Tips for Stretching Your Food Dollar

Stretch your food dollars

Food costs are on the rise. Here are some tips on how to stretch your food dollars. There are some things we can do at home before we go out shopping for food. Let���s also see what we can do to make smarter choices at the store.

At home before shopping

• Keep a running grocery list
• Budget the amount of money you have to spend on food per week
• Do inventory of what you have on hand before you shop
• Plan meals for the week using grocery circulars, coupons and in-store sale items
• Eat before you go shopping, so you will not impulse buy

At the Store

• Choose store brands
• Compare products for the best deal by checking the unit pricing and Nutrition Facts label
• Check "sell by" and "use by" dates for the freshest food possible

Sources: spendsmart and choosemyplate

Eggs

Eggs, that is what’s for dinner! Eggs are a high protein food with 6 grams of protein per egg and they are budget friendly. Here is an easy, thrifty recipe using eggs that your family will love. This vegetable frittata is a fast and simple recipe that can use leftover veggies. Dried eggs can be used in place of fresh eggs in the recipe.

Source: choosemyplate

Vegetable Frittata

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups vegetables, chopped (mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes)
• 6 eggs
• ¼ cup low fat milk
• ½ cup shredded cheese
• Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

1. Wash hands. Spray oven-proof skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Turn stove on medium heat. Add vegetables and sauté until tender, 3–5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
2. While vegetables are cooking, beat eggs and milk in a bowl. Stir in cheese.
3. Pour egg mixture over vegetables. Cover with a lid. Cook until nearly set, about 6 minutes.
4. Preheat oven broiler on high.
5. Remove lid from skillet and place in the oven. Broil until completely set and lightly browned, 2–3 minutes.

Tips

• Use leftover vegetables, frozen vegetables that have been thawed, or canned vegetables that have been drained and rinsed.
• Season eggs in step 2 to add flavor. Add dried herbs, ground black pepper, or garlic powder.

Nutrition Information for Vegetable Frittata: Calories 190, Fat 12g, Sodium 210mg, Carbohydrate 5g, Fiber 1g, Protein 14g

Source of Vegetable Frittata Recipe

Eat More Seafood

Seafood can be from either saltwater or freshwater. It includes salmon, tuna, trout, and tilapia as well as shrimp, crab, and oysters.

It is recommended that adults eat at least eight ounces of seafood per week. Children should consume smaller amounts. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consume between 8 and 12 ounces of a variety of seafood per week from sources that are lower in mercury. They can eat light tuna but should limit albacore and yellow fin tuna to 4 ounces per week because it is higher in mercury. Avoid king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish (Gulf of Mexico), and bigeye tuna.

For the best price, purchase seafood in its simplest form, canned, frozen, or fresh.

Source is FoodSafety.gov

Tuna Burgers

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 (4.5-ounce) cans low-sodium tuna, packed in water
• 1 cup bread crumbs, divided
• 1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup non-fat ranch salad dressing
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

1.  Wash hands. Drain tuna, separate into flakes using a fork.
2.  In a bowl, combine tuna, ½ cup bread crumbs, cheese, egg, salad dressing, and onion.
3.  Form six patties; coat each side with remaining ½ cup bread crumbs.
4.  Spray non-stick skillet with cooking spray; heat to medium heat.
5.  Cook patties for 3–5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Nutrition Information per patty: Calories 230, Fat 8g, Sodium 430mg, Carbohydrate 20g, Fiber 3g, Protein 17g

Source: Eating Smart Moving More North Carolina Extension

Learn more about cooking healthy on a budget! Contact Nutrition Links to see if you are eligible for free nutrition classes: scan this QR code, call 888-778-3535 or email  nutritionlinks@psu.edu.