9 Heart Healthy and Inexpensive Ways to Fill Your Shopping Cart

cooking
Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

1. Great GrainsDinner can always be a plateful of grains and vegetables. Use a small amount of protein as the condiment rather than the centerpiece. Grains give a lot of B vitamins minerals and fiber for a low price.• Store brand pasta and whole grain pasta• Store brand brown rice and white rice• Oatmeal (breakfast)• Low-fat popcorn (snacks)2. Bountiful BeansBeans are an inexpensive way to add protein, iron and fiber to any dish.• Canned beans• Dried lentils• Dried beans• Frozen beans3. Lean poultry• Chicken tenders• Chicken breasts with ribs• Extra lean ground turkey• Whole chicken4. Frozen or canned fish in waterFish is a nutritious, flavorful enhancement to pasta or rice dishes or salads. Small cans provide portion control. Your grocer’s freezer now provides better choices for fish.  Just make sure you choose plain varieties and add your own seasonings to keep fat and salt low.5. Seasonal fresh vegetables and fruitThese are both economical and better tasting. Plan your meals around what is ripe, flavorful and colorful. Heads of lettuce, carrots, cabbage, bags of apples, zucchini, corn and melons all make excellent choices when they are in season.6. Frozen vegetablesFrozen vegetables provide a shelf-stable product that needs little preparation. You can find special deals on store brands.7. Low-cal, high-calcium dairy choicesSkim milk, light low-fat yogurt and nonfat ricotta provide the best sources of calcium while being low in saturated fat and sodium. Watch for specials and buy in bulk to save.8. Brewed teaBrew your own tea to cash in on a beverage that is low in cost and chocked full of nature’s healthful antioxidants and other beneficial elements. Brewed tea is an excellent and lower-priced alternative to soda and other sugar-laden expensive beverages. Choose store brands and stock up on special offers.9. PotatoesBaking potatoes, especially when purchased in bulk (choose the smaller sized ones) make great meals and snacks. Potatoes are among the highest satiety foods - meaning you feel full longer.Healthful, low-cost food may help you lower your risk for certain cancers.Eating more plant-based foods like grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables that are minimally prepared can make shopping less expensive. It can also help you lower your risk for certain cancers. FMI seewww.dietandcancerreport.org

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Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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