Eating Healthy AND Saving Money

Last week, I wrote about why we should feel perfectly all right applying for and spending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (better known as SNAP) funds. One of the reasons this is on my mind is that in the summer, I don't get paid. And regardless of how much I've put away to cover my basic bills out of the salary I get from September through May, the summer months provide a challenge. Then, if my car battery dies (like it did last week), I find myself stressing not unlike I did in the bad ole days.

Then I start thinking about those who live on a fixed income because they're retired or collecting disability benefits or unemployed or unable to work for whatever reason. They have to worry every month -- not just in the summer. And at 70 years of age, I could very easily be one of them any time now. So it helps to know that SNAP exists. But I have some other things I'm doing right now to help me get the nutritious food I need and keep my glucose in check.

First of all, I've kissed meat good-bye. (Don't panic and run. Just hear me out.) You might be surprised to learn how much of your food budget goes into eating meat -- even cheap meat (which isn't all that good for us). I know I was. What do I eat instead? Nuts, dairy foods, eggs, spinach, whole grains, beans, and edamame (roasted soybeans I throw into salads), among other things.

When I started this journey, I thought I would be craving meat in no time, but actually, I've discovered that all the problems I thought I'd have turned out not to be problems.

"Won't beans make me fart a lot?" I worried. (Not once my body got used to them. It took me about a week.)

"Won't I get tired of eating the same stuff over and over?" (Most of us eat the same stuff over and over anyway. And not eating meat introduced me to some very tasty other stuff I had been missing.)

"Will I get enough protein?" (It turns out lots of things have protein. At 5'6" and 138 pounds, I need about 45-50 grams of protein everyday. Half a cup of cottage cheese has 14 grams. See what I mean?)

Choosing not to eat meat required that I learn some things I didn't already know (like how to prepare portabello mushroom caps that taste like meat when they're roasted in the oven). But if you're reading this blog, you already have the skills you need to get that information. Just use google.

And speaking of the internet, this summer, I also realized that I've been missing five dollar coupons for my favorite grocery store. Apparently, for some time, they've been offering the coupons to anyone who goes online and takes a survey answering questions about their most recent shopping trip. It takes five or ten minutes and it's boring as hell, but it's five dollars off your next trip to the store. By not paying attention to the fine print on the tape the cashier gave me when I checked out, I was losing a good fifteen dollars a month -- or more.

Finally, I don't bring home what I shouldn't be eating in the first place. Nothing saves money like not spending it! And when I feel the need for a snack between meals, I drink a glass of water with a few almonds and win in multiple ways. Almonds provide protein, vitamins and minerals, fiber, and the good kind of fat, while water is super-good for digestion and most of us don't drink nearly enough of it. Then, we wind up having to take something to treat constipation, when drinking enough water may be all the solution we need. (Don't know how much water you need to drink? Google it. *wink*)

No matter what my mouth is telling me I crave, the reality is that a 10-ounce glass of water and a low fat mozzarella stick with a chunk of apple will quiet the raging beast. At least long enough to get to dinner.