Healthy Eating As You Get Older
How to Grocery Shop Wisely
Planning ahead and being creative can help you eat well, even if your budget is limited. In this section, you’ll find ideas for buying foods that give you the most nutrition for your food dollars.
Be a Smart Shopper
Planning ahead can help you choose healthy foods when you shop. It can also help you get the most for your money.
Before going to the grocery store, plan your meals and snacks for the next few days or a week. Make a shopping list of foods you will need and then buy only the items on your list. To avoid impulse buying, try to do your shopping when you’re not hungry or rushed.
Plan to buy low-fat, nutrient-dense items like fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, and whole-grain cereals and breads. Also put other nutrient-dense items like low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products, eggs, dried beans, and nuts on your shopping list. Many of these items are usually found on the outer ring of the grocery store.
Try not to buy a lot of convenience foods, even if they’re on sale. These foods, such as baked goods, candy, crackers, and chips, can be high in sodium, sugar, and fat. Compared to non-convenience foods, they often give you fewer nutrients for the calories you consume. Limit the amount of lunch meat you buy for the same reasons unless you are buying the special lean, low-fat, low-sodium products.
Take time to read the Nutrition Facts label on food packages and cans until you are familiar with them. The Nutrition Facts tell you how many calories and which nutrients the food provides. It also tells you how much fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, and sugars a single serving of the food will give you.
The Nutrition Facts can help you choose more healthy foods and compare the contents of different brands. When reading the Nutrition Facts, be sure to read the serving size and how many servings the package contains.
Before going to the store, check your stock of staples like flour, sugar, rice, and cereal. Also check your supply of canned and frozen foods, which can be handy when you don’t feel like cooking or can’t go out. Try to choose canned and frozen products that are low in sodium, saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, and added sugars.
Plan to buy enough ingredients to cook more than one meal and then freeze meal-sized portions. These can replace purchased frozen dinners that may have more fat and sodium in them. Many soups, casseroles, fish, and meats freeze well for later use. Also, choose fresh fruits and vegetables when they’re in season, and buy frozen produce when fresh items are out of season.
If you find it hard to shop because you don’t drive or have trouble walking or carrying groceries, help may be available. Some grocers offer home-delivery services. Some supermarkets and chains let you order groceries and other products on the Internet. For a small fee, the groceries can be delivered to your home.
You might also ask family or friends, your place of worship, or a local volunteer center for help with shopping. Home-delivered meals are also available for people who can’t get out. Your Area Agency on Aging might be able to tell you where to get help if you can’t shop or make your own meals. To contact your Area Agency on Aging, call the Eldercare Locator toll free at 1-800-677-1116.
Eat Well on Your Budget
Eating well doesn’t have to mean spending more money or buying costly “health foods.” You can eat well on a budget by planning ahead and choosing foods that give you more nutrition for your money. In fact, you might find that you spend less, not more, to eat right.
To save money, choose store brands instead of name brands. You can also clip and use coupons, look for items that are on sale, or use supermarket discount cards.
Start by planning your meals and snacks in advance. Take a shopping list with you to the grocery store and try to buy only the items on the list. Before you shop, check store flyers to look for nutritious foods and ingredients that are on sale.
If you want to save money by buying large sizes of foods, you might plan to share them with a friend or neighbor. Large sizes may cost less per pound or other unit, but they aren’t a bargain if you end up throwing out a lot of the food.
Get more nutrition for your money by choosing fruits and vegetables, fat-free or low-fat milk products, whole grains, lean meats, and other healthy foods. Avoid convenience foods, sweets, and snack foods that give you fewer nutrients for your food dollars.
Before you buy, think about how much of a product you’ll really use. Buy only enough fresh fruits and vegetables to eat within a few days. Also, try not to buy more perishable items than you will use before the “use-by” date marked on the package. Meats, poultry, fish, seafood, cooked vegetables, dairy products, and eggs are examples of perishable foods.
If you like to eat out, go to restaurants that offer senior discounts. Look for early-bird dinner specials or go out for lunch instead of dinner. Some restaurants offer two-for-one or discount coupons. When eating out, consider ordering low-fat, low-sodium, and other healthy menu items. Ask for sauces or dressings on the side so you can better control how much you eat.
Sharing meal preparation and ingredient costs with friends can also save money – and be fun. For instance, you might plan a potluck dinner with neighbors. You might also buy ingredients and cook with a friend.
If you need financial help to buy food, find out about programs for older people with limited budgets. Food stamps from the Federal Government help qualified people to buy groceries. They help people with a low income or salary get enough to eat, and they encourage good nutrition and health.
The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program can help, too. This Federal Government program gives coupons to older adults with low incomes that can be used at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and some other places. The coupons can be exchanged for fresh, nutritious, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
You might also be able to enjoy free or low-cost meals at places in your community. These meals offer good food and a chance to be with other people. Contact your local senior center or places of worship to find out about these meals. Home-delivered meals may be available for people who can’t get out.
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