Eating healthy on a tight budget

Does the cost of fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods prevent some people from being able to afford a healthy diet?

It may mean spending more time on preparing the food and creating a shopping list and menus in advance, but healthy meals can be prepared on a tight budget.

A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture study concluded that even low-income Americans, particularly those who receive the maximum benefit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (the new name for the Food Stamp Program) can indeed afford a healthful diet.

Still, the belief that healthful foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, are too expensive is a common one. In a 2004 survey, nearly four in 10 Americans indicated that the cost of a healthy diet limited what they ate.

Jan Rary, a licensed dietitian with Marietta Memorial Hospital, said she struggles at times to know what advice to give.

"It's tough, in this economy. I'm finding it harder and harder to know what to tell patients," she said.

Rary agrees that the ease and convenience of cheaper fast and processed foods is a reason for the spike in obesity and food-related health problems. What she advises, however, is to plan ahead and stick to staple items.

"Things like peanut butter - good for protein - canned fruits and vegetables are actually better than people think," she said.

Pasta, potatoes and beans are not bad options either to make meals that can stretch. Rary suggests looking for dented or discount items, shopping at discount grocery stores and investing in a crockpot.

"You can cook it all day while you're at work, come home and have a meal ready rather than calling to order a pizza," she said.

The dietary guidelines say that a person who consumes 2,000 calories a day should eat 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables every day (with 2 cups of leafy greens counting as 1 cup).

The USDA's Economic Research Service looked at national average costs of apples, bananas, lettuce, tomatoes and carrots, and found per-cup costs ranged from 16 cents a cup (for the lettuce) to 70 cents a cup (for tomatoes), with the average for these five items at 39 cents per cup.

The key, according to the USDA, is to shop around. For instance, buy smaller apples or other fruits in bulk rather than the larger ones you bag yourself. Look at the produce that's on sale. Fruits and vegetables in the canned and frozen food aisles can be convenient and inexpensive choices.

Other tips from Rary include making a big batch and freezing leftovers and buying wheat bread (the healthier option) on sale and freezing a loaf or two.

Rary also suggests that people think ahead to spring and to starting a garden.

"It's time to look back to what our grandparents did during the Depression," she said.