INSIDE - SCAN Health Plan

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So what does good nutrition look like? And how much
does it cost? We’ve put together an example of a day of
healthy eating to the right. As we show – and explain in the
article “Nutrition for Less” on page 6 – buying quality,
nutritious foods can be quite economical.
In general, your daily diet should emphasize fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat and nonfat dairy
products. It should also include lean protein in the form of
beans, eggs and nuts, as well as meat, poultry and fish. Stay
away from foods with saturated fats, trans fats, and those that
are high in cholesterol, salt and added sugars.
Here are some other eating-for-good-health guidelines:
Don’t skip meals; it can slow your body’s ability to burn
calories. For some, it may cause you to overeat at the next
meal. For others, it may result in little or no appetite, meaning
you eat even less. (Unfortunately, it’s usually those who can’t
afford to lose weight that are affected this way!)
Eat when you’re hungry. If it’s close to meal-time, go
ahead and make a meal. Otherwise you’re likely to have a
snack and then “not get around to” making a meal. That
means you’ll miss out on important nutrients.
Make your snacks count. Still a few hours before dinner?
Opt for snacks that provide both carbohydrates and protein,
such as low-fat cheese and high-fiber crackers; raw veggies
with bean dip; or some nonfat yogurt sprinkled with nuts.
Read your labels. Nutrition labels on packaged foods
have gotten much more informative and easy-to-read in recent
years. So compare products to find the ones lowest in the
things you don’t want, like fat, sugar and sodium, and higher
in those nutrients you do, like protein and fiber. Many products
are fortified with extra nutrients – calcium is now added to
some orange juice, omega-3 fatty acids added to pasta – so
check labels. In many cases it’s worth choosing these fortified
products, but not at the expense of your food budget.
Three Squares that cost Less than $7 a Day
We came up with an example of a day’s worth of nutritionally sound, easy-to-prepare, low-cost meals. You could bring
these prices down even lower by shopping for sale items.
Breakfast:
Lunch:
Dinner:
2
- quick-cooking oatmeal
- fresh cantaloupe
- orange juice
- coffee
COST: $1.43
- peanut butter and sliced banana
sandwich on whole-wheat bread
- apple
- iced tea
COST: $1.33
- spaghetti with ground turkey
and sauce with mushrooms,
peppers and onions
- tomato and cucumber salad
COST: $4.20
--- prices based on August 8, 2008 store brands.