Healthy Eating On A Budget

We challenge the myth that healthy eating has to be expensive and break down the practical tricks that make nutritious meals doable on a real budget. With dietitian Angell Jordan from the Southern University Ag Center, we share simple shopping and cooking habits that help us waste less, eat better, and keep more money in our pockets. 

• buying fruits and vegetables in season for lower prices and better taste 
• doing a home inventory before shopping to avoid duplicates and waste 
• shopping sales on proteins and freezing portions for later meals 
• reframing “healthy costs more” by comparing food costs to medical costs 
• using flavor and technique like oven-frying to make healthier meals satisfying 
• shopping smarter by avoiding end caps and eye-level junk food traps 
• cutting back on eating out and making better restaurant choices when we do 
• stocking budget-friendly staples like dried beans and brown rice 
• building healthier beans by limiting fatty meats and using lighter options 
• starting meal prep slowly so it becomes a habit 
• choosing cheaper cuts and trimming fat at home to stay on budget 

Subscribe to the Money Matters Podcast, and visit neighborsfcu.org slash financial wellness for more tools to help you build a strong financial future. 

Transcript

Welcome And The Healthy Eating Myth

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to Money Matters, the podcast that focuses on how to use the money you have, make the money you need, and save the money you want. Now, here is your host, Ms. Kim Chapman.

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Welcome back. And guess what? We are still gonna focus on you guys that have made those New Year's resolutions that you probably have fallen off the wagon. So last episode, or at least a recent episode, we had somebody come in and talk about how you could reach those fitness goals without having to break the bank, right? Using all those free tools and resources you have at home. But I know there's some of you that are saying, okay, I got the exercise part down packed, but eating on a budget can be a problem. There seems to be that myth that eating healthy is expensive. And I think it really is. But I brought an expert in to talk to us about maybe how we can change our mindset and eat a little bit healthier. You know, is there something that we can trade out those 99 cent fries for that'll do us a little bit better on the waistline? So my guest today is Ms. Angelle Jordan with the SU Ag Center. Welcome. Thank you. Glad to be here.

SPEAKER_03 1:09

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

So I think this is going to be an interesting conversation because there's so many myths or mindsets that are out there that say, oh, it's just too, too expensive to eat healthy, right? Fries cost more than cauliflower or cheap, I'm sorry. I'm actually saying it backwards. French fries are cheaper than cauliflower. So to get started, give us a little bit about your background.

SPEAKER_03 1:32

So I graduated from Nikol State University in 1996 with a BS degree in dietetics. So I love talking about nutrition. Okay. I currently work with Southern University, like you just mentioned, Agricultural Research and Extension Center. And I want to stress extension because what I do is extend research-based information to the communities on eating healthy.

SPEAKER_01 2:03

So from your experience, why do you think myself and others out there feel that it is so much more expensive to eat healthy?

SPEAKER_03 2:12

That can be a tricky question, but here's the trick. Yes, some people think that it is more expensive to eat healthier. But if you know the trick to eating healthy, then you won't feel that way. And here's the trick.

The Core Trick For Saving

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Right at the beginning, we're gonna listen and learn right at front.

SPEAKER_03 2:39

When you buy what's in season and also do inventory at your home to see what you already have in your pantry, in your cabinets, in your refrigerators, and in your freezer, you can kind of see where I'm going with this. So when I say buy in season, I always tell my clients, we have to for every meal, especially lunch and dinner, we have to include fruits and vegetables. And the first option is fresh fruits and vegetables. And yes, I get that kickback all the time. Well, to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, it's expensive. So guess what's the little secret? What is the little secret? Buy fresh fruits and vegetables when in season.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

So why tell us that? Like when things like I know right now, depending on when we actually send this episode out, it's strawberry season because I know that Pontchatula Strawberry Festival is right around the corner.

SPEAKER_03 3:47

And we know the the summer months is coming. So yes, strawberries will be in season. We will have, of course, watermelons in season. So when you purchase fresh fruits and vegetables in season, one, they are less expensive, two, they have a better taste. Now, when you buy these fresh fruits and vegetables out of season, one, you're going to pay more money, and two, you will not get the taste that you're expecting. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 4:20

Is there a secret hack like that for other foods that may not necessarily have a season?

SPEAKER_03 4:26

So if you are interested in buying other foods, like you said, that does not have a season, when you go into the grocery store, you want to buy those food items that are on sale. Even though you did not have in your mind that I wanted to purchase ground beef today. If you have no ground beef at home and ground beef is on sale, you purchase that ground beef. You may not prepare it that same day or the same week, but you can put it in the freezer and use it for later use. And the reason why I like to use the example of ground beef, because you can purchase the family pack and you can divide that family pack and prepare tacos one night, and maybe the next night you can do meat sauce and spaghetti.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

So, what are some myths though that you commonly hear about how expensive healthy food can be?

Make Healthy Food Taste Good

SPEAKER_03 5:27

I do hear myths that eating healthy is expensive, and I also hear that it doesn't taste good. And I think that that is what we want to hear. I always like to use this analogy. Would you rather spend a few extra dollars on purchasing healthy foods, or would you rather spend more dollars on medication, a doctor's visit, or maybe hospitalization? The raw truth. And I know sometimes it hurts, right? And and and and the prime example to really make you understand this analogy, if one is diagnosed with high cholesterol, you have to do what? Purchase the medication to keep that cholesterol level down. Two, again, you have to go where? To the doctor. So if we purchase the foods and prepare the foods the way we are supposed to, which is healthy, we won't end up with what? High cholesterol.

SPEAKER_01 6:40

So as a nutritionist, do you help with those recipes? Because when you mentioned earlier, we have that mindset that we think that healthier foods are nasty. And I can definitely tell you, not. As a matter of fact, last night I think I had such a delicious meal. Took some fish, baked some fish, put it on top of a slice of cabbage, and put some sweet potatoes on the side. And at least in my mind, that's much healthier than frying that fish and having french fries. And I thought it was delicious. So do you help your clients or do you help consumers in terms of, you know, maybe somebody's not a great cook. They only know how to fry fish, or they may believe that baking fish is nasty to find different recipes. Yes, I do.

Grocery Store Strategy That Works

SPEAKER_03 7:20

And you have to be creative in order for the food to taste tasty so that you don't have that mindset that eating healthy does not taste good. I do give them different tips. And I like that you mentioned that you ate baked fish because you didn't want the fried fish. But guess what? You can oven fry fish. You can oven fry fish. So just those different tricks, right? Yes, yes. When you know the different ins and outs or tricks, like you say, and that becomes a habit for you and not a chore. It's just learning those ins and outs.

SPEAKER_01 8:03

So I've always heard that when you shop in the grocery store, you should shop the outer perimeter. Can you speak a little bit about that in terms of what should be your target or your goal when you're shopping to make sure you're targeting those healthy foods?

SPEAKER_03 8:16

Well, when you are shopping, you want to make sure, again, you're purchasing what is in season when it comes to produce. You are purchasing sale items after doing an inventory at home that you do not have these items because you don't want to keep purchasing items and it keeps piling up at home and you're not using it. When you also are looking for healthy foods, normally those in caps will not be the the the those are the Oreo cookies and the Twinkies. Right, exactly. And you know, just this week, I purchased some veggie straws for one of my little youth uh classes that I go to. And do you know where veggie straws are down the aisle? The bottom shelf. Really? Healthier food items are going to be above the shelf or at the bottom of the shelf. Eye level will be what?

SPEAKER_01 9:22

Your unhealthy choice process for do you find the most leaks in somebody's budget when they're trying to shop and make healthy purchases?

SPEAKER_03 9:34

If you are one that likes to eat out, I would recommend that you stop eating out. Because when you eat out, normally you're gonna eat that meal that same day. So if you stop eating out, save that money and purchase food items where you can actually prepare a meal, and that meal may last you for two or three days.

SPEAKER_01 10:01

Yeah. Some people are gonna want to go ahead and turn off the radio right about now or turn off listening, because that's their their way of life. So, what tips would you give for somebody that, hey, I eat out, I don't cook. How can they make healthier choices when they're eating out at restaurants?

SPEAKER_03 10:18

When they're eating out at restaurants to make those healthier choices, sometimes the restaurants are they're pretty good at having a little notation of what is a healthier food item. So if you're eating out at restaurants, again, I'm gonna use your example. If they have fried fish on the menu and baked fish on the menu, of course, you want to choose the what? The baked fish. Now, I'm not saying that you can't ever have fried fish, but if you're eating out, choose the healthier options. But I still go back to you're gonna get one filet fish where you can take that money and go and buy several filets of fish and prepare it at home.

Pantry Staples That Stretch Meals

SPEAKER_01 11:02

So it's kind of just a little trade-off here. That's it. So, what are some healthy staple foods that everybody should either have in their pantry, their refrigerator, their freezer?

SPEAKER_03 11:12

Okay, I know everyone is gonna think I'm crazy, what I'm about to say, but having a variety of dry beans: bread beans, white beans, pinter beans, black-eye peas, having brown rice, having chicken, also bread, and of course your cereal and milk. So beans, chicken, cereal, and just switching up those different types of beans. You can have beans two or three days. It goes a long way.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

So, how important is it? Or what should be a good resource? Because when I think of beans, right, I think of red beans. I've seen red beans that I would imagine probably are pretty healthy, but then I've seen some that have been loaded with a lot of fatty meats and a lot of things that may turn around and make that same red bean or that same meal very unhealthy. So, what are some good guys or good resources for somebody to say, okay, we're talking about beans? How can I make sure the beans that I'm preparing or that I'm eating are really good to me and good for me?

Meal Prep And Budget Proteins

SPEAKER_03 12:19

So I know that a lot of people, when they prepare dry beans, they like to add different types of meat to it. To be honest with you, the amount of protein that we're supposed to have daily when you're preparing these dry beans, you really don't have to have meat. And I don't want anybody to start throwing anything at me. But they're doing it. But but if you're gonna add meats to your dry beans, I'm gonna suggest turkey sausage. I'm going to suggest, and and they may thank me for this one, smoked neck bones or just neck bones, period. And why do I say that? Because it's more bones than it is meat. If you're just looking for that flavor, that enhancement. Okay. But I know in in this area in Louisiana, when we prepare beans, any type of dry beans with rice, we want that meat on a as a side dish.

SPEAKER_01 13:23

So meal prepping, how important or is it important to incorporate meal prepping as a way to eat healthy and save money?

SPEAKER_03 13:32

It is important to meal prep. And I don't want anybody to think that when you meal prep, it's a chore. So if you start slowly and say, Well, I'm gonna meal prep two days a week, you do that for a few weeks, and then you raise the bar.

SPEAKER_02 13:55

Let me meal prep for three days a week now.

SPEAKER_03 13:58

Until you reach your goal, whatever that goal may be, if it's five days a week, and then it becomes a habit. And again, it's not a chore. Now you do have to put some thought and time into it. But again, once it becomes a habit, it's a habit. It's you just do it automatically. It's natural.

SPEAKER_01 14:18

So, what recommendations do you make for families that really are on that tight budget? They're not eating out at the restaurants, they're not necessarily doing the fast foods, but they may find that the cuts of meat that they're buying fit their budget a little bit more than 93% lean ground beet or, you know, skinless, boneless chicken breasts. We all know that maybe the leg quarters are gonna be a lot cheaper and stretch a little bit further when you're on a budget.

SPEAKER_03 14:46

And that's fine. If you have to buy the leg quarters, that's fine. You do, and I'm gonna get something thrown at me again, but you're gonna have to actually take the fat off before prepping. Just gotta do the work yourself. Right, before actually preparing that food. And again, I know it's a chore at first, but then it becomes a habit. So by all means, purchase the leg waters. Just make sure that you kind of trim the fat. And of course, if you want to bake the leg waters, that's fine. If you want to fry them, again, I'm gonna go to what? Oven fry.

SPEAKER_02 15:27

So I'm not trying to tell you all that you can't have fried foods. You can have oven-fried foods at home.

SPEAKER_03 15:42

When you go out to these places and purchase fried chicken, the price you're paying for a two-piece or a three-piece, you can buy a whole fryer and get many more pieces and still have oven-fried chicken.

Fast Food Choices Without Regret

SPEAKER_01 15:59

So a lot of our listeners, we're just busy people, right? We're on the go, we've got kids that have soccer practice, we've got to work late. And so sometimes driving through that fast food place is just a matter of convenience. What are some healthy alternatives for those busy families that they just don't have time to go and cook a two-hour meal? Or, you know, they're trying to grab that healthy, they want to grab a snack in between work and go and watch Johnny practice for two hours for basketball. What are some healthy alternatives? Because definitely driving through the fast food places or just those types of uh vendors are just so easy and quick and convenient.

SPEAKER_03 16:39

So if you have to go drive through the fast food places, of course, I'm going to recommend, first of all, that you purchase a salad. If you don't want the salad, well, then I'm going to go to a grilled product, whether it's grilled tenders or a grilled chicken sandwich. Choosing options like that. If you have a choice between some fruits and french fries, of course, you need to choose the fruits instead of the french fries.

SPEAKER_01 17:11

I've actually seen a recipe where somebody actually took watermelon and sliced them like french fries. I'm sure completely different taste, but if you've just got to have that look, maybe that's a good substitution. It's all in the mind. It's all in mind. Yeah. So what are some other tips that you would give to families again? Just, you know, things to trade off to help make eating healthy a little bit more budget friendly.

SPEAKER_03 17:36

Again, I'm going to go back to purchasing a variety of assorted beans, brown rice. It goes a long way. It goes a long way. Chicken, buy that whole fryer. You may not even use the whole chicken. Once you cut it up, you may be able to use it for two different dishes. Always, always do inventory of what you always have at home first. I have a habit of once a month for an entire week. I do not go to the grocery store and buy any food items. I use what is in the pantry, what is in the fridge, what is in the freezer.

SPEAKER_02 18:18

Use, I use what I have on hand.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

And I say You gotta be disciplined for that, right?

SPEAKER_03 18:25

I I hey, use what you have at home. Why keep going out into the grocery stores and buying things that you may already have at home? You have to keep inventory of what you have at home and use it.

Getting Help Plus Final Takeaways

SPEAKER_01 18:40

Okay. For somebody that's listening says, hey, I want to do better, but I'm just not sure where to go. You've given us a couple of tips, but obviously there's a lot more. How can a nutritionist, how can a dietitian help a family that wants to come in and actually schedule an appointment and learn more about healthy eating, what that actually looks like?

SPEAKER_03 18:58

Well, you can contact your doctor. Go to your doctor and ask your doctor what dietitian they would recommend that you go to. Now, just be mindful, if your insurance does not cover it, that could be a big cost of going to seek out a dietitian. So look around. Everybody's on social media. See where there are classes that are teaching about healthy eating and go from there.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

And how can you determine what's really good information from just somebody selling you a bunch of hike?

SPEAKER_03 19:33

You're gonna have to know a little bit about nutrition for that. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 19:37

Well, any final tips for our listeners that again, that we want to eat healthy, but we want to also make sure that we're not breaking the bank.

SPEAKER_03 19:46

Again, I'm gonna go back to buy when in season. I'm also gonna go back to my dried beans and brown rice. We we have to also, again, and I know this is repetitious, you've heard me say that. We have to use what's at home.

SPEAKER_02 20:04

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 20:04

And we have to become creative.

SPEAKER_01 20:07

So there you've got it. You've got to be creative. So we now we know we're on track. We know how to definitely get that fitness in without having to break the bunch, without having to break the bank. Now we've got a couple of tips on how we can eat a little bit healthier. Can't wait to see what we're gonna discover next because it's always about how to use the money you have, make the money you want, and save the money you need. All right. Thank you, Miss Angel. Thank you. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

It's time for blueprint building blocks. Small changes that lead to big financial wins. Let's stack up for success.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

Plan your meals before you start shopping. That'll cut down on you just making impulsive purchases. Shop your pantry in your freezer first. That way you know exactly what you have and exactly what you need. Try replacing one takeout meal with a healthy meal. Start slow, but just be consistent and make progress, and then add one veggie to your dinner.

SPEAKER_00 21:09

That's a wrap on today's Blueprint Building Blocks. Stay on track with your financial journey. Subscribe to the Money Matters Podcast, and visit neighborsfcu.org slash financial wellness for more tools to help you build a strong financial future.