Nutrition Ed Presentation

1. Nutrition on
a Budget
Presented By:
Alicia Martinez-Vargas, MPH
This lesson were adapted from the original Nutrition 5 Series lessons created by Center for Healthy Communities,
California State University, Chico, the OC Health Agency, and approved by the California Department of Public Health

2. Today we will talk about:
• How to plan healthy, budget friendly meals and snacks.
• Tips to include more fruits and vegetables in meals and
snacks.
• Overcoming challenges to planning healthy meals.
• Shopping on a budget
• Making healthier food choices during times of stress.

3. What challenges have you had
when planning a healthy meal?

4. Your Food
Budget

6. Meal
Planning
on a
Budget

7. How many of you
know what you’re
having for dinner
tonight?
Tomorrow night?

8. If you can plan at least a few days of meals and snacks for your family,
you are on your way to:
 Eating healthier
 Saving time and money
 Reducing trips to the grocery store
What’s for Dinner?

9. Tips for Planning Meals on a Budget
• Make a menu
• Plan your meals around
foods that are on sale
• Plan at least one meatless
meal a week
• Check your pantry,
refrigerator and freezer
• Avoid recipes that need a
special ingredient
• Look for seasonal recipes
• Plan to use leftovers
• Make extras

10. Tools for Planning Meals and Snacks

13. How can we add more fruits and
vegetables to meals and snacks?
A. Make sure there is a fruit or vegetable in each
meal.
B. Include 2 vegetables at the main meal.
C. Eat fruit for snacks.
D. All the above.

14. Addressing
Challenges to
Meal Planning
Problem #1:
I don’t have time to cook
 Try no cook meals
 Use convenience foods
 Batch cook
 Plan ahead
 Use quick & easy recipes

15. Problem #2
Sometimes I make several
items at one meal because
my kids don’t like or want the
same things.
 Let the kids help plan
 Let them help with meal prep
 Create you own meals

16. https://eatfresh.org/find-a-recipe
https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-kitchen

17. SHOPPING
ON A
BUDGET

18. Steps to Help You Prepare for
Shopping on a Budget:
STEP 1= Check for foods on hand.
STEP 2= Check for sales.
STEP 3= Complete the meal planning.
STEP 4= Write your shopping list.

19. Using Unit Prices to
Find the Better Buy
Price tags on the grocery
shelf includes:
• Retail Price
• Total Price for each item
• Unit Price
• Cost of food item per
pound, ounce, quart,
etc.

20. Which yogurt has a better value?
A
B

21. Buying in Bulk
• Bulk buying is not limited to
certain stores
• Non-perishable foods
• Generic vs Brand
1 lb 10 lb

22. Inexpensive Groceries Options
3 excellent forms to get the best bang for your buck would be
In Season Frozen Food Canned Food

23. Convenience costs...go back to the basics
• Onion $0.46
Total: $4.02
• 1 order of Red Beans and • 1 can of Red Beans $0.48
Rice at a restaurant • 1 lb. of Brown Rice $0.78
Range: $5 - $10 • 2 cans of Diced Tomatoes $1.72
• Green Bell Pepper $0.58
Homemade
Red Beans and Rice
VS
Restaurant's
Red Beans and Rice

24. FOODS
AND
MOOD

25. Moods can affect our eating
habits, and our eating habits
can affect our moods.
Depression, anxiety and
stress not only affect how we
eat but can also be affected
by how and what we eat.
How Are Your Eating Habits Affected
Under Stress?

26. Times of stress are
when our body needs
more healthy resources.
• Don’t skip meals
• Take a moment before eating to relax and breathe.
• Eat slowly
• Enjoy a variety of foods
• Eat a number of small meals throughout the day.
• Relax a while after eating. THEN, do light exercise.
• Moderation is key. Especially: sugar, caffeine,
nicotine, alcohol
• Read ingredient labels. In general, the more
processed and chemically treated the food, the less
nutritional value it holds.

27. Check the Ingredient List
Plain Yogurt
• Ingredients:
cultured
pasteurized
grade A nonfat
milk, whey
protein
concentrate,
pectin.
Fruit Yogurt
• Ingredients:
cultured grade A
reduced fat milk,
apples, high
fructose corn
syrup, cinnamon,
nutmeg, natural
flavors, and
pectin.
Whole-Grains should
be listed as a first or
second ingredient

29. Thank you for
coming!