Plan Your Next Quarantine Grocery Run with Backdrop's Guide to Healthy Eating on a Budget
illustrations by Macey Elder
Mirakel Kolbeck
Even in normal circumstances, cooking for yourself can be overwhelming. Have no fear — Backdrop has the guide to keep you healthy, happy, and sticking to your budget — quarantine or not.
Cost
The unfortunate fact about food is that the fresher and more healthy the food, the more expensive the cost. Due to this most college students turn to cheaper, pre made and processed foods. Here are a few ways to buy healthier food at a lower price:
Shop at discount stores.
Places like The Dollar Tree and Save-a-lot carry off-brand items and pantry staples at a reduced price.
Plan meals ahead.
It’s easier to shop when you know exactly what you’re looking for. Stick to the list, deviating will only cost you more money. (Pro-tip: don’t shop hungry)
Plan meals that use cheaper food options, such as eggs, beans, seeds, frozen fruits and vegetables, and cheaper meats, such as chicken.
Visit multiple stores.
Figure out which stores have special deals or consistent discounts on certain items. There are a number of apps that can help you discover the stores that sell the items you want the cheapest:
Purchase items out of eye level.
Look on the top and bottom shelves. This is where the cheaper, off-brand items are typically located. Compare the ingredients of the name brand, to the off-brand. If they’re the same, why would you purchase Froot Loops for $3.64, when you can get Fruit Spins for $2.39?
Shop for in-season foods.
These foods are usually better quality and better for you. Here are some examples for every season:
Fall: Squash, Cauliflower, Peppers, Apples, Cantaloupe, Sweet Potatoes
Winter: Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Winter Squash, Potatoes
Spring: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Carrots, Strawberries
Summer: Watermelon, Berries, Corn, Green Beans, Summer Squash
Buy from cheap, online retailers.
Browsing the web is a simple and easy way to find low priced food items from retailers such as Amazon, Netgrocer and ShopFoodEx. Amazon specifically has a large selection of non-perishable grocery items.
Misfits Market provides fresh produce for up to 40% less than grocery prices. The appeal of the Misfit Market is that it is a collection of “odd” foods, that most people would not purchase because they are misshapen or odd-sized. This is a great way to get organic and non-GMO produce for a reduced price.
Cheap food options:
Protein: lentils (red, yellow, green or brown), dry beans (kidney, black eye, haricot), canned baked beans, eggs, chicken thighs, chicken legs, sausages, canned tuna and peanut butter
Carbohydrates: oats, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole wheat bread and whole grain bread.
Brown rice and whole-grain bread and pasta and are healthier than their more processed “white” counterparts.
Fruit and Vegetables: canned tomatoes (chopped or whole), apples, bananas (buy smaller ones to get more servings), cabbage, lettuce (iceberg tends to be cheapest), potatoes, carrots, white onions, garlic, frozen mixed vegetables and frozen fruit.
Buying frozen fruits and vegetables is also a cheaper and healthier option. By buying it frozen, it keeps the fruits and veggies ripe and fresh, so you can purchase in bulk (which can bring down the price) then store the rest in your freezer.
Health
While healthier food is more expensive, the investment is important. Having a healthy meal affects how you feel today, tomorrow and in the future. If you can, try to find a balance between the cost and healthiness of your food. We asked Registered Dietitian and Ohio University Professor Deborah Murray for tips on how to stay healthy on a college budget.
“ Go easy on bottled beverages,” Murray says. “One in five calories are from things we drink. [Sweetened beverages] are not good for you, and they also don’t keep you full for very long.”
She recommends spending money on fish. “Fresh fish is good for you as it protects against heart disease,” Murray says. “So splurging in this area is good for health in the long run.”
Besides personal health, it is important to consider how your diet affects the health of the planet. Murray recommends a primarily plant-based diet.
“A heavy, animal-based diet takes up a lot of resources,” Murray says. “We should be concerned about the future of the planet.”
A plant-based diet can also:
Reduce your risk of certain types of cancer
A study of over 69,00 people found that vegetable or plant-based diets resulted in a lower risk of gastrointestinal cancer.
Help your brain
Higher intake of fruits and vegetables decreases the risk of cognitive decline such as dementia.
Lower your chance of developing diabetes
Consuming a plant-based diet reduces your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by nearly 50%.
Happiness
After balancing the cost and the healthiness of your food, you should decide if you are happy with the food you are making or eating. If it doesn’t taste good, what’s the point of eating it?
“Common sense says, ‘I feel better when I eat better,’” Murray says.
There are also factors of diet that can affect your mood. “Carbohydrates drive up serotonin,” Murrary says. Serotonin is the “happy center” of the brain that controls sleep, appetite, and mood. Eating foods that trigger serotonin is great, but when it comes to carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates like sugar, that trigger is more like a rollercoaster without a track; you’re not having fun and you're bound to crash.
About 95% of your serotonin is produced by the gastrointestinal tract — what you eat influences your emotions. Studies have shown that people who eat “clean” meals that are high in vegetables, fruits, fish, and contain only modest amounts of lean meat and dairy have 25% to 35% lower risk of depression.
Here are a couple of tips on how you can influence your mood by what you eat:
Pay attention to how eating different foods make you feel.
Try a “clean” eating diet for two to three weeks, and see how you feel. Once the two weeks have passed, slowly introduce foods back into your diet and track your feelings.
Eat regularly and don't skip meals.
Eating regular meals or snacking periodically throughout the day helps keep your book sugar levels steady, which helps keep your mood steady.
Avoid skipping meals as it makes your body less able to adjust to the food and you are more liable to overeat at the next meal, which can lead to some discomfort (Plus, no one wants to be hangry!).
Avoid foods that can cause bad moods.
Refined carbohydrates such as the sugar found in junk food, candy, soda, syrup and jams, as well as refined white starches like white rice, white bread and crackers may be tasty, but they cause your blood sugar to go up and down, which gives you a small burst of energy followed by crankiness.
Eat more foods that promote good moods.
Protein found in eggs and seafood slows the absorption of carbohydrates in your blood and gives you more long-lasting energy.
Fiber, found in foods like beans and pears, also slows sugar from being absorbed into your bloodstream and increases serotonin.
Vitamins can also help your mood:
Vitamin D can help keep you from getting S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) while you’re cooped up inside and not getting much natural light.
Find it in foods like egg yolks, soy milk and low-fat milk
Vitamins Folate and B-12 can help with depression.
Folate is in foods such as broccoli, oranges, oatmeal and dark leafy greens
B-12 in foods like cottage cheese and salmon
Now that you know how to shop for healthy, inexpensive food that will make you feel good, the next step is to cook it up and enjoy! Stay safe and healthy out there Backdroppers!