Making a list...

Have you ever taken a look at your finances and realized, "oh, there's just not as much there as I thought (and it's still a week and a half until payday)!" Well, this was my experience last week, and was probably due to eating out twice in one day...or going shopping...or the stack of bills I recently paid. In any case, I knew that, if I wanted to make it to next payday without starving, I was going to have to do some serious planning. Luckily, I have a tactic I like to employ when this situation arises. It does require a little effort, but can result in quite a bit of savings due to wasteful spending at the grocery store. So here it is...my "thrifty food plan."
The first thing I do is make a list of my assets. Foodwise, that is. I went through my refrigerator and pantry and listed all of the useful food items available, especially those which could be used as main dishes or need to be used up soon before they spoil. Sadly, there wasn't much...my only protein sources were one frozen chicken breast, a can of tuna, eggs, peanut butter, a few slices of deli turkey, and 3 pieces of precooked turkey breakfast sausage. Still, it was a start.
Next, I drew up a grid of all the days I needed to plan for. In this case, I went Saturday to Friday-one whole week. Below each day, I began to fill in as many meals as possible using my list of assets. I didn't go as far as to list the amount I would be using up, but this is certainly a possibility if you have the time. I did, however, cross the items off my list if I knew for sure I would be using the entire remainder of the product for a meal-for example, all three turkey sausage pieces would be used as a topping on pizza. It really helps me to have the list of foods right there while planning meals, because it helps me to "visualize" potential meals-things I could make if only I bought one or two additional items. It also forces you to be creative. One chicken breast is not much of a meal for two, but it can be chopped up and put into a pasta with pesto sauce and fresh vegetables. I also find myself becoming more open to new ways of eating some of my staple foods, such as oatmeal. I get so stuck on eating it my favorite way-with bananas or raisins. However, in lacking these foods, I realized that it would probably also be good with dried cranberries, apricots, and walnuts (and it was-I tried it this morning!).
As I came across ingredients I would need to buy in order to complete meals, I made a grocery list. Being as conservative as possible and choosing the least expensive item when faced with a choice, I managed to plan meals (roughly) for the next week. I say "roughly" because you can never expect to follow your meal plan exactly as its written. It's only Sunday, and I've already made a few changes to mine.
In the end of the process, I had comprised a very organized grocery list containing only the items I would need for the upcoming week. I had also managed to make a plan to utilize many of the things that have been sitting in my pantry/refrigerator for way too long. It's a great way to clear up space and eliminate waste before things go bad. Armed with a good list and a solid plan (plus the idea of a limited budget), I was also less likely to engage in "impulse buys" at the grocery store.
The meal plan itself is even a helpful way to be sure that you get in all of your servings of important (and often overlooked) foods like fruits and vegetables. When you have the whole day's meals laid out in front of you, it becomes clear where you might be lacking and gives you a chance to increase the nutritional value of your daily diet. (by the way, if you want to know how many servings of each food group you need, you can go to MyPyramid) Plus, for me, having something down on paper makes it kind of "set in stone" so I'm more likely to follow it. It definitely deters me from switching things up too dramatically, and of course, the ultimate defeat: going out and picking something up.
I will admit, I do not do this type of extensive planning every week, but there are many benefits to doing it as often as possible.
Happy meal planning!

Reduce your carbon footprint, by making some (and stay healthy too)!

Have you ever stopped to think about just how close some of those places you travel to by car every day really are? Today, I left my microbiology final (last day of school for 4 weeks!) and found another surprisingly nice day outside-especially for St. Louis, in July. I decided that a great way to kick off my "Summer Break Part 2" would be to go to the library to pick up some reading material. I have been walking to the library often lately, since I found one so close to me, and today there was no question about it due to the nice weather! When I arrived back home, armed with one vegetarian cookbook and two memoirs, I started thinking about the other nearby establishments I visit regularly and the fact that they are probably just as convenient as the library to walk to.
Okay, so here's proof that I'm done with school for right now: I had to make an assignment out of it. I googled the addresses of the library, Schnucks, and Target and then went to Google Maps and got walking mileage to each one from my house. As it turns out, the library is 0.9 miles, Schnucks is 0.6, and Target is 1.8 (which would also include Trader Joe's since its in the same plaza).
Then (the wheels are really turning right now) I thought about the fact that walking would not only save money on gas and eliminate the emission of harmful compounds from my car, but also help incorporate physical activity...an important part of a healthy lifestyle (it is part of the food pyramid now).
Walking 3.5 miles per hour (a nice, brisk pace but not ridiculously fast) will burn about 140 calories every 30 minutes. Of course, this varies by individual weight. Here's a nice calorie calculator I found that allows you to enter your own weight and activity time.
Calorie Calculator
Since it took me about 15 minutes each way to walk to the library today, I know I burned 115 calories. If I walked to Target or TJ's, I could burn 207! Now, I know it's not always logical to walk to the store if you're going to buy a lot, or if the items you are going to get are perishable. When possible, though, walking with a destination in mind is a great way to multi-task and help keep yourself, and the environment, a little healthier.

Am I getting enough fiber?

I recently had a concern that I may not be including enough fiber in my diet (I will spare you the details regarding why). I know very well why fiber is important, and for that reason I only buy whole grain products, as these contribute fiber while refined products (such and white bread, pasta and rice) do not. Most people know about fiber's role in digestive health (it keeps you "regular"), but fiber also has other functions. For one, it helps reduce blood cholesterol levels, which may put you at lower risk for heart disease. Because fiber is digested very slowly, if at all, it gives you a feeling of fullness more quickly, which could help with weight control. Finally, although fiber is technically a carbohydrate, it contains no calories...so it can't hurt you, it can only help!
The recommendation for fiber intake in adults 19-50 years old is 25 grams per day for women, and 38 grams per day for men. Over 50, this decreases to 21 grams per day for women and 30 for men. But what does this actually look like? I decided to track my dietary fiber for a day to see if, despite my best efforts, I am getting anywhere near my recommended amount.
For breakfast, I had a bowl of oatmeal (made with 1/2 cup of dry quick oats) and added 1/4 cup of raisins. The oatmeal was made with a cup of skim milk, and I also had a cup of orange juice; however, these foods provide no fiber so there's no need to include them in my count.
1/2 cup of oats=4 grams
1/4 cup of raisins=2 grams
Total for breakfast=6 grams
For a "snack", I had a slice of the zucchini bread I just baked this morning. Hey, you have to sample it to make sure it's good-right? I used all whole wheat flour, and the zucchini itself provides a pretty good amount of fiber. With some estimating between the original recipe and the label on the flour, I decided that the slice I had provided about 3 grams of fiber.
For lunch, I had half a turkey and cheese sandwich on a slice of whole wheat bread and an ounce (about 10) of Baked Ruffles chips. Here's my fiber count:
zucchini bread: 3 grams
bread: 2 grams
chips: 2 grams
total for snack/lunch: 7 grams
Tonight I made feta-stuffed turkey burgers and zucchini fries for dinner, both compliments of my favorite recipe source...cookinglight.com (both were excellent, by the way!)
Again, the zucchini provided a good amount of fiber (my serving was about a cups worth), and I put the burger on a Healthy Life hamburger bun, which is not whole grain but contains fiber that was added back in, or enriched, in the product during processing.
Zucchini fries: 6 grams
bun: 5 grams
Total for dinner: 11 grams
And the total for the day is...24 grams!
Although I was only 1 gram under the recommendation today, I am not sure that this represents my typical daily diet. I don't really eat zucchini that often, and had no idea that it provides so much fiber per serving. Still, it was nice to keep track for a day so that I can gauge my future intake.
Here are some other great high fiber choices that you can incorporate to help reach your daily goals:
spinach, 1/2 cup cooked = 7 grams
whole wheat pasta, 1 cup = 5-6 grams
baked potato with skin, medium=5 grams
apple, medium size with peel=4 grams
cooked beans, 1/2 cup=8-9 grams
fresh or frozen raspberries=4.6 grams
green peas, 1/2 cup=9 grams
corn, 1/2 cup kernels or 1 medium ear=5 grams
cooked broccoli, 3/4 cup=7 grams

sources:
Krause's Food & Nutrition Therapy, 12 ed.
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/grains_why.html
http://www.wehealnewyork.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/fibercontentchart.html

Rediscover your local library

Until last September, I didn't even have a library card. I got it when I had to read a weight loss book for one of my classes, and didn't want to have to purchase one. I figured there was nothing else for me there, so I continued to buy books that I wanted to read new, or used on Amazon.com. But why buy when you can read them for free?? And really, what's the point of owning a book that you're probably going to read once and then leave on your shelf for years before you even think of reading it again.
Yesterday, I was thinking of once again purchasing some books online when I remembered I had that library card. I went to their website, and after realizing how easy it is to search the catalog, I (almost) completely abandoned the idea of ever buying a book again. Using the online catalog, you can bypass the whole searching through the shelves ordeal (which I totally appreciate...darn dewey decimal system) by simply making your request online and having it pulled for you. You can even request a book from another branch and pick it up from your local one. How convenient!
I made a request from my local branch and a few from others, then set out to check out the Brentwood library which, to my surprise, is actually walking distance from my house! I had no idea it was even there...shows how observant I am, considering I drive past it daily!
The building is shared between the library and City Hall (didn't know that was right there either) so it looked bigger from the outside, but was still relatively big and not too shabby on the interior. I went ahead and grabbed the item I had requested online (Lord of the Rings on CD...thinking of listening to it on an extremely long car trip I have coming up) and looked through the cookbook section. It was actually quite large! I picked up How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and was pleased to discover a book I didn't even know existed...Cooking Healthy Across America by none other than the American Dietetic Association (ADA)! It's a collection of recipes submitted by several R.D.'s who are part of the Food and Culinary Professionals practice group. How exciting! I couldn't not get it. It's organized by region of the U.S. and the sections highlight the best of local fare in that area. I must really like the food "From the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Northwest" because I have that section thoroughly marked up by post-it notes. I already tried the Pastitso (Greek Lasagna) recipe...clearly not native U.S. fare, but it turned out great for something I had never made before. The recipe made a whole 13X9 inch pan full, so we'll definitely be eating leftovers for the next couple of days!
So the whole point is, don't forget about your local library...you never know what you'll find there, and you may be pleasantly surprised!

Freecycle...for giving and receiving with no cash attached

I just found out about this great resource, and am totally amazed. It's a beautiful idea, really...you post things you want to get rid of, and can take things off other people's hands. There is no money involved...the whole point is to keep things from being thrown out into our landfills. One person's trash is another's treasure, right? I have seen some pretty great things posted so far...working TVs and furniture that the owner just doesn't want to go through the effort of moving, clothing, books, food...even a dog (I was so tempted, but I don't think my cats would appreciate it). I can think of a few things around my own house that aren't really good enough to sell, but I'd rather give them to someone who actually wants them than just dump them off in the donation box or let them sit at Goodwill.
The St. Louis area group can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StLouis-Freecycle/
or you can find your local group by going to http://www.freecycle.org/

Happy freecycling!

Hooray for Plato's Closet!

Where else can you drop off some clothes that you're sick of looking at in your closet, pick up some new ones, and leave with 3 bucks change?
I was planning on making a trip to the Kirkwood store today anyway, but first decided to quickly run through what was accessible in my closet. I filled up a box with some (seasonally friendly) tops and a few pairs of jeans I know I will never wear again. I find it's better to do this on a whim, because if I make a pile and go through it again later, it will surely get smaller as I convince myself that I can still use this stuff.
Plato's can be pretty picky about what they'll take, but through experience I've gained the ability to be realistic about what has a chance and what doesn't. Brand mostly matters, but if it's really cute they might take it anyway. They always have an overabundance of jeans, so they'd better be in really good condition or "different" in some way. They took both of my jean offerings today; they were Vigoss brand and had florescent colored v's on the back pockets. They say they won't take anything that was on the racks more than a year ago, but I have definitely sold things that were older than that, but in good condition. They never take my jewelry or shoes, even the pair I tried to sell today that I literally never wore (I guess they didn't think they were that cute once they got them home, either).
My main reason for my visit today was to buy skirts. I always spend my summers sweating in jeans, and am determined not to do so again. I have always thought I look terrible in skirts, due to my own self conscious (and probably ridiculous) reasons. But today, I purposely bypassed the jean aisles and went straight to the skirts (after a quick brush-through of the dresses...come on, one step at a time here!). I ended up getting three semi-short skirts that I could actually stand to look at myself in the mirror in, plus one top. Two of the items still had their original tags! I apologize in advance to all those that will have to endure the sight of my skinny, un-sunned legs this summer.
After applying the amount of the stuff I sold, plus 20% off (full frequent buyer card) they still owed me money. It was a pretty good deal, and a welcome change from shopping at stores that only result in an increase to my credit card balance.

A new format

So, I started this blog last winter when I was on break from school...probably somewhat out of boredom, and my need for fulfillment during a time when I had no homework and few deadlines. I wanted to prove that I could stay within the USDA's "thrifty" food cost budget while still fulfilling my nutritional requirements. It was fun, but also a lot of work. I had to keep track of what I was eating by taking pictures and entering all of the foods in the MyPyramid website. Then, I used an Excel spreadsheet to cost out all of my meals and compare my weekly total with what the USDA said I should be spending on this budget. It was actually very much like a project I did at school my sophomore year.
I had myself kind of stuck on the idea of keeping this thing up, even when school started again in January. Little did I know, this would be one of the most challenging semesters ever!! I started to fall behind in my schoolwork when I was blogging, and behind on the blogging when I was doing schoolwork. It just wasn't going to work out...one of them had to go. Unfortunately, having a blog won't get me that degree that I've been working toward (and paying 20 grand a year for), so the logical choice was to cut it out. I really missed it, because it was a nice creative outlet for me and definitely kept me in check on my eating and spending habits (I sure felt guilty when I had to post pictures of takeout more than twice a week, but it happened).
I really learned a lot during my little "blog experiment", and I did pick up some new habits that helped me spend less and eat better. For example, I no longer need the MyPyramid site to count up my servings...at any point during the day, I can tell you where I'm at with grains, fruits, etc. I have also become very adept at planning meals that will fulfill my requirements; I hardly have to think about it now.
I have decided to start this new blog with a much looser format; I will not be "forced" to post every day, or weekly, or any time at all. I will post when I have an experience to share...a particularly successful shopping trip, a highly nutritional and satisfying meal, or just really interesting things I read or learn about at school. I have added "be happy" to my title, because that is a very important element to the equation that I have decided represents what I believe in...cheap+healthy+happy.
Cheap: To some, this word is synonymous with "crappy". To me, it signifies non-wasteful spending. I will mostly relate this to food, but I also believe in low cost clothing, furniture, dishes, etc. If it can be purchased used, that's all the better....reduce, reuse, recycle!
Healthy: I'm an avid label reader, and I decide whether to buy something based on what I see there. In certain cases, I may choose the higher priced item so as not to sacrifice this element.
Happy: A very complicated term indeed; happy to me might not be happy to you, and vice versa. I seek to reduce cost and increase nutrition only to the extent that I remain happy doing so. No, I'm not going to eat something I don't like just because it's good for me. Yes, sometimes I just feel like going out for dinner instead of cooking at home. That's life though...nothing is flawless!
So here begins my new venture in blogging. Please comment as you feel necessary.