Nutrition On A Budget

Contributed by National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS)

After I graduated from Purdue (Boiler Up!) this past December and began my venture into the “real world”, I had certain expectations of what was to come. Aside from my friends who already had real jobs telling me to change my major again and stay at Purdue as long as possible, I wasn’t too concerned. After all, I would be making a few bucks and could at least finally start grocery shopping like an adult, right? Turns out the price of those college apartments I used to complain about weren’t so expensive after all. And in this age of technology, how could I possibly survive without my HD television and digital DVR box? No wireless internet? Forget about it. Pile this on top of a severely depressed economy and I soon found myself digging once again, between the cushions of the couch, in hopes that I could scrounge up enough change to buy some frozen veggies, ground beef, and maybe, just maybe a bag of oranges.

Luckily for me, I had already honed my nutrition-on-a-budget skills while pursuing my degree in dietetics. Here are some of my tips for purchasing nutritious foods without breaking the bank:

- Buy in Bulk
o Not only will you need to make fewer trips to the store (less gas too!), but buying items in bulk just flat out costs less. A good rule of thumb is that the more work that has been put into the product, the more it will cost. For example, you can save money by purchasing a whole chicken and cutting it up at home instead of buying boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

- Learn to Love the ‘Store Brands’
o Ok, so maybe everything you buy doesn’t have to be Food Club or Great Value, but most of the time the store brands are your best bet. Think frozen vegetables, grains, cereals, peanut butters, canned goods, etc. Find out which ones work well for you because tastes can vary.

- Cut the Coupons
o I can still remember going downstairs every Sunday morning as a kid and coming across my mom clipping coupons with her cup of coffee. It was like clockwork. It was also smart. If you are willing to take a few minutes each week to practice your scissor skills, you can really reap the benefits. The coupons will allow you to get those must-have name brand products.

- Purchase Plenty of Produce
o Not only is it extremely beneficial to your health, but it’s also easy on the pocketbook. Buying what’s in season is also wise because the product will generally have a higher nutrient value and will taste better as well. Don’t want to spend $3.99 for a mini container of raspberries? Me neither. Read on.

- Be Freezer Friendly
o Ah the freezer section, what a wonderful invention! Those $3.99 raspberries we just talked about are usually cheaper when frozen and can be kept on hand for months. As an added bonus, they are frozen as soon as they are picked and therefore retain more of their nutrients. This is opposed to sitting on a boat, and then a truck, and finally your grocer’s shelves before you even get them to your pad. The same holds true for your veggies!

- Shop Sale Savvy
o In addition to clipping the coupons, keep an eye out for overall store sales. You’d be surprised at how much money you can save without cutting a single coupon. But buyer beware- those discounts are usually reserved for the elite card holders. Yes, you have to be in the club to get the discount. The good news is that those cards are free, so um… problem solved.