| Student Services : Ryerson Health Services : Health Promotion : Health Information : Nutrition - Nutrition on a Budget |
| Nutrition
on a Budget |
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Shopping Follow Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Grain products should compose the majority of your diet. Choose whole grain breads and cereals - they are packed with vitamins and minerals. Also, their fibre content helps to keep your stomach feeling full and your bowels regular. Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season and have
been locally grown. In the winter, fresh vegetables and fruit tend to be more expensive - look for less expensive
alternatives. No matter how a vegetable is preserved, be it frozen, canned or dried - it still has the same
nutritional value. This is because it is picked and preserved at its peak nutritional state. Dark green and
bright orange vegetables and fruit pack a real nutritional punch! Studies have shown that people who eat 5
servings of vegetables and fruits a day have less incidence of cancer. Look in weekly flyers for specials...but clip coupons
only for foods that you know you will eat! Plan your menus for a week at a time. Be creative and
use some of your leftovers for the following meal! Make a shopping list before you hit the grocery store
and stick to it! Try not to shop when you are hungry or you never know what may end up in your cart! Avoid shopping at convenience or corner stores - their
selection isn't great and their prices are almost always higher. Canned beans, peas and lentils are a great source of protein and can be used easily in stews, chili, casseroles or soups. Pasta and rice are inexpensive grain products that keep forever and go with just about every meal. Canned tuna is also an inexpensive way to get some of the protein your body needs. Opt for the tuna packed in water since it doesn't provide your body with unnecessary fat. It is easy to add tuna to pastas, sandwiches, salads or casseroles! Protein is also found in eggs. Eggs are tasty and extremely versatile. You can have them scrambled or poached, in sandwiches, salads or as french toast, an omelette or a frittata! Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables go on sale from time to time, store well, and most importantly provide our body with essential vitamins and minerals. Ryerson's Community Food Room sells the Good Food Box, which is a convenient and inexpensive way to get all the vegetables and fruits you need for an entire week! Check out their website at www.sac.ryerson.ca/food or drop by Room A63 in Jorgenson Hall to find out more. Dealing With Leftovers It is often a challenge to cook for one or two. It often means that you are going to have some left to enjoy for the next day! Here are some tips that allow you to make the most of your leftover food. Invest in storage bags and containers so that you can refrigerate or freeze food you can't finish. Also, take the time after shopping to freeze foods that you may not eat right away. Sliced bread, bagels and muffins all do well in the freezer. Just thaw them as you need them. Meats, such as chicken breast can be divided into portion sizes and then put in the freezer. This way you don't have to thaw and use four breasts all at once. Frozen entrees are often expensive and less healthy than homemade food. They also usually contain more fat, sugar and salt than a meal you would prepare on your own. To save time, try preparing your own "frozen dinners." When cooking soups, pastas, stews or casseroles prepare enough food to last for several meals, divide it into portion sizes and put it in the freezer. This will make a speedy lunch or dinner when you're really strapped for time! Once cooked, food should be covered and cooled as quickly as possible (withing 1.5-2 hours) and put in the refrigerator. Use leftovers within 48 hours. When reheating food make sure that it is reheated all the way through, especially when using the microwave. Do not reheat dishes more than once.Books to Read The Heart Smart Shopper: Nutrition on the Run. Ramona Josephson, RDN. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 1997. The Students Cook Book. Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef. Penguin.
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