Eating healthy under $6 a day? It can be done, expert says

If you're dining out less at swanky restaurants and gutting the grocery list to just the bare essentials in harsh economic times, keep reading.

Cutting out expensive meals and fancy designer coffee may be a no-brainer for cash-conscious consumers. But how do you eat right and shop healthy on a budget?

It can be done with minor adjustments in peoples' shopping habits and changing perceptions about food, says Toby Smithson, national spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and the Lake County Health Department's community dietitian.

"Your health also should be top on your list because it's just going to be a domino effect if you forget about your health and just eat whatever," she said.

Smithson has developed a menu for eating healthy all day for under $6 per person that was recently released by the health department. The timing is right for those whose New Year's resolutions involve eating better - and spending less - in 2009.

Smithson's first rule of thumb: Follow the food diet pyramid (www.choosemyplate.gov/) filling half your dinner plate with vegetables, a quarter with protein foods and a quarter whole grains with a side of fruit.

"That's the picture that I give people a lot of times of what a healthy plate should look like," Smithson said. "The thing that I hear a lot is that people say 'I can't afford fruits and vegetables because they are too expensive.' But when you look at the cost, your protein foods are pretty expensive."

Nancy Rodriguez, registered dietitian for Edward Hospital in Naperville, says people should use the economic downturn to their benefit.

"I think you can turn it into a positive opportunity to encourage yourself to choose foods that are healthy ... you might surprise yourself and see that your food budget has not really increased as significantly as you might think," Rodriguez said.

Though what most often motivates people to opt for healthier lifestyles is personal, she said, the timing is right for anyone hungering to change eating habits.

"The person has to be ready, committed to make changes," she said. "(But) looking just strictly at the economy and the financial situation the whole country is in, I think in some ways it is because any motivation at all hopefully will be driven by the fact that it will save you some money."

Rodriguez said recently there also has been a dip in the cost of grains, milk and produce, making them a cheaper alternative to buying prepackaged foods.

"A lot of those convenience foods that are meant to be consumed at home can be kind of pricey," she said. "You kind of have to challenge yourself to say 'what can I buy that is affordable, and can serve a large number of people at a lower cost?'"

Rodriguez advises her clients to ease into incorporating healthier foods into their existing diet without making wholesale lifestyle changes.

"For some people, I think, it could be just real discouraging and frustrating, if you try to change too much at one time," she said.

Smithson offers tips for shoppers who may want to watch their waistlines, as much as their wallets, by making healthy eating choices that are also affordable. Her recommendations are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Tip 1: Shop for whatever fruits and vegetables are in season because there are usually good deals on those. Frozen fruits and vegetables are a cheap alternative.

"And at the same time you could also be planning ahead," Smithson said. "Some fruits and vegetables you could actually freeze so it lasts longer past the season. Bananas freeze well. A lot of people freeze grapes and eat them frozen too."

Tip 2: Buy nonperishable food items, such as rice and oatmeal, in bulk.

"One of the mistakes that some people make is buying the rice mixes and those tend to be more costly than making things from scratch," Smithson said. "So it's like double savings when you're buying in bulk."

Tip 3: Watch for sale advertisements and coupons in newspapers.

"Plan your week of menus according to what's on sale that week," Smithson said.

Tip 4: Shop at ethnic or smaller grocery stores for staples, such as rice and beans.

"They may not have as many choices, but when you're looking for your staples for certain ethnic populations, it is a much better deal," Smithson said.

Tip 5: Substitute fattening meats with beans where appropriate.

"Beans are a lean meat because it's a good source of protein," Smithson said. "When you're looking at cost savings, you are already getting your protein from the beans so you don't need to spend extra money on the meat. Making soups and stews is another way to extend your food dollar, too."

The American Dietetic Association will release a month's worth of dinner recipes under $10 for a family of four in March. For more information, visit eatright.org.

Eating healthy for under $6 a day

Breakfast - 84 cents

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup skim milk

1 orange

Snack - 23 cents

Baked apple with cinnamon and sugar substitute

Lunch - $1.69

Egg, tomato, American cheese (2 slices) and 1 tablespoon mayonnaise sandwich on whole grain bread

1 cup baby carrots

2 slices canned pineapple in natural juice

Snack - 33 cents

2 whole graham crackers with 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

Dinner - $2.62

1½ cups turkey chili (with 3 ounces lean ground turkey, ½ cup kidney beans, ½ cup canned tomatoes and 1/4 cup whole grain pasta)

1 slice rye bread with 1 teaspoon margarine

Spinach salad with 2 tablespoons fat free Italian dressing

Fruit kebab (½ kiwi, ½ apple, ½ banana)

Total menu cost: $5.71

Nutritional analysis for the entire menu

Calories: 1,910

Fat: 52 grams

Cholesterol: 299 milligrams

Sodium: 2,313 milligrams

Carbohydrate: 272 grams

Protein: 88 grams

Calcium: 1,074 milligrams

Source: Toby Smithson, Lake County Health Department community dietitian