Eating healthy isn’t always the easiest thing to do, especially when you are tight on money.
Luckily for you, the Pasadena Senior Center understands this struggle, and wants to educate those interested in this subject in a webinar on Thursday, December 3, 10 a.m.
Presented by City of Hope, “Eating Healthy on a Budget” will debunk the myth that eating healthy is expensive. Learn tips on how to stretch your dollar at the grocery store and while eating out, as well as how to avoid food waste at home.
Eating healthy doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Just learn how to eat right when money is tight at this Pasadena Senior Center online event.
The National Aging Institute lists these 10 budget-wise tips when shopping for meals:
Ask about discounts. Ask your local grocery stores if they have a senior discount or a loyalty or discount card. Besides getting items at a lower price, you may also get store coupons. Use coupons when you can. Remember, coupons only help if they are for things you would buy anyway. Sometimes, another brand costs less even after you use the coupon.
Consider store brands – they usually cost less. These products are made under a special label, sometimes with the store name. You might have to look on shelves that are higher or lower than eye level to find them.
Be aware that convenience costs more. You can often save money if you are willing to do a little work. For example, buy whole chickens and cut them into parts, shred or grate your own cheese, and avoid instant rice or instant oatmeal. Bagged salad mixes cost more and might not stay fresh as long as a head of lettuce.
Look at unit prices. Those small stickers on the shelves tell you the price but also the unit price—how much the item costs per ounce or per pound. Compare unit prices to see which brand is the best value.
Try to buy in bulk, but only buy a size you can use before it goes bad. If you buy meat in bulk, decide what you need to use that day and freeze the rest in portion-sized packages right away.
Focus on economical fruits and vegetables like bananas, apples, oranges, cabbage, sweet potatoes, dark-green leafy vegetables, green peppers, and regular carrots.
Think about the foods you throw away. For less waste, buy or cook only what you need.
Resist temptations at the check-out. Those snack foods and candy are put there for impulse buying. Save money and avoid empty calories!
Sign up for meal delivery. While some older people have trouble finding enough money to buy food, others need help preparing meals. There are a variety of groups around the country that deliver meals to people who have trouble getting out of their homes. These groups usually offer one hot meal a day. One of the largest is Meals on Wheels America. To learn more, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
To receive the Zoom link for Thursday’s “Eating Healthy on a Budget” presentation, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org/
For more information, call (626) 795-4331, or email CarmenM@PasadenaSeniorCenter.