Help Your Family Eat Well

With busy lifestyles, it is hard to eat healthy while you are on the go. It seems easier to grab fast food. Eating out is generally higher in fat and salt. It is generally more expensive too.

Here are some ways that you and your family can eat better and stretch your food dollar:

• Eat breakfast every day. Try a whole-grain cereal like raisin bran with skim or low-fat milk. Whole-wheat toast with peanut butter or melted cheese helps keep you full until lunch time. Add some fruit for extra taste and nutrition.

• Don't like breakfast foods? Eat last night's left-overs.

• Teach kids that healthy foods taste good. Make macaroni and cheese with nonfat milk and low-fat cheese. Try a tortilla with grilled chicken, cheese, and raw veggies instead of a burger and fries for a fast meal.

• Choose nonfat or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese instead of full-fat dairy products. if you have problems tolerating milk products try dark green leafy vegetables or salmon to add calcium to your diet.

• Choose whole-grain foods like whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, or whole-wheat pasta more often than refined-grain foods, like white bread, white rice, and white pasta.

• Snack on fruits and vegetables. Keep a bowl of fruit on the table, bags of mini carrots in the refrigerator, and boxes of raisins in the cupboard.

• Try popcorn, cereal, or fat-free pretzels instead of chips. Make your own "100 calorie" bags with zip lock baggies.

Save Time and Money When You Cook

You do not have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen or a lot of money to eat well.

• Buy foods that are easy to prepare. Pasta and tomato sauce, rice and beans, or tuna packed in water taste good and are ready to eat in a snap.

• Plan ahead and cook enough food to have leftovers. Casseroles, meat loaf, and whole cooked chicken can feed your family for several days. (Be sure to freeze or refrigerate leftovers right away to keep them safe to eat.)

• Buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. They taste better and are cheaper when they are plentiful in your area. Remember to buy only as much as you will use before spoiling.

• Buy frozen or canned vegetables (no salt added) and canned fruit packed in juice. They are just as good for you as fresh produce. Fresh or frozen items are usually cheaper and are a great choice during the off-season.

• Try canned beans like kidney, great northern, or black beans. They are loaded with protein, cost less than meat, and make quick and easy additions to your meals.

• Visit your local Farmer's Market to get the freshest produce. Fayette County's Country Market will start in May. Clay County has several u-pick sites. I will provide a complete list of area farmer's markets, nurseries, and farms selling produce in the next issue. STAY TUNED.