A Case for Brown Bagging

I was recently contacted by Allison at Creditscore.net about a graphic she was working on about the benefits of brown bagging lunch. Apparently she saw my post on "Healthy Eating on a Budget"  and thought it would be up my alley!

I do love a good infograph- and anything to do with food!

I did comment to Allison that I feel like the information provided must have been nation wide- because I know the cost of food in Massachusetts is much higher than this!

Either way - planning and bringing food from home is pretty much guaranteed to save money, and often times calories!

I did do a presentation on healthy lunches at Harvard Business School though and was definitely shot down by them regarding bringing a lunch because business Lunches are so in grained in their culture. In those cases, making smarter decisions while eating out, or possibly even trying to change the culture a bit could be helpful (I am probably asking too much there.)

What are your thoughts? Do you usually bring your lunch or buy it out?
What is your favorite thing to bring? I usually just do left overs from dinner- But I am always surprised how much I love sandwiches when I do make them!

(I will admit I am excited for a staff lunch from Anna's Taqueria or the Upper Crust this Friday!)

Happy lunch packing :)

Healthy Eating on a Budget

Its a tough economy right now, and food prices are on the rise. I personally, have been a full time student for the past 20 years, and now after finishing my full time, unpaid dietetic internship, and being about to graduate and have all of my school loans kick in,  am particularly feeling the stress of a tight budget. 


Nonetheless, there is no escuse to not eat healthy! there are plenty of ways to fit healthy eating into any budget. Here are a few tips-- please leave your own tip ideas in the comment section! 

• Have a shopping list. Only buy what is on the list. You can save money by planning your recipes ahead of time, and therefore only buying what you’ll need. Also, if you make your list ahead of time and stick to it, you are more likely to make smart choices.

• Check out the weekly flier for your grocery store, which will feature weekly sales. Plan recipes based on sales. Most grocery stores feature these fliers online as well, so no need to get the newspaper. 

• Stock up. When a product that you use frequently is on sale for a good deal, buy extra.  This works best for shelf stable and canned goods, or frozen foods if you have the space. You can also cooking and/ or freeze fresh items for later use.  

• Buy the Store Brand or Generic Brand these products are nearly identical to the Brand Name products, but significantly cheaper.

• Buy in season fruits and vegetables.  Produce that is in season is much cheaper, fresher, and nutrient dense, than out of season produce that has been shipped and stored. I love epicurious map of seasonal foods

• Check out the “Discounted for quick sale” sections. These generally include produce and bakery items that are about to expire or are slightly damaged. If you have a use for them, buy them! You can get a plethora of fruit for a fraction of the cost, for still decent fruit, just be sure to eat it up fast. For vegetables you can always cook them right away to prevent them from getting any worse. Check out the bounty I found in the discount section.  This section also usually has dented cans and out of season- seasonal items.  Beware of dented cans due to food safety.  

• Farmers Markets. Check out your local farmers market. The food there is often a lot cheaper than the grocery store, and fresher, and locally grown so you are supporting local agriculture. 

• Buy in “bulk”.  Pay attention to the unit price. Sometimes you can get a much better deal buy purchasing a larger quantity. Check out the unit price and purchase based on that. Of course, also consider if you will be able to use or store the item. You will not be saving money by wasting food. Note the “bulk” some grocery stores have what they often call “bulk” bins, where you can purchases as much of an item by the pound as you want, such as rice, grains, dried beans and dried fruits. These items that are not branded or packaged are frequently quite a steal , and you are completely in control of how much you purchase. These are also a great way to try new things without committing to purchasing a lot of it. 

• Purchase less processed foods.  The more processed the food, the more expensive it is.  Set aside some time to do some prep work, such as peeling and cutting carrots rather than purchasing baby carrots. Of course, again consider if you will actually use this product if you have to prepare it. In some cases convenience is worth the extra expense.

• Don’t buy beverages. (Except maybe a milk/ soy/ almond/ rice milk) Unless you live in an area where your drinking water has been deemed unsafe, do not waste your money purchasing bottled water, or other drinks.  Soda is empty calories, and Fruit juices are ok sometimes, however, you get more fiber, phytonutrients and fulfillment from whole fruits and vegetables. Also, beware that Bishenol A (BPA) and other toxins are found in most plastic bottles and cans. (More on that to come). 

• Try dried milk.  Milk was the exception of the beverages, Nonfat and low fat milk are very important in maintaining bone and heart health (and water just doesn’t taste as good in cereal.) If you reconstitute dried milk, it works out to be even cheaper. Try to purchase Skim or 1% milks. Also, be sure to pay attention to expiration dates and watch for spoilage for both fresh and dried milk.

• Use canned and frozen too! Compare the price of canned and frozen fruits and vegetables to that of fresh. Often times they are much cheaper, and are convenient as they do not perish as quickly. For canned foods, choose no salt added or low sodium options if possible, or canned in juice or water, rather than syrup or oil. For frozen fruits and vegetables, avoid ones that contain sauces or added sugar. The nutrients in the canned in frozen foods are often just as high, and sometimes higher than fresh foods. Again beware of BPA and other toxins in canned products, and don't use dented cans. See this list for canned foods without BPA. 

• Cook in bulk. Save yourself money AND time by doing batch cooking, and storing or freezing left overs for later.

• Grow it yourself! Buying seeds, or seedlings and growing what you can can save a lot of money. It is also very rewarding to see that your hard work and tending can 'create' food. If nothing else, try growing herbs on your window sill. Fresh herbs are pricey in the grocery store, but they are easy- peasy to grow and maintain. I've had one basil plant growing on my window for over a year (there were two until I had to break in through my window...), and I have chives growing like wildfire! 

Lunch Packing Part 2: Tips & Supplies

My Last Post was on Why to Pack you lunch (snacks / meals), so now here are some more tips on the How- tos


Tips:

•  Small steps add up! Packing a meal once a week or packing one snack a day can also make a difference. 

• If you have a desk/ locker etc at work- keep a few healthy items there, this will make it even easier!

• Canned or dried soup
• granola bars

• nuts
• trail mix
• dried fruit
• cereal
• oatmeal

•  Get in the habit:  Pack your lunch and snacks the night before,  saves you the hassle of doing it in the morning

• Freeze left overs in individual portions:  easy to grab and go at a moments notice

• Prep ahead: Don’t have time to pack a lunch every night? Prep part or all of your meal over the weekend.  Check on my post on Healthy Eating for the Busy Person 
•  Portioning veggies and dip into baggies
•  Cut up fruit and make a fruit salad for easy picking
• Prep sandwiches (you can keep bread on the side to keep it from getting soggy)

Considerations about bringing your meals: 

• Food Safety 
• If you bring anything perishable be sure to have an insulated bag and cold pack. Or refrigerate if possible.  
• Ease of carrying: 
• Especially if you are on the run, having a bag that is easy to carry is key! Try one with shoulder straps, or small bags that fit into other bags you already carry.  
• Leak Proof: 
• Invest in good Tupperware. A spilled or leaking lunch can ruin all of your food, or get on your clothes.  
• Some recommendations: Rubbermaid, Lock &; Lock, Pyrex storage 

What You’ll Need:

·      A lunch box/ bag

·      Good leak-proof Tupperware in various sizes

o   Small containers are great for bringing dips and dressings on the side

·      Plastic or Re-useable baggies

o   Try Snack Taxis or Lunchskins

This is my adorable gnome snack taxi!

·      Re-useable water bottle

·      Travel Beverage Mug

I love my BPA free Aladdin cup- it never leaks! 

·      Cold Packs

o   Recommend having two to freeze one everyday 

Frozen water bottles, or frozen yogurt can also be used in an insulated bag   

A Few Lunch Box Recommendations:

·      Thermos Brand:

Trusted name brand with great insulation.

Many different sizes and styles

·      BuiltNY  (BuiltNY.com) 

This company offers a variety of classy totes, laptop cases, lunch boxes, water bottle and wine bottle carriers.

Their bags are soft neoprene material and insulated.

Have accessories such as shoulder straps

·      LunchBots

Take on the Japanese style Bento Box

Can be carried alone or in another bag 

See my love of Bentos Here as well 

Reasons to pack your lunch

Still buying your lunch at work, or going out most days of the week? Here are a few of my favorite reasons to start bagging it :)

Reasons to bring your own meals & snacks:

·      Economical:

o   Spending $10+ a day on lunch/ coffee and snacks adds up fast!

o   You get much more value shopping at a grocery store and prepping food yourself than you do purchasing convenience items.

·      Saves time and hassle:

o   Yes, packing a lunch can take some time, but will save you the time of having to go and purchase your lunch during your work day.

o   You can eat it anywhere! Save the time and hassle of going somewhere to eat.

·      More nutritious:

o   Frequently “forget” to eat because you are so busy? Regular meals and snacks help improve your metabolism and help maintain your weight.

o   Planning and packing lunch more likely to get well rounded meals.

o   If you wait until you are hungry, more likely to give into temptation.

o   Food companies and restaurants often load their food with salt and unhealthy fats to improve taste.  Bringing your own food allows you to control ingredients.

Versus

·      Eco-friendly

o   All of the packaging associated with buying food out adds up! 

(The Average Office worker uses 500 disposable cups a year¹)

o   You have much more control of the sources of where your food is coming from (organic, local, sustainable sources) 

Tightening the belt buckle

This past week I have been completely freaking out about everything I have to do, and even moreso, about money.

Right now, I am technically doing ok moneywise… I have some savings, and an adequate amount to pay for bills/rent/loans/food etc. etc…. unfortunately- the key word is NOW!

I am doing a lot of forward thinking right now (which is good and bad.)

Next year I will be doing my internship and grad school full time. It is HIGHLY inadvisable to work during... which means, right now I basically need to save up enough money for living expenses and tuition for the next year.

Unfortunately a lot of expenses are nonnegotiable e.i, I do not think my landlord is going to suddenly come down on my rent, and now that I legit have to be commuting a lot more, I have to resign myself that paying for gas is inevitable.

three of the only "expenses" I can really control, are food, going out and shopping. Shopping: I technically do not NEED to go shopping at all... other than for some household items like toilet paper, tooth paste, etc. In regards to going out, I am already relatively frugal, and most of my friends are too (clubs with covers? psht, overrated) so that makes it a little easier... however, based on my mental health, I refuse to become a hermit, so I will be budgeting in some 'going out money'

Finally there is food. I am really good at not spending money EXCEPT when it comes to food (girls gotta eat, you know!) I rarely go out to eat, but I can do some serious damage at the grocery store.

I believe I have mentioned in the past, I have a slight obsession with Mint.com-- which is basically a budgeting website.... based on this website I have concluded that I spend about $230 on food (including groceries, restaurants and alcohol) a month (excluding what I pay for with cash,.... which is very rare.)

Since I am constantly talking about the topic of 'Eating Healthy on a Budget' I am going to put myself on a budget and test my own capabilities! I started doing this a bit throughout January-- but for the sake of officially keeping track I am going to start February 1st.

Since I usually spend $230 a month,

(Here's the summary of the last year...)

I am going to attempt to cut that in half and go down to $115. We shall see how this goes....

(You can imagine there is another $100 there. C'mon! If I had $115 to photograph, I wouldn't be in this situation!)

since I am not completely starting from scratch it is not 100% fair. I do have some food on hand. and throughout January, thus far, I have spent $200 on food, which I don't think was THAT bad considering the fact that throughout the month of December I seem to have let myself get down to the bare bones. At the end of the month I'll do a sum up of everything I am starting with.

Also, I have the issue that the $115 is supposed to just be for me. Which, generally I do only shop for myself, however, with two- four other people "living" in my house, it doesn't always work out that way.

On the other hand, I also have the benefit/ problem in this experiment that Jordan likes to go out to eat etc rather frequently, in which case, he pays, since if it were up to me, I'd just cook. I am going to inform him of my plans, and perhaps he'll get on board, otherwise I'll just consider anytime we go out and he pays null, considering how much of my food, etc. he eats/uses. (Perhaps we'll consider it his 'rent').

Let the Tuesdays Begin!

This semester I am again teaching Exercise Physiology. This time I was lucky enough to have all of my labs scheduled on one day; Tuesdays.

I am very happy I don't have to commute to BU multiple days a week, however, it does mean I have to be here for a very long day.

My labs are at 8am-10am, 12pm-2 pm and 6:30pm-8:30pm. Factor in that I have to get here AT LEAST half and hour early to set up, and it takes about an hour to commute by walking and T to get here = Long Long day.

And consequently, since I am working on budgeting my food money better= lots of food to pack!
I was also STARVING last night when I packed my lunch, which might have lead me to overpack a bit....

Since I passed out so early last night, without accomplishing much prep for lab today, I was up at 5 and hit the road by 6! Consequently, I of course started off with some coffee,( pumpkin spice flavored), with nonfat lactaid milk and splenda.


For breakfast I had a nutrigrain bar on the train ride here, and then after my first lab tucked into some Cheerios and Fiber One, with nonfat, plain yogurt, and a big banana.


I also brought some fruity snacks of a small green apple, and 2 lil' tangerines (which were sooo seedy!).


I had several cups of tea to satisfy the need for warmth, and prevent me from buying a cup of coffee. I am also developing a very sore throat (NOT AGAIN!!) So I hoped that would help a little.


For lunch I brought some of my Vegan Chili, with added whole wheat spaghetti and extra carrots and tomato sauce. It was nice and hearty and warm for a cool day in the lab (outside was actually really nice out today, for January, but inside. burrr.)



I also brought a pack of Lorna Doones - in case a sweet craving struck, but alas I wound up eating them mindlessly when I was on hold with the insurance company instead >___<
I am now finally home at 8:30 pm.... and am considering soup for my sore throat. My body is just exhausted and I can't wait to snuggle and pass out.

Zzzz....

Planning ahead!

One of my tips for eating healthy on a budget is to plan ahead!

After the past few days of disorganization and lateness I definitely had the motivation to pack myself a lunch for work. Packing my breakfast and lunch ahead of time generally causes me to eat healthier and spend less money, so overall positive!

I work at Mass General from 7:30 am - 6 pm so the food I bring tends to span me from breakfast to afternoon snack.

Today I brought:

A grapefruit, which I pre-peeled, because inevitably whenever I attempt to peel a citrus fruit at my desk it never really ends well.



a salad including: baby spinach, romaine lettuce, whole wheat spaghetti, two whole carrots, some frozen corn and snap peas, pumpkin seeds, and raisins.



and some multigrain cheerios and a banana.




In my locker at work I also keep a stash of Healthy choice soup, some plain oatmeal, sometimes some granola bars, and of course A LOT of tea bags, for those times (aka every day I work) where I am not actually hungry but want to put something in my mouth.

If you are trying to eat healthier, or tighten the wallet, I definitely recommend buying your own groceries and prepping ahead of time. You are more likely to make wiser, healthier choices, and pay a fraction of what you would at a restaurant or work cafeteria!

Tropical Foods

For my "Computers in Nutrition Education" Class I had to design a website based on some nutrition topic. Mine was on, "Eating Healthy on a Budget" (Feel free to check out my website... keep in mind it was built completely from scratch and this was my first building of anything.... )

Whenever I talked about my website project to J. His response was always, "How to eat healthy on a budget? Shop at Tropical Foods!" Some of the lowest priced groceries in Boston, and lots of tropical produce, spices and odd cuts of meat that you cannot find anywhere else in Boston.

After listening to him constantly chattering on and on about Tropical Foods, his Family's business, the other day after walking to the Animal Rescue League, to do my birdie research, I decided to walk to nearby Roxbury to check out this grocery store for myself.

I felt like a bit of a creeper taking pictures in the grocery store,... I got a couple weird looks from the employees and other costumers, but I got a few!

Their produce section was quite something, they had all of the normal - produce: apples, bananas, lettuce, and whatnot, as well as tons of more ethnic foods, such as ripe and green plantains, a very large variety of yams/ yucas/ other unknown root vegetables like these:



And of course, they had my favorite section of any grocery store: the discount produce section! One of the items in the discount section was this guy:


I have no idea what it is, nor could I find a description of it anywhere,.... but it was on clearance!

They also had the most amazing array of spices, marinades, oils and hot sauces I have ever seen.



Of course a long with their healthy produce, they also sell a variety of unhealthy treats, such as some delicious (??) pork rinds:


Their meat selection was very extensive and scary (to me...) They even sell conch meat, which apparently is very popular (it honestly just reminds me of Lord of the Flies.)

I was especially excited to hear an advertisement over the interc0m for Pizza Wine while I was in the store! Too funny...

J. was very excited that I actually ventured out to Tropical Foods. Apparently most of his friends are too scared to travel out to Roxbury (It really wasn't all that scary.) As a sign of his appreciation for my business, I received my very own Tropical Foods sweatshirt!




So if you are trying to eat healthy on a budget, or looking for some specific ethnic foods, check out Tropical Foods in Roxbury!