. They’re also less likely to be depressed and less likely to have eating disorders.

Here’s a great recipe for you to try on one of these cold evenings!

Potato Soup

½ Cup Chopped Onion

½ Cup Chopped Celery

6 Diced Potatoes

2 Tbsp. Margarine

½ Tsp. Salt

1/8 Tsp. Pepper

1 Cup Nonfat Dry Milk

3 Cups Water

2 Tbsp. Flour

Melt the margarine in a large saucepan on low heat. Add onion and celery. Cook for a few minutes. Add potatoes, salt, pepper and 1 ½ cups water. Cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. In a small bowl, stir together the dry milk and flour. Add 1 ½ cups water slowly, stirring as you add it. Add the milk mix to the potatoes. Cook until the soup is heated and slightly thickened, approximately 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

Note: You can substitute 4 cups of milk for the 1 cup nonfat dry milk and 3 cups water. Use 2 cups milk where water is called for in the directions and omit the dry milk.

This recipe makes six servings. Each serving has 130 calories, 4 grams fat, 17 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber and 310 milligrams sodium.

Schedule

Wednesday, November 9 – Burke County

Thursday, November 10 – Divide County

Friday, November 11 – Veteran’s Day Observed

Monday, November 14 – Burke County

Tuesday, November 15 – Divide County