The rising prices of eggs, meat and other foods can make the cost of groceries hard to swallow these days.

But knowing some tricks for savvy shopping could help cut your grocery bill without sacrificing the nutritional value of the food you buy.

There’s no better time than National Nutrition Month -- in March -- to talk about the importance of fueling children and adolescents with the optimal foods for the growth and development of their bodies and brains. What we eat impacts energy, the risk for obesity, certain diseases, blood sugar levels, learning and more. 

Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture lay out the core elements that make up a healthy diet: Vegetables and fruits of all types and colors; whole grains, dairy including milk, yogurt and cheese; proteins including lean meats, seafood and nuts; and oils including vegetable oils. Children and teens need a variety of nutrients, such as calcium for strong bones, protein to build muscles, iron for oxygen-rich blood and fiber for easier bowel movements.

Kaitlin Smith, M.S. R.D. L.D. meets with patients in the Cook Children’s Endocrinology Clinic for issues such as diabetes and obesity. Smith and her dietitian colleagues at Cook Children’s provide education on weight management, counting carbohydrates and other nutrition-related topics.

In recent months, she said, more families in her consultations have voiced concern about inflation driving up the price of healthful foods. When the subject comes up, Smith coaches those families on affordable ways to eat nutritiously.

“It doesn't have to look like you're buying grass-fed beef or free-range chicken. That's what a lot of people picture, is we have to buy these expensive health foods or have top-of-the-line everything, and that's not true,” she said.

Smith outlined a few strategies for nutritional value at lower cost:

• Buy frozen or canned vegetables and fruits. “You're still getting good nutrients. They’re going to last longer, and it’s usually cheaper.” Look for fruit cups with fruit juice, not syrup.
• Seek out the more nutritious versions of food – for instance, brown rice instead of white rice, whole-grain pasta instead of pasta containing refined flours. “You're getting more nutrition for your dollar.”
• Eat more beans. “Beans are so affordable and nutrient dense. Beans of any kind are a great source of protein, fiber and iron.”
• Stock up and freeze meat when it goes on sale.
• Buy generic. Name-brand labels tend to cost more for foods with the same nutrient components as the generics.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics points to additional key steps for preparing nutritious meals on a tight budget. How? Stick with a shopping list. Incorporate meatless meals a few days each week. Buy nonperishable staples, such as dried beans and lentils, in bulk. Use produce and other perishables first. Eat leftovers the next day for lunch. Freeze what you won’t eat right away.

“The key to smart, budget-friendly grocery shopping is planning ahead,” according to the Academy. “Plan meals around fresh produce, lean protein foods and low-fat dairy items that are on sale and in season to save money while eating healthy.”

Take breakfast, for example. Smith recommends oatmeal with a little milk and fruit as a low-cost option. Lunch could be turkey and cheese on whole-wheat bread, with a side of carrots or fruit.

“We have protein, we have fiber, we have fruits and vegetables available, and that's way cheaper than if you picked up a sandwich at a drive-through place,” Smith said.

For dinner, Smith suggests stir fry using a bag of mixed vegetables and a little chicken or beef over noodles or rice. Frequent dinners in her home consist of burrito bowls made with brown rice, black beans, avocado and cheese – affordable, and yummy to her young son.

Families can stretch their food dollars by turning to recipes such as Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili Mac - Kristine's Kitchen (kristineskitchenblog.com), which yields six servings at a cost of $1.66 per serving. Smith pointed out that a fast food meal for one person costs $6 or $7 on average. 

“For the amount of money that you're spending on fast food or convenience foods, a much more nutritious option can be made at home. You’re getting less calories, less fat, less salt from not eating as many of those highly processed foods,” she said. “And if you're cooking at home, there are usually leftovers that you can eat throughout the week, which saves you money. It’s an all-around better option.”

Smith encourages families to take small steps to improve their nutrition routine. Changing too much all at once probably won’t establish a lasting habit, she said.

“Healthy eating does not have to be perfect,” she said. “Even if we swap out one to two fast food meals per week, that is still progress. Incorporate a vegetable into one meal every day, and then just build off of that. Just try to make realistic goals that are attainable for your family.”

National Nutrition Month highlights the importance of wholesome foods – and the dietitians who help children and teens make informed choices about what they eat. 

“I love simplifying healthy eating for my patients and reminding them that it doesn't have to be about a fad diet or expensive supplements or expensive health foods. I just love when I can empower people to take ownership of their health and make those small consistent changes to reach their overall health goals.”

But I hear from my patient families all the time that it's anything but relaxing.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends doctors ask parents three questions about mealtime:

1. How anxious are you about your child’s eating?

2. How would you describe what happens during mealtime?

3. What do you do when your child won’t eat?

When offered a healthy, well balanced meal with fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, kids will stop eating when they are full. Children will naturally refuse to eat when they are not hungry. We often describe these as normal appetite slumps. We can disturb children’s natural satiety cues by either forcing them to eat or by offering foods high in added sugar or salt when they won’t eat. This results in a child who will “only eat chicken nuggets.”

Parents are most successful in feeding their children more fruits and vegetables when they model healthy eating, set appropriate limits, and have a positive attitude at mealtime. “The parent determines where, when, and what the child is fed; the child determines what to eat.” ⁽¹⁾ In other words, “parents provide and kids decide”. ⁽²⁾ 

Here are some tips on eating mindfully and encouraging your kids to eat in a manner that gives them more energy and helps them avoid chronic disease. These are easy ways to change your lifestyle that don’t involve a ton of work and expensive supplements.

1.Drink more water. Kids should not drink juice or soda except on special occasions.

2.Drink milk with meals. Children from age 1-2 should be on whole milk. After the age of 2, low fat or skim milk is recommended.

3.Vitamin supplements are not needed unless your child does not drink milk. Vitamin D is essential for bone health and immune function and may play a role in prevention of chronic disease.

4.Serve 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Encourage your children to at least take a bite of everything you serve. Remember that children will need to taste a food 10-15 times before they decide they like it. Lean protein like fish and baked chicken might be better accepted if you add ketchup as a condiment.

5.Add healthy protein likes nuts (for older children) and legumes. Peanut butter is fine for younger children and new allergy immunology guidelines suggest that early introduction of peanut may actually decrease the risk of peanut allergy.

6.Eat more meals at home. Keep staples such as eggs, whole grain pasta, pasta sauce, yogurt, carrots, frozen vegetables, chicken breasts, and fruit stocked at all times so that in a pinch you could throw together a simple meal.

7.Double your recipes and freeze 1 meal at the same time that you cook the other meal. This will save you from making a trip to a fast food restaurant when you have that go to meal in your freezer.

8.Serve only whole grain breads and pastas.

9.Avoid buying, eating, or serving processed foods (chips, cookies, cakes).

10.Avoid fried foods and fast foods.

To read more about nutrition needs of children at different ages, I highly recommend the book “Nutrition: What Every Parent Needs to Know" available on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) online bookstore.

See choosemyplate.gov for more information about how your child’s plate should look at meal time.

Realize that children’s tastes will change over time. They will sometimes refuse foods they readily accepted in the past, and they will readily accept foods that they refused in the past. Involve your children in shopping and meal planning. Let them help in the kitchen! Take them to a local farmer’s market and let them choose something new for everyone to try.

Take a matter of fact and pleasant approach to meal times and ENJOY YOUR FAMILY! Create wonderful childhood memories.

References:

1. “A Practical Approach to Classifying and Managing Feeding Difficulties” Pediatrics Volume 135, number 2, February 2015

2.Nutrition: What Every Parent Needs to Know. AAP