Budgeting a Healthy Eating Routine for Your Family

By: Salina Greene, Outreach Coordinator, NHS of Baltimore

During this difficult recession, consumers are trying to find ways to cut their food budgets to a manageable level. Doing so does not mean people need to sacrifice buying healthy, organic and local foods. Learning to budget for healthy meals is key to maintaining and supporting your family’s health and might actually help you save money. NHS of Baltimore’s homeownership and financial advisers will tell you that when you’re on a strict budget, one of the first things you should cut are your eating out expenses. Ordering out for dinner more than once a week can really add up financially and take a toll on your health wise.

One tip for stretching the dollar is to buy from the local farmer’s markets, as food is generally cheaper here than in the supermarkets. As the season’s change, using coupons and practicing careful spending are important in purchasing your family’s groceries. Many stores are trying to be more accommodating to help out cash-strapped customers.

For those who cannot afford a completely organic diet, a cheaper alternative are products labeled “hormone-free” or “rBST-free”. Avoiding hormones is better than nothing at all. To better understand how produce is labeled and numbered, here is the meaning of the numerical system associated with food stickers:

A label with a 5-digit number beginning with a 9 is organic produce (i.e. – 95736).
A label with a 5-digit number beginning with an 8 is genetically engineered produce (i.e.- 84621)
A label with a 4-digit code is conventionally produced. Usually, this number begins with a 4 or 3. (i.e. - 4310 or 3911). Produce from this category are grown with synthetic fungicides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other harmful additives.

The website, www.foodnews.org/methodology.php describes the top lists of the most contaminated and least contaminated foods we consume in bulk. It also offers a guide to decrease exposure to harmful food chemicals.