Over the past twelve months, the unemployment rate has risen 2.7 percent, leaving 4.1 million Americans jobless. Without a source of income, it can be difficult to pay the mortgage, the car payment and even the grocery bill, which is why over 28 million people have turned to food stamps. The food stamp program, more recently known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is helping millions of Americans keep food on the table. While most of them are grateful for the money they are given to spend on food, it is often not enough to purchase quality, nutritious items.
What foods are Americans buying?
President of the Nonprofit Food Research and Action Center Jim Weill said, Food stamp benefits aren't really enough for a healthy diet,"" according to CNN.com, Crystal Sears, from Germantown, Penn., and her three children sometimes receive only $250 per month from SNAP. She is forced to use this small amount of money to buy cheap meals, which are often unhealthy. Some of the foods Sears buys are high in fat, sodium and may contain trans fats. She cannot afford to buy enough fresh fruits and vegetables. ""There's not enough assistance to eat healthy and maintain a healthy weight,"" Sears said. She sometimes skips meals or eats crackers and scraps just so her children are able to eat. This type of diet is not adequate for Sears or her growing children.
CNN.com also quotes Joel Berg, executive director of the New York Coalition Against Hunger, who understands that the program is not benefiting everyone in terms of nutrition, but claimed, ""The food stamp program is somewhat successful."" It has eliminated a lot of starvation in the United States, however with the rise in food costs and the increased number of people requiring assistance, the program is unable to offer proper support to everyone. However, SNAP does aim to provide healthy food and nutrition education to the 28 million people it serves every month. These people are grateful for the assistance but are often forced to change shopping habits to keep food on the table. But, they are not the only ones - community members who are not involved in SNAP are also changing shopping habits.
Mandy Putnam, vice president of TNS Retail Forward, a global consultancy on shopper insights, said ""Grocery shoppers are becoming more cost-conscious, and that is driving a change in the demographics of 'who shops where,'"" according to progressivegrocer.com. Many shoppers have started shopping at dollar stores and warehouse clubs like Sam's Club where they can buy things for less or in larger quantities. This has caused natural and organic stores to lose customers. Some shoppers are also cross-shopping among different types of stores.
For example, a customer does some shopping at an inexpensive dollar store and the remainder at a slightly more expensive store with a wide variety, such as Wal-Mart Supercenter. Another example might be shopping at a natural or organic store for some food items and getting everything else in bulk from a warehouse club. No matter what your financial situation - or if you're just a poor college student - it is important to eat a healthy diet while saving money during these tough economic times.
You, too, can eat healthy for less. Budgets are a little tighter and consumers are looking for ways to save. Here are a few ways to cut food costs while maintaining a nutritious diet.
Dine out less
Cooking at home is far cheaper than going to a restaurant for a meal. This also goes for beverages. Making your own coffee at home costs less than that $4 vanilla latte from Starbucks. Dining in not only saves money, but is often healthier than eating out.
Plan ahead
Look at the store's website and see what is on sale or clip coupons from the newspaper, and make a list to prevent impulsive shopping. Showing up in the cereal aisle when you're hungry and without a plan spells trouble.
Be generic
Try buying the generic store brand items; they usually taste just as good as their brand name partners for less money.
Keep it fresh
Some people think produce is expensive, but if you buy in-season items they will cost less. Fruits and vegetables provide many essential nutrients and fiber to a diet and should not be eliminated due to tight budgets. For a list of seasonal produce, check out the Dane County Farmers' Market website, dcfm.org/shopmkt.asp.
Less processed is best
Buy less processed food products. Instead of buying instant oatmeal in individual packets, buy a tub of quick-cooking oats. If you're concerned about flavor, add some brown sugar, maple syrup or honey with a handful of toasted nuts.
Don't buy bottled water
Get a filtered pitcher or filter for the tap. Plastic bottles often end up in landfills, increasing waste that can't decompose.
Stay away from the pack
The 100-calorie packs or individual packages of cookies or crackers, that is. These are helpful in controlling portion sizes, but you can make them yourself for less money. You could easily buy a large bag of pretzels or crackers and separate them into individual snack bags.
The following is a list of cheap, healthy foods that can be incorporated into one's diet. Even if you are on a budget, there are many nutritious options that are inexpensive.
'¢Eggs
'¢Potatoes
'¢Apples
'¢Broccoli
'¢Bananas
'¢Nuts - peanuts, walnuts and almonds are the least expensive
'¢Wild rice
'¢Spinach
'¢Garbanzo beans
During tough economic times, everyone is looking to save some cash. This doesn't mean you have to buy high-fat, high-sodium processed foods. There are plenty of ways to save money without sacrificing your health and nutrition. Eating a balanced diet aids in weight management and prevention of chronic disease. Implementing some of the tips discussed above can help maintain a balanced diet, even when food budgets are low.
